3 Women 3 Ways

Women make up 51% of the US population, yet only 31% of elected officials are women. So why the disparity?   Well, as any woman who has run for office can tell you, there are a number of barriers and obstacles standing in the way for women who throw their hats in the ring. Money, support, personal obligations, campaigning, exposure...the list goes on and on. A number of organizations have formed in the last couple of years to help  One of them is League of Our Own Washington. Executive Director Kaitlin Vintertun heads up the relatively new League based just north of Seattle, WA. She explains the supports the group offers women who not only want to run now, but who are contemplating it in the future. During their first year they had 70 potential candidates participate in trainings, coaching sessions, and educational programs with supporters and experienced candidates, with most running for school boards, city councils, an dother critical local positions. Most educational experiences are provided by volunteer coaches, former candidates and supporters from speech experts to empathetic listeners to someone to just cook a dinner for the candidate as she goes through the experience.  Join us as we talk about women in government and what is to be learned and gained from running for office .

TEN MEN: A RHODE ISLAND ENGAGEMENT GROUP The domestic violence movement has grown and changed over the last 30 years, and perhaps one of the more interesting developments over that time, has been the efforts to engage men in the fight against the violence. The Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RIADV) has found one way to encourage this is to annually recruit men in the community to advocate for the Coalition and against domestic violence. The Ten Men program combines education, media, and ongoing engagement to create a continually growing, dedicated cadre of men. Krista D'Amico is the Director of Prevention at the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV), and Lucy Rios, is deputy director there. D’Amico coordinates initiatives to prevent intimate partner violence before it starts while Rios coordinates prevention-focused strategies funded through various iterations of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention DELTA Programs, creating notable initiatives to mobilize bystanders such as Ten Men. Join us as both women talk about the Ten Men program and the success it has achieved in Rhode Island.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH PERPETRATOR TREATMENT? After a domestic violence arrest, perpetrators are often ordered into treatment by the courts. Treatment? That implies there is a cure. Or does it? Turns out treatment is not the panacea we would hope it is, but it may do some good. The discussion around the effectiveness of intimate partner abuser treatment is one that has been going on for a while. Does treatment help or not? The answer isn’t so simple. Just as there are different types of perpetrators, there are also different types of and approaches to treatment. Christopher Murphy, PhD, psychology professor at University of Maryland Baltimore County, and director of a counselling program for domestic violence offenders, has spent most of his career studying perpetrators and the strategies and programs used to treat them. Join us as we discuss the benefits and failures of treatment, who goes to treatment, and some of the innovative approaches to treating these perpetrators. Airing for the first time, Saturday, March 20, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

HOW ONE POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE You’ve seen it on the news, perhaps heard of friends or even experienced it yourself – the domestic incident call to police. We know bits and pieces, but chances are, unless you’ve experienced it personally, you don’t really know what happens after that call. What happens when police arrive? Is it really as dangerous as they say? How do the police figure out what really happened in the midst of “he-said-she-said?” Jennifer Bartak is a police sergeant for the Town of Deerfield, Massachusetts who specializes in sexual assault investigations. She is the liaison to the High-Risk Domestic Violence Offender Team with the Northwestern District Attorney’s office. She holds a BA degree in Social-Services in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She knows very intimately what goes on when the police arrive. She shares with us, step by step, the actions, the questions and the concerns of police who handle domestic violence calls. Join us as we talk about the police response to intimate partner violence. Airing for the first time, Saturday, March 13, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

COERCIVE CONTROL: NO BROKEN BONES BUT VIOLENCE, NEVERTHELESS Isolation, entrapment, stalking, mind games, withholding, degrading…all are the strategies and the weapons of the perpetrator in debilitating and controlling relationships. The coercive control the abuser uses can create as much damage and victimization as the physical assaults often experienced in domestic violence. Lisa Aronson Fontes PhD is a senior lecturer at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and is published in PsychologyToday.com and DomesticShelters.org. She is the author of four popular books including one on coercive control: “Invisible Chains, Overcoming Coercive Control in Your Intimate Relationship.” Join us as she describes the types of coercive control, the severity and frequency of its use, and why abusers inflict this type of violence on victims. Airing for the first time, Saturday, March 6, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

MURDER CHARGES AFTER A STILL BIRTH: A FIGHT ON BEHALF OF WOMEN How terrible to deliver a still born, full term baby. Imagine the grief. Now imagine that immediately after, police arrest you and you spend the next 15 months jailed and charged with murder of that child. That is what happened to a California woman, and she isn’t the first who has been persecuted for losing a child. Women all across the country are facing such a threat, and one organization, the National Advocates for Pregnant Women, is working to provide legal advocacy for them. Samantha Lee is a staff attorney for the NAPW. She earned a degree in International Human rights and then graduated from NYU law school, served as a public defender representing parents accused of neglect or abuse and his working on cases like that of the California women. Join us as we discuss particular cases, what motivates a prosecutor to pursue such charges, and what the implications are for not only pregnant women, but for all of us. Airing for the first time, Saturday, February 27, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

When a victime has to leave a domestic violence situation, that departure is often hindered because of abusers' threats to animals, or because the victim doesn't want to leave pets behind. It's a real problem. But one organization, Redrover, is working with that problem and creating safe solutions all across the US and Canada. Nicole Forsyth is President and CEO of RedRover, a nonprofit that helps bring animals from crisis to care, including in domestic violence cases. The three main programs of RedRover help people and animals in crisis, whether that is a natural disaster or a DV problem. This includes working with shelters to learn how to accommodate animals and the humans who need help. The organization also has a program for children designed to reinforce the human-animal bond and emotions. The group also helps with resources for animal medical care.  Forsythe authored an interactive digital book and game as part of the RedRover Readers program. She has a Master of Science in Animal Biology and Welfaree, and another masters in Communication and she shares he experience helping animals and their people in this episode of 3 Women 3 Ways.

SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION OVER DECADES COVID is causing upswings in domestic violence and sexual assault. True or false?  How has the response to sexual assault changed? How do we view prevention and what does that mean today? Mary Ellen Stone, Executive Director who has headed Washington State’s King County Sexual Assault Resource Center        has worked as a leader in changing the landscape of sexual assault prevention, education and victim advocacy for nearly 40 years. Who better to talk about effective and innovative services for victims of sexual and domestic assault? Join us as we look at how perceptions of sexual assault and advocacy have changed and where they are headed in the future. And learn whether  COVID has played a part in that change. Join us as we talk family courts, abusers, child custody and the reality of domestic violence and the courts. Airing for the first time, Saturday, November 7, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

The horror stories about domestic violence, divorce, child custody and the too- often devastating decisions handed down in family court abound. This week's show features a retired judge who advocates and teaches about how abusers use the court system, and many of his insignts and experiences shed some light on what happens in courts when abusers use the courts to further abuse their victims.   Judge Eugene Hyman served 20 years on the Superior court in the Criminal, Family, Juvenile, and Probate divisions of the Court. The Juvenile Domestic and Family Violence Court began in 1999 and is believed to be the first such court in the US. It received the United Nations Public Service Award in 2008. Assitionally, he has taught Domestic Violence related subjects in Canada, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, besides in the US.  Join us as we talk family courts, abusers, child custody and the reality of domestic violence and the courts.

