Medical advocates are crucial when it comes to supporting victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. In this episode Billie Jo and Barbara discuss the importance and impact medical advocates have in providing survivors the help they need after a traumatic event.

Barbara Sheaffer is the Resource & Advocacy Director/Medical Advocacy Coordinator at PCAR. The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) is the oldest anti-rape coalition in the United States, working to eliminate all forms of sexual violence and advocating for the rights and needs of victims. Learn more at pcar.org.

ASK THE ADVOCATE is a podcast series featuring advocates for domestic violence, abuse, and sexual assault survivors discussing critical victim service resources. Sit down with Billie Jo Weyant and her guests each episode to discuss critical victim service resources and to help raise awareness for the most pressing challenges facing survivors and the nonprofit agencies that serve them. Watch all Ask the Advocate episodes at capsea.org.

Abuse allegations in the headlines can be be a triggering experience for survivors. Billie Jo and Michelle reflect on the damaging messages that the Kim Kardashian and Kanye West divorce drama is sending to victims of abuse, and to young people still exploring the dynamics of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships. As the world watches these real time examples of emotional abuse and harassment, this podcast focuses on the potential awareness opportunities and what they would like victims to know.

Michelle Cooper works with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV), which is the oldest statewide domestic violence coalition in the nation. Each year, its network of 59 local domestic violence programs provides free and confidential direct services to nearly 90,000 victims and survivors of domestic violence and their children in all 67 counties of the Commonwealth. Together, local programs and the statewide Coalition work in collaboration to deliver a continuum of services, support, and systems to help victims and survivors find safety, obtain justice, and build lives free of abuse. Learn more at www.pcadv.org.

ASK THE ADVOCATE is a podcast series featuring advocates for domestic violence, abuse, and sexual assault survivors discussing critical victim service resources. Sit down with Billie Jo Weyant and her guests each episode to discuss critical victim service resources and to help raise awareness for the most pressing challenges facing survivors and the nonprofit agencies that serve them. Watch all Ask the Advocate episodes at capsea.org.

– What is human or labor trafficking?
– How common is this issue?
– Where do you most often see this take place?
– Who is the ‘typical’ victim?

Legal advocate for victims of human trafficking, Jamie Beck, tackles these topics and more in this episode of Ask The Advocate. Jamie also shares what the nonprofit Free To Thrive is doing to support victims of human trafficking, and to help end this surprisingly prevalent issue. Learn more at freetothrive.org.

On this episode, Nicole Molinaro, the President and CEO of the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, sits down with CAPSEA Executive Director, Billie Jo Weyant, to discuss the programs that WC&S has adopted through the years to better serve the region’s many diverse populations of victims, and the unique needs they may have. These programs include individualized services for members of the LGBTQ+ community, for victims who speak limited English, for abusers in need of rehabilitation support, for young victims of domestic violence and their families, and more. Learn more at wcspittsburgh.org.

Cynthia is an inspiring survivor of domestic violence and decade-long participant of 'A Window Between Worlds' - a transformative healing arts program for trauma survivors of all ages. Hear her story of survival, and how AWBW has helped her and her daughter find healing after suffering an unthinkable tragedy.

AWBW art counseling is a catalyst to releasing trauma, building resilience and replacing violence and shame with safety and hope. The hands-on creation of art has been shown to reduce distress, increase self-reflection and self-awareness, alter behavior and thinking patterns, have positive physical effects and build resilience — all of which play a key role in life transformation.

Listen to the podcast to hear Cynthia’s story and to learn more about AWBW.

Sit down with Marian Volkman, President of Applied Metapsychology International, and hear her share lessons learned from her nearly 50 years in trauma resolution. She covers the impact that repressed trauma can have on victims, and the tools and techniques used by incident-focused therapy methods like TIR (Traumatic Incident Resolution) to help victims find healing.

Sit down with two executive directors who each have decades of experience working with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse, and violent crimes in rural Pennsylvania. Learn what unique challenges small rural nonprofits must overcome to help those in need, as well as what obstacles victims may face when seeking support.

Spaced out communities, limited staff recruitment opportunities, small police departments, and spotty cell and internet service are just a few of the unique challenges that rural agencies, and those they serve, face every day.

Listen to learn more, and to see how nonprofits are working to overcome these hurdles.