3 Women 3 Ways

THE STRUGGLE TO PASS LEGISLATION ON SEXUAL ASSAULT State laws regarding sexual assault matters are often a real help to victims and survivors. But why is it sometimes a real struggle to pass them? Washington State just ended its annual legislative session, and two State Representatives who proposed legislation to alleviate aspects of sexual assault found that despite their best efforts and lots of support, their bills went nowhere. Rep. Dan Griffey was trying to eliminate the statute of limitations on criminal rape and assault, so perpetrators could always be held accountable no matter how long ago the crime was committed. Rep Michelle Caldier proposed a bill that would require notification about sexual assault kits for victims who went to the police or the hospital. Join us as the representatives talk about how bills get passed (or not), why sexual assault bills were just not a priority for this state’s legislative body, and what’s down the road for such laws. First airing on Saturday, April 7, at 11 AM

PALLIATIVE CARE: WHY IT MATTERS TO WOMEN Palliative care has to do with treating the suffering of seriously ill patients. It involves the illness or old age, the patient, the medical folks and the caregiver. So who are most of these folks? Well, a sizable percentage of the patients and the caregivers are women. And that’s when palliative care becomes a particularly women’s issue. Emily Chai, M.D., is Assistant Attending physician at the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She’s also an Associate Professor at Samuel Bronfman Department of Medicine there and was named among US News top doctors and Mew York Magazine’s best doctors, among other awards and honors. She joins us to talk about the work of caregiving, the challenges of uncompensated caregiving, and how women take care. First airing on Saturday, March 31, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

CRISIS HOTLINES: WHO, WHAT AND WHY? Who calls a hotline?  Maybe a better question is who doesn’t? Those phone numbers have offered advice, comfort, resources and a willing ear to untold numbers of callers for decades. Turns out a lot of people call or chat with these help numbers but what do they really offer and who exactly uses them?  And do they really help? Rena Fitzgerald is the Senior Program Manager for Crisis Services at Volunteers of America of Western Washington, and she’s been doing crisis intervention for 15 years. She knows who calls, and why. She also knows who answers the phone, the training they have and the reason they do it. For an inside look at crisis help lines, suicide prevention hot lines, domestic violence hot lines, and all the other free crisis intervention services out there, join as we first air this discussion about crisis phone and chat help lines. First airing on Saturday, March 24, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3

TRAUMATIC DIVORCE Everyone who has gone through a divorce thinks theirs is the divorce from hell, and of course, not divorce is easy. But some are harder than others. In fact, some are truly traumatic, especially when intimate partner abuse, untreated mental illness, or substance abuse are involved. Lisa Fischel-Wolovick, former nurse, domestic violence advocate and current attorney with extensive experience in family court, has written a book titled, “Traumatic Divorce and Separation: The Impact of Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse in Custody and Divorce.” She shares her experiences with what is sometimes called high conflict divorce, with gender bias in the courts, and talks about what we might be able to do about it. Join us as we first air this discussion about traumatic divorce, the difficulty of divorce when abuse, untreated mental illness and substance abuse are involved. First airing on Saturday, March 17, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio

HEALTH CARE RESPONSE TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE Advocates and responders have been talking for years about the need for health care professionals to help screen patients for domestic violence. Programs and education seminars have been offered, but still only a small number of women are even asked about whether they are being hurt by a partner.  And even if they are, what’s the medical office supposed to do? Dr. L. Kevin Hamberger, Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin has spent a couple of decades learning about IPV, its prevalence and what we can do about it. A study he and some colleagues put together discovered that while people have been training health professionals about IPV, that frequently does not change the delivery of their care. He and his cohorts identified a few reasons why and set out to do something about that problem. Join us as we first air this discussion about how health care systems can change in order to respond to those experiencing partner violence and where the model is w

COURAGEOUS KIDS: KIDS TAKEN AWAY FROM PARENTS BY COURTS You’ve seen news articles about it- the child being ripped out of mom’s arms after a court has decided to give custody to someone else. It hurts to watch that sobbing little boy or girl, but in a moment the news moves on to another image, another story. But what happens to those kids? And why are they in that position in the first place? Jennifer Collins was one of those children, when in 1992, she was torn from her mother’s arms and handed over kicking and screaming to the father who had abused her. She and her brother had to live with their father based upon faulty science and a family court that didn’t believe their mother and that didn’t want to listen to the kids. Today, kids are still in the position of being taken away from loving arms, and courts still often don’t want to listen. But today there is an organization of adults who were once those kids. And they want to make it better for everyone. Courageous Kids Network and Jennifer Collins are

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMILIATION Think you know what humiliation is? Well, prepare for some enlightenment.  Humiliation is not only personal, but also global. Consequences are huge, and it can affect not only kids in school, but even countries societies. So what exactly is the psychology of humiliation and what does it mean? Experts Evelin G. Lindner and Linda M. Hartling are waging a two-woman campaign to study, recognize and counter humiliation. They will explain all about what humiliation is, the responses to it, the consequences of it, and what we can do about it.  Lindner is a medical doctor and a psychologist with a PhD, in each field. She is co-founder of the World Dignity University Initiative and a nominee for the Nobel Peace Price for the last three years running. Hartling is Director of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies and co-founder of the World Dignity University Initiative and Dignity Press. She has a PhD in clinical and community psychology and is past Associate Director of the Jean Baker M