Human trafficking is a problem affecting women and girls throughout the world, but it is a woman right here in the United States who shares her experiences, her trauma and, significantly, her recovery. Siobhan Bennett has been CEO of a national political advancement organization, is the former head of a Washington DC organization working to get women elected to office and is currently chief strategic officer for a legal defense and education nonprofit. That’s her professional background. Her personal background includes having been trafficked, getting out of that experience, and her life-long recovery. She sees her role today as one of educating and giving hope to others Join us as we look at human trafficking, its prevalence, and its repercussions.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM A POLICE PERSPECTIVE We hear from lawyers, judges, victims, advocates and even ministers about domestic violence, but how often do we hear from police officers about their understanding of domestic violence, it's perpetrators and victims, and its prosecution? Lt. Mark Wynn (ret), a former police officer and member of a SWAT team for 15 years, author of police Officer Standards and Training curriculum, and key creator of the largest police domestic violence investigative unit in the US joiins us to talk about the history of police response in the US, how current dissatisfaction with police culture in general may affect domestic violence response, whether changes will impact women of color more negatively, and how US police treatment of domestic violence compares with responses in other countries. Wynn, a Fulbright Specialist for the Department of State and a survivor of DV himself, has spent the last 20 years teaching police forces around the world about handling DV and he has done so with personal experience, sensitivity, enthusiasm and the support of researchers, advocates and founders of the battered women's movement.

ABUSED MOTHERS AND CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES It is no surprise that children suffer in intimate partner abuse situations. Neither is it a surprise that some of those children are taken into care by child protective services. One group of researchers decided to take a look at the mothers in some of these situations and compare those who had children taken away, either temporarily or permanently, with those who did not. The results were revealing, to say the least. Leslie M. Tutty, PhD, professor emerita from the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary, shares some of the findings from the study that looked at more than 600 women over four years and discovered some commonalities when children were taken away. Dr. Tutty has done extensive research into services for domestic violence, not only for abused women, but also treatment for adult and child victims of sexual abuse, and even groups for men who are perpetrators. She is widely published and has authored and edited textbooks for social workers as well as journal articles. Join us as we look at abused mothers’ mental health, how they protect their children, and what stands out among those who have had their children taken into care by CPS. Airing for the first time, Saturday, June 20, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

CYBER VIOLENCE: MANY WAYS, MANY MOTIVES We have all heard of cyber bullying, but that is just one way trolls, misogynists, criminals and crazies can use the internet to target, harass, threaten, shame and terrorize their unfortunate victims. Who are the perpetrators and who do they target? What are the negative effects of these assaults? And what are we doing about it? Emma Louise Backe is a PhD candidate at George Washington University who is doing research into the politics and nature of care and justice for survivors. She has been a rape crisis advocate and community educator, and she is a gender consultant in the international community. Join us as we discuss the research into cyber violence, the reactions to it, and the impacts on victims and society. Airing for the first time, Saturday, May 23, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

VICTIMS’ ADVOCATES: WHO, WHERE AND WHAT? Relatively unnoticed by the general population during the pandemic news and focus was the April observation of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Among those who paid attention to the event were crime victim advocates, especially Anne Seymour, an advocate for 36 years. So what does a crime victim advocate do? And when did that become a thing, anyway? Seymour, who practically invented the job, started by becoming involved at a grass roots level with Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, and when she found herself in the White House watching then President Regan as he began the focus on victim’s rights, she decided this was the path she would take. And taken it she has. She Director of the Fairness, Dignity And Respect for Crime Victims and Survivors Project and is the consultant to the Pew Charitable Trusts Public Safety Performance Project. She’s developed training and assistance programs, authored books and studies and even helped develop curricula for training advocates. Join us as we discuss the concept of victims’ rights, the creation of task forces and agencies to help those affected by crime, the implementation of policy at all levels to see such help is available, and the people who have stepped forward to assist such victims. Airing for the first time, Saturday, May 6, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

“SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH HER” IS A RED FLAG FOR BRAIN DAMAGE Those who work with intimate partner violence victims know how frequently strangulation shows up as an issue. What has not been as well known is how often that strangulation results in long-term brain damage. A recent study by researchers at Ohio State University revealed the prevalence of such brain damage, how often that damage is not recognized, and how frequently the results are interpreted as unrelated mental health issues. Rachel Ramirez, founder and director of The Center on Partner Inflicted Brain Injury, talks about the study and what it means for providing help for victims of domestic violence. Ramirez co-authored “Trauma-Informed Approaches: Promising Practices and Protocols for Ohio’s Domestic Violence Programs,” as well as several academic journal articles. She is a bilingual licensed independent social worker with graduate degrees and is a registered advocate with senior standing in Ohio. Join us as we discuss the prevalence and long-term brain damage resulting from domestic violence. Airing for the first time, Saturday, May 9, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

A SURVIVOR, A MOTHER, AND A WOMEN’S COALITION Cindy Dumas and her son Damon went through hell when Damon was court ordered into the custody of his father who was sexually abusing him. After fighting for years, Damon finally was able to gain his emancipation at age 16. But that didn’t end the fight for either Cindy or Damon. They have continued the battle to save kids from bad court decisions. They have created the Women’s Coalition International. The Coalition educates and lobbies about the conditions for children in US family courts, and is working to enact the Child Custody Act. Join us as we discuss courts, custody, how we got this way and how a new system needs to provide due process for parents as well as uphold the best interests of children. Airing for the first time, Saturday, April 18, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

WHAT’S A SHELTER TO DO? HELPING DURING A HEALTH CRISIS Everyone is inconvenienced by the restrictions due to the COVID-19 situation but there’s inconvenience and then there’s danger. When abuse is already there, confinement with an abuser escalates all danger and trauma. DC Safe, a Washington, DC service for abuse victims, has had to ratchet up support, create new ways to help and do it all with limited funds and challenged staff. So how are they, and hundreds of other organizations, helping victims? Kylie Hogan, Crisis Intervention Team Director, supervises a staff of 11 including response line and on call programming. She also covers the Lethality Assessment Project. Over the last few weeks, she and her staff have had to adapt to new demands, remote counseling, and serving even more people than they were serving before. Join us as Kylie discusses how she and her 11 staff members are coping, how things have changed, and how they are making it work despite pandemics and cancelled fundraisers. Airing for the first time, Saturday, April 11, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

GENDERED VIOLENCE IN THE TIME OF PANDEMIC Intimate partner violence and abuse are bad enough but made so much worse by the world-wide pandemic and the restrictions everyone faces now. What is going on and how are we coping? Seattle’s Susan Segall, director of New Beginnings, a multi-service organization dedicated to helping survivors, explains what’d different now for victims and survivors, and how her organization is working to help those in need despite viruses and restrictions. Segall has more than 35 years of experience in organizations that focus on gender-based violence, reproductive rights, peace and social justice. Join us as we talk about the effect of COVID-19 on isolation, custody and court issues, support services and more.           Airing for the first time, Saturday, April 4, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

UC DENVER’S PROGRAM ON GENDERED VIOLENCE Once upon a time, a small group of women had a vision about how to change the world to make women safe from domestic violence so they got a grant and they set about convincing a university that such a course of study was worthy and necessary. It wasn’t easy, but they did it. And this year the program that developed from that vision celebrates 20 years and dozens of graduates and developing programs to fit an even broader vision. Join originator and Director of the Center on Domestic Violence at the School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, Barbara Paradiso, as we talk about the beginnings of the innovative department, it’s progression over two decades, and what lays ahead for the program and its graduates, and its mission to serve victims and survivors of gender-based violence by supporting solid leadership, advancing innovative research, and nurturing community collaboration. Airing for the first time, Saturday, February 8, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

