Sergeant Mike Harris of the Special Investigations Unit Discusses Internet Sex Crimes on Children

Camil invites us into her story in a way that encapsulates what it means to face our stories. To face some of the hardest moments of our lives and those who acted within our world. It is not easy to give people the vulnerability that Camil does, and we know that her words will bring healing and understanding to so many.

Please know that this episode does go into detail about sexual abuse, drug use, and domestic violence so listener discretion is advised.

Learning to Cope Book

Maya is a diversity, equity, and inclusion facilitator, who has joined us to talk through her expertise, how we can all continue the conversation around equity and inclusion, and what it means to be a true ally to others.

The journey of finding your power and privilege is not an easy one, and we hope the tools laid out in the episode will help in whatever DEI and violence prevention journey you may be on

Books and Resources:
How to be an Anti-Racist and Other Work from Author Ibram X. Kendi
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad
The Social Change Map

Connecting to ourselves is not always a straight line. How we find our journey through healing is immensely personal, which is why we are so grateful for the honesty and vulnerability that Jenna brings. Jenna is an emotional healing educator, meditation teacher, retreat leader, hypnotherapist, HeartMath Facilitator, and founder of the Emotional Healing System.  For the past two decades she has taught thousands internationally in group and private retreats.

We never know what might show up when we start to find infinite kindness towards ourselves.

Resources Mentioned:
Wise Little One Book
Wabi Sabi Ted Talk
Micheal Teachings: Soul Age

Susan and Alexander Prout are the founders of the I Have The Right To organization, which is committed to creating an ecosystem of respect and support for students and survivors of sexual assault. Throughout our conversation we discuss the bravery of their daughter Chessy, the walls of silence and shame that institutions systemically create,  healing as an act of communion, and how we can disrupt the power of toxic masculinity and rape culture as it currently exists.

We encourage you to join the pledge on their website, follow the conversation through their social and read Chessy's Book, I Have the Right To: A High School Survivor's Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope. 

Other Resources:
You Throw Like a Girl, The Blind Spot of Masculinity by Don McPherson
 Beartown by Frederic Backman
Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeves
Asking For iI by Kate Harding

Sergeant Mike Harris sits down to guide us through how online sex crimes against children has changed over the years, ways in which we can start having honest and prevention based conversations with the kids in our lives, and the impact that time and space has on how our stories develop. Believing a survivor is not just about believing their first out cry, it is knowing that their story will change and over time. It is our duty as the listener to continue to believe them through every adaptation, and Mike is here to ground us in how that reality tends to play out. 

Mike has been in law enforcement since 1979. He worked patrol SWAT, undercover narcotics, canine and in '91, he started working in crimes against children. In '96, he ventured into the online side of things and started using technology to lure sexual predators away from children online. He's been working as a detective against child online sex crimes for decades and was the creator of CHEEZO, a police unit focused on tracking predators, educating children on what to look out for and providing resources for parents.

Resources for Online Safety
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

https://protectyoungeyes.com/

To kickoff season 3, we sit down with Morgan from Highland Park Brewery (HPB) and walk through what is like to do one of our trainings, the impacts it has had and continues to  have with staff, and how our work together is helping disrupt some of the previous standards within the beer industry.

We started our work in the beer space in 2020 as women within the industry started to come forward to share their stories of abuse, harassment and assault. It was a catalyst for us to become a more active part of creating safer spaces for everyone in the industry. Over the years, our relationship with breweries like HPB has helped start hard conversations about the realities of these spaces and how everyone can be a part of the change.

If you are interested in our training, or learning more please visit breakingsilence.org/programming

 

Dave Pelzer is a New York Times best selling author, a survivor, and someone that has helped countless people through the power of his story. Alli and Dave talk through the process of writing his new book Return to the River,  how he has moved through life holding space for his abuse and for his adult self to heal, and what he sees now, 50 years after his rescue. 

You can hear the "From Heart To Heard" talk on our website! We are so excited to have Dave Pelzer here next week as we continue our journey through this season. Please share with us your why and reactions to our video .

This week, we talk with Karen about her story of surviving abuse at the hands of her stepfather. The idea of that to be loved means to experience abuse was a common story told to her not only by her abusive stepfather but by religious leaders.  Karen has had to reframe her story to become one about love for herself, how the abuse is not her shame to carry and  the work she is doing in  finding self love and grace. 

In this episode we are joined by Amanda as she talks us through her stories of survival, why she has kept her stories silent  and how she ended up in litigation against a powerful ride share company. This episode is a wonderful example of how we can still be in our pain and going through it and know that when we talk to safe people they will believe and see us, not shame and silence us.  There is no perfection or finished when it comes to processing an assault, so sometimes we just have to start talking and know that our community will help carry the weight of what happened with us.

You are not alone and if you need help or want to talk to someone please reach out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline,  Available 24 hours: 1-800-656-4673