Between Friends - Conversations with Maitri

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we're bringing you a powerful conversation that reminds us: our mental health is just as important as our physical health.In this episode, we shine a light on the often-unspoken emotional toll of unrealistic familial expectations, especially within in-law relationships. From subtle put-downs to emotional manipulation and controlling behaviors, these dynamics can deeply impact couples' well-being and mental peace.• How can we recognize these patterns?• How do we respond with dignity and protect our emotional safety? Join us and our guest, Sushma Trivedi, LMFT, as she shares valuable insights and tools to navigate these challenges and support healthier, more respectful relationships. Sushma Trivedi Bio:Sushma Trivedi's first career was as a physicist. She obtained her Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from IIT, Delhi. She worked in academia and the high-tech industry for more than twenty years before starting a career in the field of mental health. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and sees clients remotely and in person at her offices in Los Altos and Sunnyvale. Because of her cultural and professional background, she likes to integrate science and Eastern philosophy in her counseling work. Sushma believes that all clients have the resources within them to resolve the social and emotional challenges they are presented with in life. She pays close attention to her clients' belief systems, thinking styles, and patterns of relationships and how these are affecting their current life situation. She helps the client identify their goals and become aware of their strengths and resources.You can find out more about her at her website: https://www.sushmatrivedi.com#mentalhealthawarenessmonth #MaitriPodcast #SouthAsianMentalHealth #HealthyRelationships #EmotionalWellbeing #inlaws #EndDV #sushmatrivedi

Welcome to Policy Matters, a quarterly presentation from Maitri Policy Advocacy, where we discuss public policies that shape the prevention, intervention, and overall attention to domestic violence within our communities.In our third presentation of Policy Matters, we interview Casey Swegman of Tahirih Justice Center on the prevalence of child marriages in the US and learn about the upcoming federal proposal to address child marriages nationally.Casey Carter Swegman is a national expert on serving immigrant survivors of gender-based violence. As the Director of Public Policy at the Tahirih Justice Center she oversees Tahirih's state and federal policy advocacy focused on improving protections for immigrant survivors while simultaneously seeking long-term, systemic change. She engages in extensive domestic and international training and outreach and serves as a liaison to local agencies and service providers working to strengthen the capacity of their local community to respond to the needs of immigrant survivors. Before her role as Director of Public Policy, Casey spent over 10 years in direct service with immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking, including at Tahirih on the Forced Marriage Initiative and before that with the International Rescue Committee, where she led a program for refugees arriving with special needs.This episode was curated by the Maitri Policy Advocacy Program and facilitated by Smitha Chandrasekhar. Smitha is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Biology. She is currently on the pre-med track and intends to focus on a career in women's reproductive health and oncology. Smitha has been volunteering with Maitri for almost a year and is deeply invested in promoting the rights of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to their own bodies and autonomy.Resources shared in this PodcastChild Marriage Prevention Act of 2024https://www.tahirih.org/news/child-ma...Discussion with Fraidy Reiss, Child Marriage Survivor and founder of Unchained At last   • S5-E1: Unchained At Last: California ...  Asia Child marriage initiative: Summary of the research in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal https://www.icrw.org/wp-content/uploa...Child Marriage in the UShttps://www.tahirih.org/wp-content/up...UNICEF working to end child marriages in the UShttps://www.unicefusa.org/how-help/ad...California Senate Bill 404 on Child Marriage ban https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB404/id... California Coalition to End Child Marriage https://cacoalitiontoendchildmarriage... It is time to end child marriages in the US https://www.cfr.org/blog/its-time-end.

Join us for a powerful episode of the Maitri Podcast featuring Anisha Durve—survivor, author, and motivational speaker—who is dedicated to raising awareness against gender-based violence. In this compelling discussion, we uncover the red flags of abusive relationships, explore the critical role communities play in either enabling or preventing partner abuse, and highlight the resilience and healing that survivors can achieve. This conversation is a beacon of hope, proving that post-traumatic growth is possible.The Power to Break Free Foundation: www.Power2BreakFree.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@powertobreakfreeBook: https://a.co/d/iLcP73R