REFORMING FAMILY COURTS There are too many stories about dangerous and ridiculous custody determinations that occur in America’s family courts. From children who are sent to live with abusers to children who are killed because the courts determine their killer should not be kept from seeing the child—the stories abound. So what are we doing about it? And who is doing it? Meet Danielle Pollack, Ambasador, Child USA, Family Court Reform, author of Kayden’s Law, and tireless worker to change what happens to children in family court, and Marcie Hamilton, CEO of Child USA, attorney, and constitutional law professor at the University of Pennsylvania.   Whether drafting and promoting new laws in states, to educating judges, to speaking out about legal and systemic changes that are necessary in courts, Pollack is dedicated to making things safer for kids. Join us as Pollack details cases and potential laws, shares the latest thinking about educating judges and other decision makers, and advocates for protective mothers. Airing for the first time, Saturday, January 25, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

KAYDEN’S LAW: EFFORTS TO STOP CUSTODY DECISION DEATHS Seven-year-old Kayden died at her father’s hands because a judge disregarded the father’s threats of violence against her mother. As is the case too many times, the justice system failed this child because the judge created a false equivalency between parents, one of whom was violent. And Kayden paid the price of that. So where is the uproar and public demand that the legal system get smarter? Efforts in Pennsylvania are centered around Kayden’s Law- proposed legislation that would prohibit custody decisions likely to lead to tragic outcomes like Kayden’s. Melanie Blow, with the Stop Abuse Campaign, joins us to explain what Kayden’s Law would mean, how it will improve custody decisions, and how similar efforts are going on all around the country. Airing for the first time, Saturday, December 28, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

DOES THE U.S. JUSTICE SYSTEM FAVOR OF RAPISTS? According to a recent article being widely circulated on the internet, all signs point to the US response to sexual abuse as being dramatically leaning in favor of sex offenders. That is according to Barry Goldstein, advocate, author, and champion of fighting gender bias in the courts. Goldstein reports in www.stopabusecampaign.org that the flawed practices of the US justice system result in that justice treating victims unfairly and allowing privilege to perpetrators. He argues that the requirement for corroboration, the mistaken idea that women falsely report sexual crimes, and lack of using expert witnesses, among other problems, creates injustice, bias and contributes to the great and escalating costs of sexual crimes to our society. Join Barry as we discuss gendered crimes, prosecutor misconceptions and more that lead to a system that favors rapists. Airing for the first time, Saturday, December 7, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

US Response to Sexual Abuse

CALIFORNIA PROTECTIVE PARENTS ASSOCIATION: EDUCATING AND ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES What started as a park bench conversation about protective parents losing their children to abusers in family courts has evolved into an organization that is making nationally renowned progress in working to eliminate the problem. Catherine Campbell is the Executive Director of the California Protective Parent Association (CPPA), a group which has created awareness through research and education and is holding court officials accountable for decisions and behaviors that are harming children. As a protective parent with a marketing & communications background Campbell is at the forefront of the movement. She has worked with congressional members on both sides of the aisles to help pass this child safety resolution in 2018 in the U.S. House of Representatives. In California she has helped build awareness to see the passing of Piqui’s Resolution (HR113), worked with Center for Judicial Excellence to bring an audit forward for the California Commission on Judicial Performance which is the first ever audit in their nearly 60 year history and meet with CA legislatures to update laws for DV and child safety.  Join us as Campbell explains the organization, what necessitated its development, and how it is making an impact across the country. Airing for the first time, Saturday, November 9, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

SAFE AND TOGETHER INSTITUTE: The intersection of domestic violence and child maltreatment is easy to see for anyone who works with families, yet often judges or child protective services seem to ignore the connections. But not the Safe and Together Institute. The organization is dedicated to educating agencies about the creating domestic-violence informed child welfare systems and agencies, all to support the safety and well-being of survivors. And a crucial component of the program is being specific about abusive behaviors and perpetrators. Find out how judges, family courts, and child protection organizations react to such education, and how it may be changing the way courts operate all across the United States. Join Heidi Rankin, an Associate Director with the Safe & Together Institute, as we examine how this approach could be helping all victims. Airing for the first time, Saturday, November 2, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

GUNS AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE: THE FACTS A million women alive today have been shot or shot at in intimate partner violence situations. Gun ownership, gun rights, gun violence…all are different when we are talking domestic violence.           Rachel Graber, Director of Public Policy for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, shares the statistics, the research, and the background about guns and DV. Laws vary from state to state about gun confiscation, criminal background checks, and protective orders, but the facts are staggering: more than four million women have been threatened by guns by abusers. An equally staggering number of women and children have been killed.           Join us for the conversation about gun violence and DV. Airing Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 11 AM Pacific time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

When a mother flees her homeland for another country trying to escape abuse and ensure safety, the journey is not easy. Amid the pain of escaping home, friends, family and hopefully, danger, is the fear of the unknown, the uncertainty of the future, and in many cases, the discovery and further victimization the mother was trying to get away from. In a return interview, Suzanne Lichau gives an update on her daughter and grandson who fled the US after family courts here refused to protect the child from the father. The two sought asylum in Costa Rica, and although they were granted asylum, and the courts there took the sexual assault accusations seriously, they are still dragging their feet on the case. And worst of all, mother and child have been separated for months. Join us as we get an update of this case and the safety of the child.

COERCIVE CONTROL: ONE WOMAN’S JOURNEY We hear the term “coercive control” but how many of us really understand what it means? How pervasive is it? How damaging is it to the victims? Min Grob is a resident of Bristol, England, and she not only lived with coercive control, she also came to understand it, escape it, and develop programs to educate about it and fight it. But she still struggles with the residue of the experience even as she works to do something positive about the problem. Join us as we talk about one woman’s journey through this insidious form of intimate partner abuse. Airing for the first time Saturday, August 17 at 11 AM Pacific time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

ABUSIVE DADS: HOW THEY PERCEIVE THEIR FATHERING When we talk about abusive dads, we talk about them in relation to how they treat their partners, how they make excuses, how the courts treat them. Rarely do we talk about how they actually perceive themselves as fathers. Turns out there are some real twists there. Henning Mohaupt, clinical psychologist, researcher, and PhD Candidate at Oslo University, did a study of physically abusive men and how they think of themselves as dads. You might be surprised at what Mohaupt found out, not only about how they see themselves, but also about how they come to think that way. Join us as we discuss how men who abuse experience their parenting.

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.

JUDGE ORDERS BOY INTO FATHER'S CUSTODY DESPITE "PENIS GAMES"           If you were the one making the decision, would you order a small boy who told authorities that daddy played the “penis game” with him, and who then went on to sexually act out with is playmates and school friends, to live with his abuser?           Because it happens a lot. And in the case of Suzanne Lichau’s grandson, it led to her daughter’s fleeing to another country with the child. But that can’t even guarantee safety. What’s going on here?           Join Suzanne and domestic violence expert and advocate Barry Goldstein as we discuss her grandson’s specific case, and the system that allows this to happen. Airing for the first time Saturday, July 13 at 11 AM Pacific time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT, ONE IDIOT FAMILY, AND ONE WOMAN WHO TOLD THE TALE Kathy Picard was pleased when her step father started showing her some special attention – until that attention became twisted and threatening. She lived with a nightmare with no help from the family members she told, no relief from the burden of what was happening to her. Even when she grew up and got away, there was no relief to be had from the law, because the statute of limitations was up. So she fought to change they law. Then she fought to get justice. And then she wrote a book about it. Picard is the author of “Life with My Idiot Family: A True Story of Survival, Courage and Justice over Childhood Sexual Abuse,” and she tells her story with grace, humor, and a conviction that it all led to a good life today. Join us as we talk with Kathy about the book, her life, the law and the way she turned a horrific experience into a story of strength, hope and happiness. Airing Saturday, June 29, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

