22.1K
Downloads
161
Episodes
Katie Koestner, who appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine at age 18 as the first to speak out nationally as the victim of date rape, talks with survivors of sexual assault, rape, and abuse about what they went through and how it impacted their life afterward. Katie is joined by her co-host Claire Kaplan, Ph.D., who is a victim advocate, educator, and activist, as they delve into backlash, legal systems, campus reactions, family and friends, mental health, PTSD, substance use, body image, and the journey from hurt to healing and thriving.
Episodes
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
Smitten with her new boyfriend, young Brooke plans to skip school to meet her beau in the city. A good student, she changes her mind to focus on her upcoming quiz, much her sweetheart's annoyance. When she does see him, he berates her for her choices; she begins to search for a way out, but he corners her in the bedroom. Paralyzed with fear, she is smothered by him as he forces himself on her. Further silenced by his excuses, Brooke finds herself manipulated into an abusive relationship with him - one she later frees herself from. 20 years later, she searches for closure in the justice system for her young self, pushing through the difficulties of a trial to bring to light THE truth.
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Benter Oluoch
Producers: Luiza Leite and Emily Wang
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Thursday Aug 03, 2023
Lauren's job as a photographer for the university sports teams leads her to meet a football player she comes to think of as her best friend. She welcomes him into her home, and though he called her his “sister”, he takes advantage of her trust and assaults her on her favorite green sheets. When Lauren reports the assault to Title IX, the university fails shield her from the hostility of her abuser and his friends; furthermore, his guilty verdict yields minimal consequences. Today, she shares the pain she faced trying to acheive justice, and the strength she has found alongside her new partner to continue to fight for herself and others.
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Benter Oluoch
Producers: Emily Wang and Luiza Leite
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Jumping in the car with some friends, Jennifer finds herself the target of a new acquaintance. To cope with the shame and pain, she turns to alcohol and drugs, becoming an addict before she starts 7th grade. After 10 years of active addiction, she ends up in rehab where she was able to start her journey to sobriety and healing. Now, Jennifer Storm is 25 years sober, a published author, and has been working as a victim advocate for 20 years.
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Nick Bratchell
Producers: Emily Wang and Luiza Liete
Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Insidious and powerful, the La Luz del Mundo Megachurch's indoctrination permeates Alethea's community for generations. The good girl of her church choir, she finds herself the target of the second apostle's grooming at the age of 11, with her family coaching her to search for salvation in church leadership. Immersed in the disturbing culture where young girls urge to serve their leader unconditionally, Alethea Coronado, fourth generation survivor of a religious cult, would only realize that she was violated after an apostle was arrested for sexual crimes against children. Today, she shares her voice alongside Jennifer Tiexeira, the HBO producer of Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo, the documentary that tells Alethea’s story. Both of them share insights about how sexual abuse fits into a broader picture of power and control, highlighting the power of the media in sharing survivor's experiences.
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Benter Oluoch
Producers: Emily Wang and Luiza Leite
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
“It's never going to happen again. I am going to get help.” The most dangerous words an abuser can say.
After the first time her ex-partner got physical, Amanda stayed with him, trapped until he forced her hand and put the kids in danger. Surviving through the mayhem of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of someone she was supposed to trust, she tells her story of resilience, looking to comfort and bring hope to others in the same situation. Today, Amanda Lee, author, single mom of two, and survivor of domestic violence, joins Katie and Claire in this episode to shatter her silence.
Read Amanda's memoir “One of The Lucky Ones” here: https://a.co/d/6UDAgVz
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Benter Oluoch
Producer: Emily Wang
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
A soldier, author, and poet, Jacob Patchen writes deeply emotional stories exploring abuse, family, and mental health. Using his experiences as a combat veteran and youth counselor, he weilds the pen as a tool for inspiring hope and bravery. Jacob's works include Words That Matter, Of Love and War, and At Daddy's Hands: Courage Knows No Age. Find out more about Jake and his inciting fiction and provocative poetry here: https://jacobpaulpatchen.com/
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Ethan Silva
Producer: Emily Wang
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
Tracy stumbles frantically into her daughter’s bathroom at TCU finding her slumped in the shower, wearing a t-shirt, and unresponsive. Minutes later, the authorities arrive, her daughter is pronounced dead, and Tracy’s life is changed forever. After investigation, it is determined that her daughter was raped and strangled by a man with not one, but two, prior sexual assault allegations filed against him. It is this injustice, coupled with grief, that transforms Tracy into “a mom on a mission.” Since the traumatic incident, Tracy Matheson has worked tirelessly to understand and change, the legal investigation processes around sexual assault as well as the general public’s opinion of survivors and their stories. Her inspiring story and work are borne raw in this emotional and inspiring Dear Katie episode.
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Craig Stanton
Producer: Emily Wang
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
“I can’t play the game anymore” – After suffering abuse from both her first boyfriend and her first music producer in her final years of high school, Rachele Royale speaks out about what it means to recognize and heal from generational abuse, as well as the seemingly inexorable experience of sexual violence and womanhood. An independent singer, actress and dancer, she paints a vision of cooperation and revolution for the future generations of the music industry.
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Craig Stanton
Producer: Emily Wang
Thursday May 18, 2023
Thursday May 18, 2023
'I don't want to be strong anymore - but what are the options? I have to be strong because I'm forced to be.'
When the opportunity to promote and discuss her book Melanin knocks on the Marie’s door, so do the hands of a man who can’t understand the word 'no'. Her host creates an environment of discomfort - until she steps up and pushes pack. Marie shares the inner conflict of being a strong black woman: the exhaustion and frustration, as well as the ultimate acceptance and embracing of her strength and vulnerability.
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Craig Stanton
Producer: Emily Wang
Thursday May 04, 2023
Thursday May 04, 2023
The bad boys are interesting, adventurous, and far more exciting the a run-of-the-mill accountant - or so Kristin thought. He quickly becomes controlling, preventing her from going out and trying to force her to stop her medication. Kristin's mental health becomes a vulnerability, a target for her abuser to leverage; however, as she heals, she finds a support system that empowers her to return to school and in turn, supporting fellow survivors. Today, she shares her knowledge and experience with trauma, as well as her own journey from victimhood to survivorship.
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editor: Craig Stanton
Producer: Emily Wang