We all know trauma can be bad, but do you know how bad and for how long? Turns out the emotional aftermath of those bad things happening to us can change our lives. J. Gayle Beck, PhD., is a professor at the University of Memphis, and she’s made it her focus to investigate the assessment and treatment of adult anxiety-based disorders with an emphasis on post-trauma responses. She’s published widely on panic, anxiety, PTSD, and the processing of psychological distress.  She heads up the Athena Project ot U of M, a research clinic that provides free assessment and treatment to women who have experienced Intimate Partner Violence and abuse. Who better to clue us in as to the impact of trauma on survivors? Join us on Saturday, February 10, at 11 AM Pacific Time as we first air this discussion about the effect of trauma.  Available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

DOCTORS, ACES AND TRAUMA INFORMED MEDICAL CARE Doctors know medicine, but do they know people? More specifically, do they know that childhood trauma can create a difficult patient, or a high-risk patient, or patient who appears not to follow directions? Do doctors need to know about trauma-informed care and is anyone doing anything about it? Andrew Seaman is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health & Sciences University, and he’s created a program to help medical residents get hands on experience and understanding of ACEs – the Adverse Childhood Experiences study that is reshaping how we look at the bad things that happen to people as children. Seaman is an educator, addiction medicine and hepatitis C researcher, and a healthcare for the homeless clinician.  His research passions center around issues surrounding drug use, but extend to the implementation of trauma-informed care practices into healthcare systems. His program at OHSU includes trained mentors and role playing to help future doc

HOW FAMILY COURTS TREAT ABUSE AND ACCUSATIONS OF ALIENATION Some divorcing fathers say family courts are prejudiced against them when it comes to deciding child custody. Some divorcing mothers say they are punished when they reveal violence and sexual abuse, especially of the children.  Judges say they are fair and equitable always. But are they?  Some research has been revealing evidence that should make us all leery of custody decisions. One brand new study found some astounding information, and one of the authors will let us in on what she discovered. Joan S. Meier is a professor of Clinical Law at George Washington University Law School, and Founder and Legal Director of the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP). She is a nationally recognized expert on domestic violence and the law, appellate litigation, and clinical law teaching and has founded programs to provide legal representation, advocacy, and counseling to victims of domestic violence. Professor Meier has co-written

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMILIATION Think you know what humiliation is? Well, prepare for some enlightenment.  Humiliation is not only personal, but also global. Consequences are huge, and it can affect not only kids in school, but even countries societies. So what exactly is the psychology of humiliation and what does it mean? Experts Evelin G. Lindner and Linda M. Hartling are waging a two-woman campaign to study, recognize and counter humiliation. They will explain all about what humiliation is, the responses to it, the consequences of it, and what we can do about it.  Lindner is a medical doctor and a psychologist with a PhD, in each field. She is co-founder of the World Dignity University Initiative and a nominee for the Nobel Peace Price for the last three years running. Hartling is Director of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies and co-founder of the World Dignity University Initiative and Dignity Press. She has a PhD in clinical and community psychology and is past Associate Director of the Jean Baker M

THOSE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS Whether it’s politics or religion, global warming or world peace, we’ve all encountered conversations that seem destined to drive people to shouting and hard feelings. What can we do to avoid the arguments, or convince the other folks that we have right on our side?  Gleb Tsipursky has what he thinks is the answer to that question and he shares his ideas with us. Tsipursky, Assistant Professor at the Decision Sciences Collaborative and History Department at Ohio State University, describes himself as an activist for truth and disaster avoidance, and he’s come up with some strategies for handling those uncomfortable conversations. He is author of The Truth Seeker’s Handbook: A Science-Based Guide and also of Find Your Purpose Using Science, and is president and co-founder of Intentional Insights, a non-profit advocating rational thinking and wise decision making. Join us as we talk about truth, science, lies and public discourse, and how you can avoid those nasty conversat

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH           There’s a topic most people who work in the field of domestic violence don’t like to talk about too much, and perpetrators love to bring up. The connection between mental health and substance abuse is a very easy way to blame the victim in DV situations. But it is a topic that we need to understand. Dr. Carole Warshaw, MD, Director, National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health, knows the subject and understands what is really going on in the areas of mental health and substance abuse when it comes to gendered violence. She explains not only the numbers and the types of problems, but also the latest research, including the NCDVTMH/National Domestic Violence Hotline Surveys on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coercion. That study indicates the very high percentage of women whose mental health conditions are being used against them or who are being pushed into substance abuse by perpetrators. Most importantly, Dr. Warshaw explains the implicat