GUNS AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE: THE FACTS A million women alive today have been shot or shot at in intimate partner violence situations. Gun ownership, gun rights, gun violence…all are different when we are talking domestic violence.           Rachel Graber, Director of Public Policy for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, shares the statistics, the research, and the background about guns and DV. Laws vary from state to state about gun confiscation, criminal background checks, and protective orders, but the facts are staggering: more than four million women have been threatened by guns by abusers. An equally staggering number of women and children have been killed.           Join us for the conversation about gun violence and DV. Airing for the first time Saturday, June 22 at 11 AM Pacific time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

Guns are evil and should be heavily controlled. US citizens have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Young people’s greatest fears right now are school shootings. No one needs a gun. Domestic violence perpetrators must have their guns confiscated for safety of the victims. All the arguments, all the laws, all the rhetoric. Is it possible to have a rational, unbiased conversation about guns? Dave Workman, writer, journalist and advocate for several guns rights organizations, including the Second Amendment Foundation, joins us as we discuss litigation, education, misconceptions and the state of the world in general. Airing for the first time Saturday, June 1 at 11 AM Pacific time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

SAY SHE’S CRAZY AND WATCH THE COURTS IGNORE VIOLENCE AGAINST HER “She’s crazy, delusional, mentally ill (now that she’s divorcing me, but before she was just fine).” Funny how that seems to be the song abusers, judges, psychologists and other experts sing in divorce and custody battles. What’s with the gendered language, the pop psychology and, yes, let’s call it like it is – the ridiculous sexism that rears their ugly heads with regularity in our family courts? And why are so many people buying it? Suzanne Zaccour is a feminist author, activist and researcher doing a PhD in law at Oxford University. Her research interests include family law, rape law, domestic violence and non-sexist language. Her latest book, La fabrique du viol (Leméac 2019) tackles the social and political issues with rape culture after #MeToo. She’s made it her business to look at the language and the prejudices in the language that is used in family courts, and she joins us to discuss how language is used to discredit, vilify, and penalize women in divorce and custody cases.

WHY DO PEOPLE BLAME THE VICTIM? We hear the expression. “blaming the victim,” but do we really know what that means? Or why we do it?  Sherry Hamby, PhD, has made it her business to study victim blaming. Hamby is Director of the Life Paths Research Center and founder of ResilienceCon. She’s also a professor of Psychology at the University of the South, and has written more than 200 articles and books. Her research into poly-victimization, measuring violence and resilience earned her the 2017 Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Science of Trauma Psychology from the American Psychological Association. Join us as we discuss blaming the victim. Airing for the first time Saturday, May 4, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

A CRITIQUE OF CNN COVERAGE OF FAMILY COURT           What’s worse than judges and guardians ad litem who don’t understand domestic violence and child custody? How about a major national media reporter who purports to cover custody and abuse issues without ever doing an investigation into both sides of the issue?            When CNN features a show about fathers and custody, how can they ignore the experts, the research and the real victims and instead broadcast a show that perpetrates myths, misleads millions, and potentially damages children and protective parents?             That’s the issue Barry Goldstein, author and former attorney, and Maralee Mclean, author and victim advocate hash out on this latest show. Join us as we discuss journalism, objectivity, reliable research, court trends and supposedly objective reporting that is anything buy. Airing Saturday, April 27, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

WORKPLACE PESTS: IDIOPATHIC MUTUAL IRRITANTS You probably know about those pesky people at work, but do you know about Idiopathic Mutual Irritation. Louise Penberthy does, and she can give advice to all of us on how to deal with both. Penberthy started mediating in 2002, and over the years since then, she's observed many things about people, their needs, what gets them into conflict, and what helps get them out. Sometimes there's no obvious reason why two people don't get along; sometimes, it's what she calls Idiopathic Mutual Irritation, which is the subject and jumping off point for this podcast. Since 2018, Louise has been working as a program coordinator at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle. She's also a speaker and software developer. Airing for the first time Saturday, February 2, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

FAMILY COURT FROM A SUPREME COURT CANDIDATE’S VIEW So how do family courts work and why are they often such a mess? What constitutional issues do they raise? Who’s to blame when the system runs roughshod over the best interests of children?  Who knows?  Well, long-term attorney and candidate for the Louisiana Supreme Court Richard Ducote has a pretty good idea. Ducote has dedicated his professional and his personal life to advocating for women and children who have been abused by domestic violence and sexual assault, and then been further abused by the courts. Listen as this legal veteran discusses what’s wrong with family courts, what we can do about it, and how a position on the Supreme Court of Louisiana could effect improvement in the system. Airing for the first time Saturday, March 30, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

THE TRUTHS ABOUT CUSTODY AND FATHERS’ RIGHTS What are the truths about child custody, fathers’ rights, and how did we get here? Guest Doreen Ludwig, author, advocate and researcher, focuses on the impact of federal fatherhood initiatives on custody determinations.  Has the situation changed from past decades, and if so, how? And Why? And where did the funding come from?  So many questions, but research is available and Ludwig shares it with us. Learn about the money, the studies, the government actions that have led to custody outcomes in family courts around the country. You might be surprised. Airing for the first time Saturday, March 16, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT, ONE IDIOT FAMILY, AND ONE WOMAN WHO TOLD THE TALE Kathy Picard was pleased when her step father started showing her some special attention – until that attention became twisted and threatening. She lived with a nightmare with no help from the family members she told, no relief from the burden of what was happening to her. Even when she grew up and got away, there was no relief to be had from the law, because the statute of limitations was up. So she fought to change they law. Then she fought to get justice. And then she wrote a book about it. Picard is the author of “Life with My Idiot Family: A True Story of Survival, Courage and Justice over Childhood Sexual Abuse,” and she tells her story with grace, humor, and a conviction that it all led to a good life today. Join us as we talk with Kathy about the book, her life, the law and the way she turned a horrific experience into a story of strength, hope and happiness. Airing for the first time Saturday, March 9, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

AMBITIOUS OR TRAUMATIZED: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OVERWORK AND PAST TRAUMA Experiencing trauma can lead to all sorts of negative consequences but did you realize that it might lead to work addiction? Research is sparse, but anecdotal evidence is there, and some therapists see a connection. Could a workaholic – someone who overworks to the detriment of all other areas of life – really be self-medicating to deal with the bad stuff he or she has lived with? Tanya Paperny is a writer, artist, and editor living in Washington, D.C., and she explored that connection in an article that appeared in the Atlantic. Her work also appears in The Washington Post, Washington City Paper, The Literary Review, VICE, PANK, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Public Pool, Pacific Standard, and elsewhere. Tanya is the recipient of fellowships from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Vermont Studio Center, and OMI International Arts Center. She is at work on a collection about violence, trauma, and resilience. Join us as we talk about what she discovered in writing the article, “Do Some Trauma Survivors Cope by Overworking?” Airing Saturday, January 5, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

RESEARCH, GOEGRAPHY AND IPV Research is important, but so is perfecting research. Especially in the areas of Intimate Partner Violence. We usually see geographic differences (if addressed at all) as reflecting urban, suburban and rural areas. But two IPV researchers started seeing some problems with that and decided to get to the bottom of it. They sifted through the National Crime Victimization Survey data to better understand how settlement types impacts the type of violence against women. What they found is that using three geographic designations only gives a very imperfect reflection of violence against women. Kathryn DuBois is an Associate Professor at Washington State University Vancouver.  Beginning with research toward a Ph.D. in Criminology from Simon Fraser University on alcohol and violence among the Inuit of the eastern Canadian arctic, and has developed expertise in several areas including victimology, violence against women, rural violence, and public health approaches to alcohol regulation.  Callie Marie Rennison earned her Ph.D. in 1997 in political science from the University of Houston, University Park, where she also received a B.S. in psychology, M.A. in sociology, and M.A. in political science. In 2016, she was awarded the Bonnie S. Fisher Victimology Career Award from the Division of Victimology in the American Society of Criminology. She has also served on a National Academies Committee examining domestic sex trafficking of minors in the United States and was a Senior Researcher at the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics. Join us as Rennison and DuBois share the findings from their research and how those findings can change our understanding of violence against women.