Welcome to Policy Matters, a quarterly presentation from Maitri Policy Advocacy, where we discuss public policies that shape the prevention, intervention, and overall attention to domestic violence within our communities. In your Second Episode, we revisit the need for funding Domestic violence services in CA. Earlier in January of this year, Governor Newsom announced the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, and it failed to take into account what advocates have been asking for: increased funding for domestic violence services. We reverberate the response released by the VOCA Advocacy Alliance of CA and seek your support in reaching out to the Legislatures. This episode is created by Maitri Policy Advocacy and voiced by Smitha Chandrasekhar, Smitha Chandrasekhar is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Biology. She is currently on the pre-med track and intends to focus on a career in women's reproductive health and oncology. Smitha has been volunteering with Maitri for almost a year and is deeply invested in promoting the rights of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to their own bodies and autonomy.   Resources in the Episode California VOCA Funding Advocacy https://www.cpedv.org/voca-funding-advocacy California VOCA Alliance https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bHy24HKsyVC0Sth0fM666Y188_xDVwqZ/edit UN Secretary-General's statement on domestic violence during COVID-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJgVTeZrWLk&ab_channel=UnitedNationsinIndia Maitri VOCA Advocacy in VALOR US Platform in 2022 https://www.facebook.com/reel/2310663309127820

Domestic abuse isn't just physical—it can also shatter a person's financial stability. Financial abuse often goes unnoticed, yet it deeply impacts victims by limiting access to money, sabotaging financial independence, and creating lasting economic dependency. It's a hidden form of control that can affect anyone, regardless of income or background. In this episode, we dive into this critical yet under-discussed issue. Tejeswi Dodda, Maitri's Self-Sufficiency Coordinator, engages in an insightful conversation with Ariadne Horstman, a certified financial planner. Together, they share essential financial knowledge and practical tools to empower you to protect yourself and others from the devastating effects of financial abuse. Tune in to this important discussion and learn how to reclaim financial independence and resilience. ----------------------------------- ARIADNE HORSTMAN, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Appreciate Finance was founded in 2015 to help individuals and families realize personal goals and dreams through comprehensive financial planning and investment management. Its founder, Ariadne Horstman, has practiced as a CFP® since 2008, advising numerous families and individuals on their financial situations. Prior to that, she worked in the tech industry in Silicon Valley. She is a Registered Life Planner® with the Kinder Institute. Financial Life Planning is based on the premise that advisors must first discover clients' most essential goals before formulating a financial plan. In this way, a client's finances fully support those objectives as the client begins to move toward realizing them.

Welcome to Policy Matters: A quarterly presentation from Maitri Policy Advocacy, where we discuss public policies that are at the heart of shaping the way prevention, intervention, and overall attention to domestic violence within our communities. In our first presentation, we look at the medical mandate of reporting domestic violence that has been in the minds of survivors and advocates alike for a long time seeking to change the law. Joining us for the conversation, are Chris Negris, the Associate Director of Public Policy Strategies at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, and Anisa Ali, Program Manager of Health at Futures without Violence. This discussion was led by Smitha Chandrasekhar, Smitha Chandrasekhar is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Biology. She is currently on the pre-med track and intends to focus on a career in women's reproductive health and oncology. Smitha has been volunteering with Maitri for almost a year and is deeply invested in promoting the rights of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to their own bodies and autonomy. Chris Negri (he/him) is the Associate Director of Public Policy Strategies at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. Working with Partnership staff, members, and allied organizations, he hopes to contribute to policy victories that fund prevention work, improve the lives of survivors, and address critical problems such as the financial and housing insecurity that survivors often face. He is particularly passionate about and dedicated to working on child welfare issues, mindful of the harm that the child welfare system often inflicts on children and families affected by domestic violence, particularly youth of color and LGBTQ+ young people. More About Chris :https://www.cpedv.org/profile/chris-negri Anisa Ali believes that all survivors deserve access to trauma-informed, culturally responsive health care and that health settings can be an important place of support for survivors. As a Program Manager at FUTURES, Anisa provides training and technical assistance for the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence, including on the Campus Leadership Program, the Survivor Leadership Cohort, and California state policy work. She was a fellow for the Solís Policy Institute-State, through the Women's Foundation of California. Anisa earned her MA in Gender and Women's Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her undergraduate degrees in International Studies and Spanish from Virginia Tech. More About Anisa: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/anisa-ali-14/ Resources from the Episode: AB 3127 Factsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFlrrOX3bbmuM8BqwFaMTN5UvjsNNYDN/view Should California doctors report domestic abuse to the police? Here's how physician lawmakers voted: https://calmatters.org/health/2024/05/california-doctor-domestic-violence-reporting/                  

In this podcast, Nazeehah Khan, a sexual assault survivor, activist, and the founder of Restraining Orders Without Borders had an in-depth conversation with our host Nandini Ray. Nazeehah shared her ordeal, hopes, and how she transformed her pain into power. Listen to the episode here: Nazeehah Khan is the Founder of Restraining Orders Without Borders (ROWB), a national legislative campaign expanding restraining order jurisdiction for nonresident survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence. ROWB has passed laws in Hawaii, and Oregon, and is pending the passage of SB 554 in California. Nazeehah holds a Masters in International Relations from the University of Cambridge. She was born and raised in Hawaii and is of Indo-Fijian heritage. Nazeehah's story and activism have been published in different media outlets including Forbes, KITV_abc, RISE, the Star-Advertiser. Learn more about ROWB here: https://www.rowbnational.com/ Learn more about Maitri here: www.maitri.org Listen to the Maitri Podcast and share with your networks.