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMILIATION Think you know what humiliation is? Well, prepare for some enlightenment.  Humiliation is not only personal, but also global. Consequences are huge, and it can affect not only kids in school, but even countries societies. So what exactly is the psychology of humiliation and what does it mean? Experts Evelin G. Lindner and Linda M. Hartling are waging a two-woman campaign to study, recognize and counter humiliation. They will explain all about what humiliation is, the responses to it, the consequences of it, and what we can do about it.  Lindner is a medical doctor and a psychologist with a PhD, in each field. She is co-founder of the World Dignity University Initiative and a nominee for the Nobel Peace Price for the last three years running. Hartling is Director of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies and co-founder of the World Dignity University Initiative and Dignity Press. She has a PhD in clinical and community psychology and is past Associate Director of the Jean Baker M

CHOKING? STRANGULATION? WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, IT HAPPENS Victims often say, “he choked me,” but experts call it strangulation. But whatever you call it, it happens way too often, and it has really disastrous long-term consequences. Can we treat it? Can we prevent it? Gael B. Strack is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder for Alliance for HOPE International, and she will join us to talk about what strangulation means, why it’s often overlooked by victims and health professionals alike, and what can be done about it.  Programs of the Alliance include: National Family Justice Center Alliance, Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, Camp HOPE America, Justice Legal Network and VOICES Survivor Network. First airing Saturday, December16, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

TRAUMA, THE BRAIN, THE COURTS, AND THE PROBLEMS What’s the connection between complex trauma, ACEs study, neurobiology and family courts?  It’s complicated, but that connection is there, and it’s devastating to families, kids, and adults across the country. Shannon Tyson-Poletti, M.D. is a neurobiologist with the Jefferson Center for Mental Health who understands what trauma does to the human brain, from changing size and shape, to organizing and retaining memories. Maralee Mclean is a child advocate, domestic violence expert, author and educator who sees how brain and behavior changes from trauma are misinterpreted by experts and the legal system. Both are knowledgeable about the effects of trauma. Both want to do something about it. Join us as we discuss complex trauma, betrayal trauma, brain changes, a trauma informed legal system. First airing Saturday, December 9, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

WHAT HELPS KIDS EXPOSED TO TRAUMA? HOPE HELPS. We’re learning more and more about how trauma in childhood impacts just about everything in adulthood. But it’s pretty much impossible to get through childhood without experiencing some sort of trauma. So what do we do to help ensure healthy people, a stable society, and a good future? Alliance for HOPE International has focused intensively on the correlations between witnessing domestic violence as a child and juvenile delinquency as well as adult illness, disease, and criminality. They developed Camp Hope for kids who witness domestic violence. And they have a new program, supported by solid research, to give hope to children of trauma. Casey Gwinn, president of Alliance for Hope, author, former San Diego City Attorney and a leader in a presidential initiative to create national family justice centers, joins us to talk about the program, it’s results, and why it could reshape the future for kids exposed to trauma.  First airing Saturday, December 3, at 11 A

Would you be surprised to know that there is no law that says a judge must make a kid's health and safety the first priority when determining custody in a divorce? Every day judges decide where a child will live when the parents divorce. Often they get it wrong, with disastrous results, and those children may be forced to live with someone who has abused or even seuxally assaulted them. Because judges, guardians ad litem, psychologists and other advisors to the courts, don't get it or think the protective parent is lying. It's a tragedy that leaved kids in horrible situations and can set them up for life-long repercussions. The Safe Child Act could change that. Andrew Willis, founder of the Stop Abuse Campaign, and Barry Goldstein, nationally recognized domestic violence author, speaker and advocate, will discuss the Safe Child Act, being considered in several state legislatures as a requirement for child custody decisions. Join us as we talk about how this act could help protective parents, dependent chil

WHAT’S NEW ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? Is it domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, or gendered violence? Or is it domestic abuse? Is it just between partners or in sexual relationships? What about when parents or relatives are abused? What IS it anyway? And why do the names keep changing? Are we still talking about the same thing? What have we learned and how have we changed when broaching the topic of domestic violence? Ivonne Ortiz from the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence joins us for a conversation about names, understandings, and what we know and see differently about domestic violence as we’ve worked to eliminate it over the last 25 years.  Does the name matter? Does our definition change as the names change? And even with a different name, does domestic violence still feel the same for victims and survivors. It’s a good conversation, and a good way to get back to basics about a topic that affects all of us in one way or another. First airing Saturday, November11, at 11 AM Pacif

GENDER AND THE LAW Do you think of women and law only when it comes to family law, reproductive rights, domestic violence and employment? Most folks always have thought that these are the only areas of law of particular interest to women. But Katherine Bartlett, professor of law at Duke, thinks otherwise. She says that genderedness affects all areas of the law, and that the way it is structured legitimatizes inequality and oppression. Bartlett teaches family law, employment discrimination law, gender and law, and contracts; and publishes widely in the fields of family law, gender theory, employment law, theories of social change, and legal education. She is coauthor of the leading casebook in the area of gender law. Find out what she has to say about the law, where it’s been, where it is going, and what gender has to do with it all. First airing Saturday, November 4, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.