WORKPLACE PESTS: IDIOPATHIC MUTUAL IRRITANTS You probably know about those pesky people at work, but do you know about Idiopathic Mutual Irritation? Louise Penberthy does, and she can give advice to all of us on how to deal with both. Penberthy started mediating in 2002, and over the years since then, she's observed many things about people, their needs, what gets them into conflict, and what helps get them out. Sometimes there's no obvious reason why two people don't get along; sometimes, it's what she calls Idiopathic Mutual Irritation, which is the subject and jumping off point for this podcast. Since 2018, Louise has been working as a program coordinator at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle. She's also a speaker and software developer. Airing for the first time Saturday, February 2, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

ZEN TALK AND TRAUMA: DOES IT HELP? Is Buddhism a philosophy? A religion? A way of life? Well, yes and no. But the bigger question is, does it have anything to offer victims of traumatic life events? And if it’s supposed to be so peaceful and Zen, why is it called the Warrior’s Path? Guest Mark Winwood is a Buddhist teacher, student and practitioner in rural Washington State who has traveled the world pursuing his peace and knowledge. For 15 years he has worked to perfect his understanding and his instruction as everything from college professor to grief counsellor. He helps explain what the tenets mean, who they may benefit, and how we can find out. Join us as we explore how we can react to life’s events and scars, and whether beliefs and practices Airing for the first time Saturday, January 26, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

RURAL WOMEN AND VIOLENCE Is there a difference between the violence women in urban areas suffer and the violence that rural women encounter? Well, in a nutshell, Yes. There is a difference. Rural women are victims more often, of more depth of violence, and with fewer resources and ways to get help. Emerging research, although sparse, shows that country women are at risk, that funding and support are less for them, and that resources are harder to some by for rural victims. Dr. Walter DeKeseredy, professor of Sociology at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV, has focused his research on the plight of rural females compared to their urban and suburban counterparts, and has found some shocking information. Join us as we discuss the causes of violence against women, the problems with rural victims, and even the role of male support systems and ography when it comes to women victimized by intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and even separation and divorce. Airing for the first time Saturday, January19, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

EXPERT WITNESSES: HOW BIAS AND UNRELIABILITY CAN AFFECT YOUR COURT CASE Anyone who watches TV, or goes through a custody battle, or knows someone who has tangled with the courts, knows what an expert witness is. Called forensic experts, they are the ones who tell the court the deep-seated truth about the parties, right? Well, turns out they disagree, can be biased, and are generally unreliable, according to a recent study of psychologists. Lucy Guarnera, ABD, is one author of the research that found that training and standards are lacking, and bias toward the side that is paying them is a serious problem. Guarnera is a PhD candidate at University of Virginia, and has received grants from the American Psychology-Law Association, The American Academy of Forensic Psychology, The National Science Foundation and others to conduct her research. Join us as we talk about expert witnesses and the courts. First airing Saturday, September 2, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

AMBITIOUS OR TRAUMATIZED: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OVERWORK AND PAST TRAUMA Experiencing trauma can lead to all sorts of negative consequences but did you realize that it might lead to work addiction? Research is sparse, but anecdotal evidence is there, and some therapists see a connection. Could a workaholic – someone who overworks to the detriment of all other areas of life – really be self-medicating to deal with the bad stuff he or she has lived with? Tanya Paperny is a writer, artist, and editor living in Washington, D.C., and she explored that connection in an article that appeared in the Atlantic. Her work also appears in The Washington Post, Washington City Paper, The Literary Review, VICE, PANK, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Public Pool, Pacific Standard, and elsewhere. Tanya is the recipient of fellowships from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Vermont Studio Center, and OMI International Arts Center. She is at work on a collection about violence, trauma, and resilience. Join us as we talk about what she discovered in writing the article, “Do Some Trauma Survivors Cope by Overworking?” Airing Saturday, January 5, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

HOPE: WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU MEASURE IT? If you hope the weather is better tomorrow, is it really hope? Or is it wishful thinking? What really makes hope what it is, and what makes up hope? Casey Gwinn, former long term prosecutor and founder of Camp HOPE America, and advocate, speaker and educator for victims of violence, particularly domestic violence. He has authored numerous books about children and trauma. His latest, Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life takes a look at not only what hope is, but how it can be measured and how it can impact the future of victims. Join us as we discuss hope, trauma, resilience, and motivation and what it means for all of us. Airing for the first time Saturday, December 22, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

HOPE: WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU MEASURE IT? If you hope the weather is better tomorrow, is it really hope? Or is it wishful thinking? What really makes hope what it is, and what makes up hope? Casey Gwinn, former long term prosecutor and founder of Camp HOPE America, and advocate, speaker and educator for victims of violence, particularly domestic violence. He has authored numerous books about children and trauma. His latest, Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life takes a look at not only what hope is, but how it can be measured and how it can impact the future of victims. Join us as we discuss hope, trauma, resilience, and motivation and what it means for all of us.

STRENGTH ACROSS THE LIFESPAN What keeps us strong as we go through life? What influences those factors, and is there anything we can do to promote strength? External influences, internal views, jobs, family, friends...all CAN give us stength, but all can take it away as well. So what really keeps us strong and able to face our lives productively, as happily as possible, and is there anything we can do about all the factors that buffet us? And, by the way, do therapy dogs help? Dr, Rhea Owens is a researcher and assistant professor at the University of North Dakota, and she found out some things about our life time capacity to be strong and deal with life. Join us as we talk lost strength, external demands and influences and what it means to be strong across the lifespan. Airing for the first time Saturday, December 15, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

This special episode is being repreated in honor of Dr. Karin Huffer, friend, teacher, scholar, author, and tireless advocate for those who suffer at the hands of the courts. Thank you, Karin. Rest in peace. PTSD, DISABILITIES AND THE COURTS: EQUAL ACCESS FOR ALL? Did you know that as many as 85% of women who experience Intimate Partner Violence have PTSD?  Some studies say a little less, but no matter which study you read, the numbers are alarming. Did you know that in courts a person with PTSD or other disability is often accused of being “crazy,” or lying to manipulate the court rather than being recognized as a person with a disability? Just because some disabilities are not visible doesn’t mean they are not included under federal regulations. People with PTSD may qualify for taking breaks in the proceedings, may be able to get extensions on deadlines, may be able to testify in court from a safe room or even on the phone.  Courts are mandated to accommodate to ensure equal access to the justice system, but how can we get them to do it? Dr. Karin Huffer is doing something about that. Dr. Huffer is an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, and knows plenty about the law, disability accommodation, and domestic violence.  She is starting a program at John Jay to teach people how to be advocates for those whose disabilities are exploited and not accommodated in court, even when those people are representing themselves. Learn more about what an Equal Access Advocate can do, how to learn to be one and get one, and find how this whole thing can work to help women deal with and get their rights in courts.  Join us Saturday with Dr. Karin Huffer and information about equal access and the courts.