Statistics suggest that marital rape happens in 10-14% of all California marriages. However, the silence surrounding marital rape leaves many victims unaware that they can seek help. In this episode of “Between Friends” Zakia Afrin and Indira Chakravorty discuss Indira's Article on Marital rape as a tool for domestic violence in the recently published “Khadr Dhare Ghor”/ an edited book of essays on Domestic violence published in Kolkata Book Fair, 2023. পরিসংখ্যান বলে, কালিফরনিয়ায় শতকরা ১০ থেকে ১৪ টি দাম্পত্য সম্পর্কে যৌন নির্যাতন ঘটে থাকে। তবু এই বিষয়ে রাখ ঢাক থাকায় অনেকে জানেন না, সাহায্য পেতে হলে কি করতে হবে। এই নিয়ে কথোপকথন রইল আমাদের এবারের পর্বে। Zakia Afrin is the Director of Survivor Advocacy at Maitri. Indira Chakravorty, Author, co-founder of Daya-Houston and Saheli Houston; and volunteer at Maitri. --------------------- Useful resources: Danger Assessment Toolhttps://www.dangerassessment.org/.../DA_NewScoring_2019.pdf Marital Rape Incident in Bangladesh https://www.thedailystar.net/.../marital-rape-killed... 498A of the Indian Penal Code https://indiankanoon.org/doc/538436/ Maitri Discussion on Domestic Violence deaths in the South Asian community https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AtE6X0aAVM&t=0s No means No Campaign https://www.nomeansnoworldwide.org/Healthy Relationship and Power and Control Wheel; The South Asian Context https://www.facebook.com/maitribayarea/posts/pfbid031iDvU4181ix6HHLTDZuA1z2mm28NxRB53X92FzLu8dsnJUgPdm6k9SnAucScBW9Vl Reproductive Coercion https://www.thehotline.org/resources/reproductive-coercion/ This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Join Maitri volunteers Davinder Kaur Atwal and Arvinder Dhalla as they engage in a profound conversation that challenges widely-held perceptions about domestic violence. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in breaking the stigma surrounding domestic violence, supporting survivors, and fostering a community culture that does not tolerate abuse. Don't miss this enlightening and empowering conversation! Gain valuable insights and prepare yourself for informed discussions on this crucial issue so that together, we can end domestic violence in our community. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org Host: Nandini Ray Conversation: Davinder Kaur Atwal and Arvinder Dhalla --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Presenting a special episode of the Maitri podcast in Punjabi! Join Maitri volunteers Davinder Kaur Atwal and Arvinder Dhalla as they engage in a profound conversation that challenges widely-held perceptions about domestic violence. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in breaking the stigma surrounding domestic violence, supporting survivors, and fostering a community culture that does not tolerate abuse. Don't miss this enlightening and empowering conversation! Gain valuable insights and prepare yourself for informed discussions on this crucial issue so that together, we can end domestic violence in our community This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org Host: Nandini Ray Conversation: Davinder Kaur Atwal and Arvinder Dhalla --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Commemorating Women's History Month! Tune in to our latest podcast episode where four South Asian women come together to discuss misogynistic behaviors and attitudes that we women face every day. From overtly offensive behaviors to subtle, normalized attitudes, we delve into the spectrum of experiences women face daily. Join us in identifying and confronting misogynistic attitudes and behaviors. Together, let's explore strategies for dismantling this toxic culture and envision a future where equality thrives. Host: Nandini Ray, Sr. Manager Outreach, Prevention, and Policy Advocacy, Maitri Guests: Aarushi Kumar, Rika Alavi, Kashmira Patel (Maitri Volunteers)   This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] Please share your feedback here: https://forms.gle/Req1NfTSAYfUnYfD7 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Are South Asian youth comfortable sharing their dating experiences with their parents? Do they receive enough guidance and support from their families in understanding the concept of healthy partner relationships? To discuss these questions we invited 3 South Asian youth community members. Hajra Usman, Sid Barathi, and Nidhi Satyagal joined us to shed light on the unique challenges South Asian youth face when navigating conversations about dating and relationships with their families. They also shared their recommendations on how both South Asian youth and adults can facilitate an environment of safe and open communication to have conversations on healthy partner relationships. Please listen to this insightful discussion and share this episode with your network. Feel free to share your recommendations with us at maitri@maitri.org. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] Our host: Nandini Ray has been involved in the gender justice movement since 2011. As the Sr. Manager of the Outreach & Prevention Program at Maitri, she leads community engagement and education efforts at Maitri, represents Maitri at community talks, panels, and in media, and provides culturally responsive training for DV advocates and service providers. Nandini curates, designs and hosts Maitri's reputed Podcast series, “Between Friends” and leads social media outreach efforts. Hajra Usman is a clinical researcher assistant and a long-time Maitri volunteer. Sid Barathi is a recent graduate from UCSB. He currently works at a research lab and a clinic as a medical assistant. Nidhi Satyagal is the Prevention Program Associate at Maitri. She recently graduated from UCSB with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in History. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Female genital cutting/ mutilation has been recognized as a human rights violation by the World Health Organization. This topic is highly controversial due to its roots in cultural and religious practices so we should have multiple conversations to have community awareness around it. To discuss how we can end this oppressive practice and bring positive social change, we invited Mariya Taher, the co-founder and U.S. Executive Director of Sahiyo. Listen to this episode here! Visit: https://sahiyo.org/ This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org #EndDV, #maitripodcast, #maitriwww.maitri.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Mariam Azimi, a survivor with her courage and resilience not only paved her future with safety and dignity, but also gave support, guidance, and emotional confidence to many survivors that they needed after suffering from domestic violence. Mariam has been working relentlessly to break the stigma of divorce. In this Maitri podcast episode, Mariam shares her journey and hope. Mariam Azimi is the founder of Care2Elevate.space and established CircleofsiSTARhood (https://www.facebook.com/circleofsiSTARhood/about_details.) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

