3 Women 3 Ways

Police families are not immune to the violence and terror of intimate partner abuse, yet few departments have any specific policies to address domestic violence complaints when their own officers are involved. Join us when Judith Spitzer talks about police and DV. Judith Spitzer is an award-winning journalist, columnist and online producer. She has worked for many newspapers large and small including The Rocky Mountain News, The Denver Post, The Oregonian’s OregonLive.com, The Daily World, and many others. As editor of a monthly woman’s news magazine in Denver, she wrote several investigative pieces including a story on Denver Police harassment of female officers as well as a story on the Aurora Police Dept. regarding their handling of domestic violence cases and others.

SURVIVING AFTER THE CRISIS October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and a great way to start this month off is by talking about what happens after the trauma and crisis of experiencing domestic violence. The Voices Survivor Network is a program of Alliance for HOPE International and representatives from that organization will bring us some stories and information to help celebrate strength and survival. This group of individuals use their collective voice to help others through advocacy, education, and empowerment. VOICES members support each other as well as those experiencing domestic violence and sexual assault. Members of this committee offer a unique perspective in regards to established programming and help identify gaps in services. If you have your own story of survival, or if you want to share your thoughts or lend your support to others, join us Saturday for “Surviving the Crisis,” a conversation about what comes after. Call-in to share your opinions and questions at (646) 378-0430. Live a

THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE: WHERE’S IT LOCATED, WHEN DID IT START, AND WHAT DOES IT DO? For years, there’s been a telephone number in Texas that anyone who needs information about domestic violence can call. It’s become the one resource that clinics, shelters, women’s organizations and advocates can post in notices, put on rest room doors, and print on the back of brochures. It has consistently been the go-to number that is the first stop for victims throughout the nation to use when they are seeking help or information about DV. This Saturday we are fortunate to have three people who know the Domestic Violence hotline number and organization intimately, and can tell us who calls, what happens when they do, and how this simple phone number has been a godsend for decades. Cameka Crawford is the Chief Communications officer at the National Domestic Violence Hotline and its youth-focused program, loveisrespect. Brian Pinero, Chief Programs Officer at the NDVH, and former guest on the show will joi

LEGAL MARIJUANA IS ONE THING FOR ADULTS, BUT ARE WE ACCIDENTALLY POISONING LITTLE KIDS? Lots of folks are happy marijuana is legal in a lot of states, but there may be fallout no one thinks about. King County, Washington recently published a report that showed an increasing number of people, especially children, are accidentally eating and getting sick from it. Colorado reported that since marijuana was legalized there have been at least a dozen kids poisoned when they ate it. And it’s not just marijuana – kids get their hands on alcohol, Tylenol, aspirin—and lots of stuff that is fine for adults, but terrible for them. Join us as Dr. Alexander Garrard, Clinical Managing Director of the Washington Poison Center tells us about what’s happening with kids and substances and poisoning. He provides clinical management direction and leadership to the Washington Poison Center, and is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, School of Pharmacy. Prior to this position he worked as a healt

WHO ARE THE RAPISTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES? Are there a few men on college men who perpetrate most of the rape there? Or are there hordes of men who rape once in a while? When trying to solve the issue of sexual assault on our college campuses, it seems like it would be good to know whether we are dealing with a few serial rapists, or whether a lot of men carry out rape as isolated situations. One study looked at the information and found out who perpetrators are likely to be, and you may just be surprised. Jacquelyn W. White, PhD, is a senior research scientist at University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and is an organizer of a national group working to ensure that campus climate surveys of sexual misconduct are rooted in empirically based research.  She is co-editor of the forthcoming American Psychological Association Handbook on the Psychology of Women. She has conducted research on gender issues, sexual victimization, and intimate partner violence for over 35 years, and led one of the few longitudina

WOMEN, PROTECTION ORDERS, AND THE REAL COSTS TO VICTIMS You’ve experienced violence from your partner, and everyone is telling you to get a protection order. Sounds right. The legal aid representative tells you how to proceed, it might help, and it doesn’t cost anything. Or does it?          Two researchers looked at whether getting a protection order had any impact on women’s earnings, and their findings may be a shock. And those findings covered six years of women’s earnings. Free to get a protection order? Think again. Melanie M. Hughes and Lisa D. Brush join us to look at their research and what it told them about women’s financial picture after getting a protection order. Hughes is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. She uses quantitative approaches to study women’s empowerment, often focusing on groups of women who are particularly marginalized. She is coauthor of Women, Politics, and Power: A Global Perspective (3rd Edition forthcoming with CQ Press). Her research has b