A CRITIQUE OF CNN COVERAGE OF FAMILY COURT           What’s worse than judges and guardians ad litem who don’t understand domestic violence and child custody? How about a major national media reporter who purports to cover custody and abuse issues without ever doing an investigation into both sides of the issue?            When CNN features a show about fathers and custody, how can they ignore the experts, the research and the real victims and instead broadcast a show that perpetrates myths, misleads millions, and potentially damages children and protective parents?            That’s the issue Barry Goldstein, author and former attorney, and Maralee Mclean, author and victim advocate hash out on this latest show. Join us as we discuss journalism, objectivity, reliable research, court trends and supposedly objective reporting that is anything buy. Airing for the first time Saturday, December 1, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULT Did you know that as many as one in four women on American college campuses report unwanted sexual contact on campus?  That includes everything from the annoying to the threatening to rape. Sounds like an unbelievably high number, doesn’t it? So what are we doing about it? Victoria Banyard, PhD, has dedicated her academic career to finding better ways to help communities prevent and respond to interpersonal violence and she has conducted a lot of research on campuses. Banyard has worked to help shape policy at the national, state and local levels. Her research includes how to improve those statistics, the implications of campus assault and what others can do about it. She is a professor in the School of Social Work at Rutgers. Join us as we talk about the problem of campus sexual assault, the consequences for students and society, and what we can all do about it.

COURT SECRECY AND RECALLS Do you know what a court of record is? Do you know how few family courts keep any record of what happens there? Or that many courts don’t allow recording of proceedings? Why the secrecy? And what can people do about it? Kristie Karkanen is a contributing volunteer to the Contra Costa County 3 Judge Recall Campaign, and she shares the situation in that California County and what is being done about it. She has worked as an analyst and consultant for policymakers and C-level officers, and has also led successful marketing and communications campaigns in locally and globally. Join us as we talk recalls, funding, and outrage in the court system. Airing for the first time Saturday, November 3, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

We see it all too often in the news - dad (once in awhile it's mom), goes nuts and kills mom, the kids, anyone who happens to be in the way, and then, often, himself. What is going on here? The media stories often say something just snapped for dad. Domestic violence experts look at it as an extreme form of control that erupts when an abused women tries to leave. But what is really going on, and why on earth does the perpetrator kill the poor kids? Sharon Maillous, PhD did a research study into just this phenomenon, and she shares with us her knowledge about not only familicide but why children are targeted in these cases.

COURTS, CUSTODY, KIDS, TRAUMA: THE TRAGEDY OF FAMILY COURTS           What happens when an infant is shuffled from one care giver to another? Research is pretty clear that kids without a stable primary caregiver have problems with focus, attention, attachment, even sleep. Yet family courts are routinely dividing residential child custody more and more and with younger and younger children. Don’t they see the research? Why would courts do this when the science is so clear?           Lisa Fischel-Wolovick, attorney and social worker looked at the studies and culled the information to find out exactly what is happening. Her book, “Traumatic Divorce and Separation,” and a new article in Family and Intimate Partner Violence Quarterly, look at Traumatic Exposure in Children During Custody Litigation, and found a shocking truth: kids are being severely harmed in abusive situations and the courts.           Find out more about her research, the reasons this is happening, and what might be done to correct the situation. Join us for a discussion about abuse, kids, custody and the science. Airing for the first time Saturday, October 20, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN A NOT-SO INTIMATE WORKPLACE It’s no secret to those who experience or work with intimate partner violence, that the violence often creeps (or crashes) into the workplace, either directly or indirectly by affecting the environment, the interactions, and the well-being of workers. But what do we do about it? Especially employers? Workplaces Respond helps. It was created by Futures Without Violence, and helps with resources, education, and technical assistance to employers, survivors, co-workers and advocates to help create safer work places.  Attorney Linda Seabrook, formerly with the U.S. Department of Justice, leads a number of legal programs and initiatives for Futures Without Violence, and she will join us to talk about creating safer workplaces free from domestic and sexual violence and stalking.

WHAT’S IN A NAME – WHEN IT’S HERS? For decades women, scholars, sociologists and feminists have been debating and advocating one way or the other for women to either take their husbands’ last names when they marry or hang on to the name they had. A generation of women took a stand one way or the other and everyone wanted to know their reasons and the effects of the decisions. But did anyone ask how it affected the men? Finally there is a study that looked at people’s perceptions of the husbands of women who kept their own names. And you might just be surprised at what it means for the men. Rachael Robnett is an assistant professor at UNLV Department of Psychology where she focuses her research on adolescence and emerging adulthood. Specific areas of study include students’ academic and career trajectories, links between peers and identity, and gender-role ideologies. She teaches courses pertaining to adolescent development and the psychology of gender. She joins us to talk about what she learned from her study of the impact of women keeping their own names after marriage on the way their husbands are viewed. Airing for the first time Saturday, September 29, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

TRUCKERS AGAINST TRAFFICKING: JUSTICE ON 18 WHEELS What do truck drivers know that you don’t? Probably a lot of things, but one thing for sure- they know how to spot suspicious trafficking and what to do about it. And it’s all thanks to one woman and her daughters. Public relations professional Lyn Leeburg learned about the tragedy of human trafficking more than ten years ago, and immediately sat down with her four daughters to figure out how they could help. They came up with the notion that truckers are on the road, are trained to be observant, and could tackle the problem in a big way. That spark of activism has turned into a comprehensive program that trains CDL drivers, partners with truck manufacturers, training schools, law enforcement…even bus drivers to create a program to fight sex trafficking all across the country. Join us as Lyn Leeburg talks about how Truckers Against Trafficking started, how it’s grown, and exactly how they help. Airing for the first time Saturday, September 15, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

THE HIGH COST OF FIGHTING FOR YOUR CHILD           Imagine you have been the primary care taker for your child. You make sure they are clean and groomed, their homework gets done, they have all the right doctors’ appointments, they are eating right. You are highly tuned to sense any problems, or adjustment issues, and you make sure your child is getting what he or she needs from you. Now imagine you have been cut out of their lives. Imagine the high cost of fighting for your child.           You risk financial ruin, and emotional costs that anyone in your situation cannot begin to understand. Sometimes you even risk your freedom.           Jon Moseley, Virginia attorney, Michael Volpe, author and reporter, and Natalia, a woman who was jailed for talking to her son’s doctor, come on the show to talk about the risks and costs, and the injustice of these situations when courts can seemingly arbitrarily, take away custody, visitation, even freedom, in cases where there are custody disputes.           Join us as an attorney, a victim and a mother share one story  that is repeated much too often in courts across the country.           Airing for the first time Saturday, September 1, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

ELECTRONIC ABUSE AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE           Most of us are aware of the lack of privacy and possible criminal activity our myriad electronic devices can lead to. And many of us know about abusers using these computers and phones to stalk and harass victims. But did you know it’s not just computers and phones? Your Alexa, your Fitbit, your thermostat …all those and more can be used to further abuse and create havoc and threat in our lives.           Eva Galperin, Director of Cyber Security for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an organization dedicated to defending people against abusive threats in a digital world, has worked for years to fight illegal surveillance, and she shares stories and strategies we all should know.           From recording murders inadvertently, to tracking whereabouts and activities, these devices we rely on can be helpful and amazing, but also  dangerous, particularly in domestic violence situations.           Join us as Eva Galperin shares some warnings, but also some tools to help educate and protect us in a time when our lives can be open books to the person who holds the digital password. Airing for the first time Saturday, August 25, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

WASHINGTON’S PROTECTIVE LEAVE LAW How often do we hear of a victim of intimate partner violence (or stalking or sexual assault) who loses her job because of the harassment, or because of taking too much time off to deal with court or trauma? Several states have enacted legislation to help those victims, but none of those laws are as generous and comprehensive as Washington State’s Protective Leave Law. Cindy Sparks, Protective Leave Specialist for the state Department of Labor and Industries, deals with the law every day, and she explains the scope of the law (all employers are obligated to follow it, not just larger employers), what it means for victims, and what happens when an employer does not grant reasonable leave to someone dealing with IPV and sexual assault.  She shares the latest updates to the law, and how it impacts potential civil suits for violators. Join us as we talk about Washington State’s Protected Leave Law aimed at helping victims of intimate partner violence, stalking and sexual assault to keep their jobs. Airing for the first time Saturday, August 18, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

AMBITIOUS OR TRAUMATIZED: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OVERWORK AND PAST TRAUMA Experiencing trauma can lead to all sorts of negative consequences but did you realize that it might lead to work addiction? Research is sparse, but anecdotal evidence is there, and some therapists see a connection. Could a workaholic – someone who overworks to the detriment of all other areas of life – really be self-medicating to deal with the bad stuff he or she has lived with? Tanya Paperny is a writer, artist, and editor living in Washington, D.C., and she explored that connection in an article that appeared in the Atlantic. Her work also appears in The Washington Post, Washington City Paper, The Literary Review, VICE, PANK, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Public Pool, Pacific Standard, and elsewhere. Tanya is the recipient of fellowships from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Vermont Studio Center, and OMI International Arts Center. She is at work on a collection about violence, trauma, and resilience. Join us as we talk about what she discovered in writing the article, “Do Some Trauma Survivors Cope by Overworking?” Airing on Saturday, August 11, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

PROSECUTED BUT NOT SILENCED: THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRET In Prosecuted but not Silenced, Maralee McLean exposes the dirty secret that most of the public is blissfully unaware of.  The secret is that our custody court system routinely fails to protect children from dangerous abusers and especially sexual predators.  Research shows that mothers make deliberate false allegations of abuse less than 2% of the time, 85% of child abuse allegations result in custody to the alleged abuser. That means the courts are sentencing many children to a childhood living with their rapists. Maralee McLean is an author, public speaker and child advocate and she wrote “Prosecuted but Not Silenced” to help the public learn what frequently happens in child custody courts and to help dispel the myth that such cases are rare. This book is a personal story placed in the context of scientific research. Join us as we talk about “Prosecuted but Not Silenced,” a true and shameful story of the child custody court system.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF IPV IN THE WORKPLACE It’s no secret that women who have experienced Intimate Partner Violence experience numerous problems because of it, from financial difficulties, to health issues, to social issues. But we don’t often talk about the mental health consequences of IPV that get carried into the workplace.  Some advocates are reluctant to talk about the mental health problems, lest people blame the victim for whatever befell her. But the fact is, there are typically a number of problems that follow IPV, including PTSD, depression, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)m all of which can have some significant consequences for the victim as she tries to rebuild her life and livelihood following abuse. J. Gayle Beck, PhD, is with the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis, and she joins us to talk the research about and the burden of the fallout from experiencing abuse. Join us as we talk about IPV, PTSD, GAD, resulting from abuse and how these conditions affect functioning for survivors. Airing for the first time Saturday, July 28, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

TRAUMA, RECOVERY AND MASSAGE Trauma is tough, and recovery is hard, but massage?  What’s that got to do with anything? Turns out, it can play a big part in the process of getting back to normal – or better. Melissa Enter teaches massage but not in the way most of us think about massage. She instructs it from the standpoint of the need for healthy touch. She teaches it with the Massage in Schools Program, which goes into schools and community groups, to instruct healthy, peer to peer massage. The routine is a simplified seated chair massage, done over clothing, without oils.  It uses fun strokes like bunny hops in the hand or drawing hearts on a friend's back.  The routine is used to transition the children into the classroom and prepare them to be ready to learn, and it is perfect for people who have experienced trauma.  Join us as we talk about trauma, touch, recovery and massage.

FEMINIST COUNSELING: THE WAY THE GIRLS DO IT Freud probably wouldn’t have seen a need for feminist psychology, but Robin Tracy (and quite a few other men and women) do. Robin Tracy is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor who practices Feminist Multicultural Therapy.  So what exactly does that mean? A lot of things, it seems. One of the basic things feminist therapy stands for is the relationship between therapist and patient or client. No more paternalistic, the doctor knows best approach to help. This approach looks at counseling as a collaborative effort – and that effort recognizes the way the world looks at the client and how the client must operate in that world. Robin specializes in helping people with depression, anxiety, LGBTQ-related topics, trauma, and difficulty identifying emotions/connecting head and heart. She has been a Mental Health Counselor since 2007 and has worked in social services since 1993. Join us as we talk about therapy and counseling from a feminist, multicultural approach.

CUSTODY COURTS: INTENTIONAL BIAS? Study after study is showing perfectly good mothers losing custody of their kids, often to fathers who have been abusive or who don’t want to pay child support. Some advocates and experts say it’s a problem with educating judges. But what if it’s more intentional than that? One group believes these custody nightmares are happening on purpose and that something must be done now. The Women’s Coalition International thinks the problems would be eased by requiring child custody cases to be heard by juries. Cindy Dumas is the founder and Executive Director of The Women’s Coalition, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and ending the epidemic of women’s children being taken away from. Her son, Damon Dumas, was sexually abused by his father for years, and when the Family Court system wouldn't hear his cries for help, he started a decade-long struggle to free himself from his father's control. He is now the Communications Director of The Women's Coalition and is a recipient of the Courageous Kids Network Medal of Courage Patricia Barry is a former attorney who practiced for 41-1/2 years in California courts and in numerous federal courts throughout the country.  She argued and won a sexual harassment case which ended up as the first sexual harassment case in the U. S. Supreme Court. She represented protective mothers losing custody to abusive fathers in family courts. All three join us to talk about the custody problems and their suggestions for a solution. Airing for the first time Saturday, June 30, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

BREAST CANCER: What’s the up side? You’ve seen the pink ribbons (and mixers, and baseball bats, and on and on...), you’ve seen the fundraisers. You’ve heard the horror stories, and you’ve feared the worst. But what if breast cancer isn’t the worst? What if, mixed up with the fear and discomfort there is actually some humor, insight, and something positive you never even knew you could experience? Join Navy veteran, mother, wife, cheesy movie fan, and cancer survivor Heidi Wallace as we talk medicine, reconstruction, ordeals, survival and the unexpected and amusing about the disease the pink ribbon sometimes covers up. Wallace is a Seattle native who collects comic books, hangs out with her dogs and makes as many jokes as she can about the Big C. It’s a perspective you haven’t heard and probably never thought of. Airing for the first time Saturday, June 23, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

DIGITAL FEMINISM The first wave of feminists marched, got arrested and staged hunger strikes for the right to vote in the 1920’s. The second wave demonstrated, allegedly burned their bras, and staged housework strikes. Today, the third wave (or is it the fourth?) of feminists are not taking to the streets, they are sitting at their computers to advocate for social change. It is the era of digital feminism. High-profile or hidden and quiet, the computer is now a tool that has helped define feminism. Cultural sociologist Dr Kaitlynn Mendes is Associate Professor in Media and Communication at the University of Leicester in the UK, and has written and researched widely around representations of feminism in the media, and feminists’ use of social media to challenge rape culture. She has authored or edited of five books including the award winning SlutWalk: Feminism, activism and media, and the forthcoming book Digital Feminist Activism: Girls and Women Fight Back Against Rape Culture Join us as we social media has changed and continued feminism around the world. Airing for the first time Saturday, June 16, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