Collusion – complicity – conspiracy. What do those words have to do with domestic violence?  Well, one theory says uninformed communities, cities, social services organizations, batterers, and others, are all colluding in a way that harms victims of domestic violence. So what is collusion and what do we do about it?  First we need to understand it, and that’s where Albert Chagoya of Dallas, TX comes in. Chagoya is the Director of Addicare Family Violence Program there, and can help us understand what he means by collusion and how it happens. He earned his bachelors degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice in 2003 from the University of Texas in Arlington. He is currently the Co-chairman for DVAC-Dallas County Domestic Violence Awareness Coalition, with professional duties that include state wide batterers intervention training and agency consulting.         Please join us to learn more about collusion when we talk with Albert Chagoya on Saturday. Call-in to share your opinions and questions at (646

GAY CONVERSION THERAPY – REALLY? In case you never heard of it, some people think they can convert gays, especially young people, into heterosexuals by using a type of “therapy.”  Really!  Of course this assumes that being gay is like a bad habit or mental illness that can be cured.  So what is this all about, does it help, does it hurt, and what are we doing about it? Oregon is one state among several that recently passed a law prohibiting conversion therapy, and other states are considering such bans. Samantha Ames is an attorney with the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) knows about conversion, what it’s supposed to do and what it really does. She’s served as a Policy Fellow in Washington, D.C. before moving to San Francisco to work as a staff attorney focusing on conversion therapy cases. She has testified on the harms of conversion therapy and the constitutionality of efforts to end it before both state and federal bodies, as well as at the United Nations Committee Against Torture in Geneva, S

  “Fathers’ rights” is a term bandied about on the web, in courtrooms, and in custody hearings.  It’s a term often used when discussing child support and visitation. But what about fathers’ responsibilities? And what is the difference between terminology and rhetoric and what is really happening with fathers in the world? The “State of the World’s Fathers” report was launched recently after taking a long, hard look at dads everywhere, and the results are worth talking about not just in the context of divorce and child support, but in the context of raising generations and creating healthy families. So what did the report say? Ruti Levtov, Program Officer at Promundo, co-coordinates the MenCare Global Fatherhood Campaign, producers of the report.  She will join us Saturday to explain the report and share some pretty surprising findings it revealed. Ruti plays a key role in Promundo's research initiatives, including the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES). Ruti previously worked with the J

SHARING THE STORY         Why is it so important for trauma and domestic violence victims to tell their stories? Are they just sharing cautionary tales, or does the telling make a difference?         It turns out that telling a trauma narrative does help with recovery for victims. Research also shows that sharing the story can also help minimize psychological effects that can follow.  At least one organization recognizes this and has helped survivors with the telling in at least one special project.         Brian Pinero is the chief programs officer at the National Domestic Violence Hotline and its youth-focused program, loveisrespect.  He’s going to talk with us about a project designed to facilitate survivors’ stories and the results of that project. Prior to joining The Hotline, he supervised youth shelter services, was an investigator at Child Protective Services and worked as a juvenile probation officer. Brian is a member of the National Advisory Board for Crisis Text Line and holds a master’s degree

What does it mean to be transgendered?  We'll find out with two special guests.

GIRL SCOUTS TURN DOWN BIG DOLLARS FOR TRANSGENDER FAIRNESS. WHAT?? A Seattle Girl Scout Council turned away a big donation because the giver wanted to make sure none of the money went to promote anyone or anything transgender. So what’s the fuss all about? What is transgender, what does it have to do with domestic violence, and why should we all care? Join us Saturday for a discussion with Danni Askini, social worker, writer, trans*Activist and executive director of Gender Justice League. Danni is a former director for Basic Rights Oregon, and was the founding Transgender Health Director for Verbena Health. She has worked for social justice issues for 15 years, and has been active in prison, immigration, and community issues. Now is our chance to get solid information about gender issues in the news. Call-in with your comments to (646) 378-0430. Live at 11 am Pacific time, or go to the website and listen to all our archived programs whenever you like at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

WHAT’S CREATIVITY HAVE TO DO WITH TRAUMA? How to deal with trauma is a lifetime study for scholars, and an ongoing question for those who have been traumatized.  Some people write their stories, or create poems that help them deal. K. Alexandra Onno, PhD, LMHC is a poet, storyteller, educator and therapist who specializes in the healing power of story. She uses traditional, somatic, depth and transformative approaches to psychology and works with creative and expressive ways of healing.  Alex uses her own creative work in her life and her practice and as a graduate level professor at Saybrook University’s LIOS program in counseling psychology. She joins us, as will several published and noted poets and writers to share examples of work that have helped in the healing process after trauma. Please join us to learn the science and the psychology of using creativity to deal with trauma. Call-in to share how your creativity or that of others has helped you deal with life experiences.  (646) 378-0430. Live at

RAPE KITS BACKLOGGED ON SHELVES, RAPISTS FREE AS BIRDS. WHO’S DOING SOMETHING?   We've all heard about the backlog of rape kits at crime facilities and police labs all across the country, and all the information locked in those kits that could be used to prosecute rapists and prevent them from raping again. The good news is that some states are actually tackling that backlog and making headway in those DNA tests - AND finding a lot of criminals. The bad news – huge backlogs still exist; it takes money to process this evidence; and some states are actually charging victims for processing and investigating via rape kits.   Erika Teschke, Founder of RapeKitWA.org, started out as your everyday citizen until she read about the nationwide issue with untested rape kits. Since then she has talked with leaders at all levels of the rape kit chain of custody in Wa State and with national organizations such as the Joyful Heart Foundation’s End The Backlog in order to help bring victim centered rape kit reform to her

Join Rita Henley Jensen, founder and editor of Womens eNews, and Rob Okun, Editor and author of Voice Male, as we discuss feminism around the world- what men and women are doing to promote equality and justice for women.  