COMPLEX TRAUMA AND ADOPTION Why does no one talk about kids who are traumatized being raised by parents who are traumatized? And if that’s not complicated enough, what if the kids are adopted?  Who can possibly sort out those issues, and who can help the folks (and there are more of them than you think) who are dealing with all those issues? AND how does all that impact the rest of us? Robyn Gobbel, LCSW, RPT-S specializes in complex trauma, attachment, and adoption and she joins us to talk about such convoluted problems.   Robyn’s diverse clinical training includes EMDR (including EMDR adapted for children with attachment trauma), Somatic Experiencing, DEEP Experiential Therapy, and Theraplay.  She is a Trust Based Relational Intervention® Educator and a Circle of Security Parent Educator.  Robyn is a dedicated student of attachment theory and Interpersonal Neurobiology.   Join us as we talk about the trauma, the kids, the parents and the neuroscience of healing children and families. Airing for the first time Saturday, June 2, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

You know you’ve at least wanted to – the swift swat on the bottom or a smack on the hand for that child who is just being awful!  Surely that’s not going to cause life-long trauma like some sort of beating, right? Well…maybe. Robbyn Peters Bennett is a psychotherapist, educator, and child rights activist. She is an expert on the relationship between harsh discipline, child development and long-term health and she says the research shows that quick smack may, in fact, inflict brain changes, a sense of threat, and life long impact. She argues that corporal punishment can affect a child’s sense of safety, put their body and brain into a state of defensiveness, and disrupt the bond between parent and child. Join us as we talk corporal punishment, the laws, the long-term impact and operant conditioning with mother, grandmother and psychotherapist Robbyn Peters Bennett. Airing for the first time on Saturday, May 26, at 11 AM Pacific time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways

HASHTAG ME TOO: WHERE IT’S GOING, WHAT IT’S FROM It’s all over the news, and whether it has you cheering or tearing your hair out, there is no doubt that the “hashtag me too” movement is changing lives. What exactly is this movement, when and where did it start, and who is it helping? And why are some people, including actor Alec Baldwin, saying the movement has gone too far? Join us as we talk with Jennifer Hunt, M.A., an Education and Outreach Specialist with the Sexual Assault Resource Center in Bryan, TX. She focuses on primary prevention education and community outreach and specializes in crisis intervention advocacy and case management work with women in low-income and immigrant populations.  Listen as we explore the benefits, possible drawbacks and the future of the #Me Too phenomenon. First airing on Saturday, May 19, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

AMBITIOUS OR TRAUMATIZED: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OVERWORK AND PAST TRAUMA Experiencing trauma can lead to all sorts of negative consequences but did you realize that it might lead to work addiction? Research is sparse, but anecdotal evidence is there, and some therapists see a connection. Could a workaholic – someone who overworks to the detriment of all other areas of life – really be self-medicating to deal with the bad stuff he or she has lived with? Tanya Paperny is a writer, artist, and editor living in Washington, D.C., and she explored that connection in an article that appeared in the Atlantic. Her work also appears in The Washington Post, Washington City Paper, The Literary Review, VICE, PANK, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Public Pool, Pacific Standard, and elsewhere. Tanya is the recipient of fellowships from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Vermont Studio Center, and OMI International Arts Center. She is at work on a collection about violence, trauma, and resilience. Join us as we talk about what she discovered in writing the article, “Do Some Trauma Survivors Cope by Overworking?” First airing on Saturday, May 12, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN A NOT-SO INTIMATE WORKPLACE It’s no secret to those who experience or work with intimate partner violence, that the violence often creeps (or crashes) into the workplace, either directly or indirectly by affecting the environment, the interactions, and the well-being of workers. But what do we do about it? Especially employers? Workplaces Respond helps. It was created by Futures Without Violence, and helps with resources, education, and technical assistance to employers, survivors, co-workers and advocates to help create safer work places.  Attorney Linda Seabrook, formerly with the U.S. Department of Justice, leads a number of legal programs and initiatives for Futures Without Violence, and she will join us to talk about creating safer workplaces free from domestic and sexual violence and stalking. First airing Saturday, October 7, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL: DIVORCE, COURTS, AND CONTROL You’ve heard of doctor shopping, but have you heard of court shopping? How about finding a judge or venue that is likely to be sympathetic to your side when you take someone to court? What if the courts seem to overlook or excuse things they shouldn’t? What if a person is having a medical emergency but the judge won’t stop the proceedings? What happens in a divorce case when things are spinning out of control? Tanya Hathaway is a certified crisis counsellor who experienced all those things and more as she continues to deal with an ongoing divorce in a state she’s never lived in. Investigative journalist Michael Volpe has been recognized as a leading figure in exposing judicial abuse and corruption, and he reported the Hathaway situation in an article in The Provocateur in March. Hathaway’s four-month marriage and subsequent four year divorce is an example of what can happen to anyone. Join Volpe and Hathaway as we explore some of the intricacies and outrages of divorce, courts and control. First airing on Saturday, April 28, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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.

HELPING ABUSE VICTIMS THE D.A.D WAY “Get a lawyer!” “Call the police!” “Just leave!”  All reasonable advice for a woman who is living with abuse, but it’s usually a lot harder than it sounds. Since some of the hallmarks of intimate partner abuse are isolation, intimidation, coercion and financial dependency, women who are trying to get away and get safe often find themselves all alone and powerless in the face of their abusers. And that means they are often in danger, or that they must stay or go back to the abusive man.  One ex-cop and process server saw his share of these scenarios and decided to help. Now there is a core group of men in Virginia who make themselves ready, willing and able to provide physical support for the women who find themselves alone and afraid. Trey Gregory was a police officer in the US Air Force as well as in the Roanoke City Police Department and is a graduate of the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy, USAF. He started Domestic Abuse Disruption, Inc., an organization that helps abuse victims relocate, assists with stalker situations, provides escorts to court and is certified to assess the lethality of an abuse situation. That’s a lot of help for women who think they are alone. Join us as Trey talks about DAD, the folks who volunteer to help abuse victims, and how this and similar organizations are helping those who feel helpless. First airing on Saturday, April14, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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/3women3ways.

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.com/3women3ways.

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 working. First airing on Saturday, March 10, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 determined to change this situation, and to offer a voice to those who have none. Join us as we first air this discussion about Courageous Kids, child custody, junk science, and children who grow up victims of the courts. First airing on Saturday, March 3, at 11 AM Pacific Time, and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 Miller Training Institute at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College. Join us as we talk about humiliation, what it means and how it manifests.

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 doctors recognize and work with those whose childhood trauma impacts their health and behaviors today. Join us as we talk adverse childhood experiences, trauma informed medical care, and how we can help the medical community learn how to help us all. First airing Saturday, February 3, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 several significant pieces of federal and state legislation, and frequently delivers presentations and trainings to attorneys, judges, and professional organizations. Join us as she talks about what her hot-off-the-presses research study reveals about how judges in family court made decisions about child custody when there are allegations of abuse and alienation. Go to the website at 11 AM Pacific Time, to hear the show as it first airs, and go anytime to listen this or all our archived programs at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 Miller Training Institute at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College. Join us as we talk about humiliation, what it means and how it manifests. First airing Saturday, December 23, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 conversational stand-offs that happen to us all. First airing Saturday, January 6, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 implications of these findings. Join us as we talk about Domestic Violence, mental health and substance abuse. First airing Saturday, December 30, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 Miller Training Institute at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College. Join us as we talk about humiliation, what it means and how it manifests. First airing Saturday, December 23, at 11 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 AM Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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 children and the social justice system.

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 Pacific Time and available thereafter through the archive at www.blogtalkradio.com/3women3ways.

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.