A PILL FOR ABORTION LANDS WOMAN IN JAIL FOR MURDER   A Georgia woman took pills to end her pregnancy and the prosecutor charged her with murder. Huh? The 23-year old bought the pills on line that caused her to go into labor. She delivered the non-viable fetus on the way to a hospital. So what are these pills? Can anyone get them? What is the medical abortion as opposed to a surgical one? Is it legal? Can women really be jailed for taking them? Is this common in the rest of the world? Join us Saturday as Dr. Beverly Winikoff of Gynuity Health Projects joins us to talk about medical abortion and the status of medical abortion around the world.  Beverly was Director for Reproductive Health at the Population Council for 25 years and worked on preventing STDs, improving postpartum care, and Safe Motherhood. She is a professor of Clinical Population and Family Health at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. We’ll also have Monica Simpson, Executive Director of SisterSong, a Georgia organi

REVENGE – NAKED AND VICTIMIZED ON THE INTERNET Bad enough to have a bad break up. Even worse when you think about the naughty pictures you took for him. But when that ex decides the best way to get back at you is to post those sexual pictures on the internet, you have revenge – a not necessarily illegal and wholly vindictive assault that affects as many as tens of thousands of women. And where those pictures are posted range from eBay and Facebook to special revenge sites specifically designed to appeal to the vindictive. Elizabeth Zwerling is an award-winning journalist and journalism professor based in Southern California. A former staff writer for the Los Angeles and Bay Area newspaper groups, she has written about education, media, and health and gender justice for Women's Enews, Ms. Magazine, the Online Journalism Review, Pasadena Weekly, Patch.com and Public Radio, among others. She knows about revenge and she will tell us what it is, to whom it happens, and what, if anything, victims can do about

AFTER SAFETY COMES MONEY After safety, money is probably one of the biggest concerns for domestic violence victims. Not just how to get some, but how to spend it, how to protect it, how to do what you have to do to record it, pay taxes on it, and protect it.  That’s one place where the Jennifer Beach Foundation comes in. Keith Beach is founder and president of the Jennifer Beach Foundation where he has served since December 2001.  The organization provides education, advocacy, and assistance for those affected by child abuse and domestic violence.  One of the ways the group helps is by offering its free Hope and Power classes to help survivors figure out personal finances like budgeting, credit reports, borrowing, housing, financial aid and employment. Join us as we talk about finances, taxes, operating a foundation to help abuse victims, and even how to start an organization to help victims and survivors.         Call-in with your comments to (646) 378-0430. And if you miss the live program, you can go

SIBLING VIOLENCE- WHEN IS IT HORSEPLAY AND WHEN IS IT ABUSE? A friend once told me that her brother made her sit in a lawn chair while he attached it to a car battery to make an electric chair. What?! Sometimes sibling rivalry isn’t harmless. Sometimes it’s violent abuse that can lead to problems in adulthood for victims. Two people who work with and have experienced sibling abuse join us to talk about what it is, how it is minimized, and the later implications for victims. Amy Meyers, PhD, is an assistant professor of Social Work at Molloy College and sees victims of sibling abuse in her clinical practice. She sees the terminology we use when talking about brothers and sisters as one way we overlook sibling abuse. Nancy Kilgore, MS knows how brother and sister relationships can be traumatic and harmful. Author of Girl in the Water: A Personal Story of Bullying and Sibling Abuse, and The Sourcebook for Working with Battered Women, Nancy works with victims of abuse by sibling. Both women join us to talk a

ARE YOU WORKING WITH A BULLY? Are you working with a bully? More than 25% of us are.  If you aren't being bullied, chances are you have seen someone being abused by a supervisor or coworker.  When we talk workplace bullying, we're talking more than some eye rolls or impatient words. Those can be off-putting, but when we talk bullying, we're talking about more than that. The eye rolls and the harsh words are often coupled with more verbal abuse, with non-verbal actions, with exclusionary actions, and they are used repeatedly.  We're talking covert abuse along with overt actions perpetrated by someone who is doing it on purpose to targeted workers. Think you are the victim of workplace bullying? Gary Namie, PhD, is research director and one of the founders of the Workplace Bullying Institute. According to its website, "WBI is the first and only U.S. organization dedicated to the eradication of workplace bullying that combines help for individuals, research, books, public education, training for professionals-