In this episode, Flavia Agnes joined us to share her journey from a survivor to a trailblazer. Flavia Agnes is a women's rights advocate, legal scholar, and one of the central figures of the women's movement in India. Her own experience with domestic violence inspired her to become a women's rights lawyer. As co-founder of MAJLIS, a legal and cultural resource center in Mumbai, India, her primary engagement has been to provide quality legal services to women and children. **About Flavia Agnes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavia_Agnes **About Majlis: https://majlislaw.com/about/ Learn about Maitri: www.maitri.org This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention: https://desj.sccgov.org/ogbvp   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

In this episode we discussed inter-generational cultural conflicts that many South Asian parents and teens face. Three South Asian teens, Tara Sardana, Alina Shah and Kaushal Namuduri shared their thoughts on how this cultural conflict can be damaging for individual, family and community well-being. If you are a parent or a teen, then you must listen to this episode to learn what can be done to reduce and end intergenerational cultural conflict. Please share this episode with your network. Feel free to share your recommendations with us at maitri@maitri.org. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

We invited Yasmin Azad, the author of Stay, Daughter on our podcast to talk about her experience and reflection on the dilemmas that Muslim women faced and are facing in balancing the rules of orthodox Islam with the freedom and innovations of the modern world. Fahria Khan, our Donor Engagement Manage had an in-depth conversation with the author. Please listen to the episode here! Yasmin Azad grew up in Sri Lanka and was among the first group of girls in her Muslim community to go away from home to pursue a university degree. After obtaining a B.A. in English, she married and moved to the United States where she raised her three children and worked as a mental health counselor. Her writing has been published in Navasilu, Solstice Literary Magazine, and The Massachusetts Review, and her memoir is Stay, Daughter: A Memoir of Muslim Girlhood. Read more about Stay Daughter: https://staydaughter.com/ Fahria Khan is the Donor Engagement Manager at Maitri. She is a community leader who has spent the last 20 years serving the community through various non-profit organizations, programs, and initiatives.  #EndDV, #maitripodcast, #maitri, # YasminAzad, #MuslimGirlhood, #girls www.maitri.org This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org]   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Did you know that between 2000 and 2018, an astonishing 23,588 children were married in California alone? This sparks the question as to why it continues and who opposes the reform initiatives. In 2023, SB404 was introduced by lawmakers to prohibit marriages before the age of 18; however, it was changed to only make it a misdemeanor to arrange non-legally recognized child marriages without actually ending child marriages in California. Passing the Senate, SB404 awaits a vote in the Assembly Committee on Public Safety. In this podcast, the founder of Unchained At Last (www.unchainedatlast.org), Fraidy Reiss had an insightful discussion with Maitri's Director of Survivor Advocacy, Zakia Afrin and Senior Manager of Client Services, Jaya Suresh. Fraidy Reiss is a forced marriage survivor turned activist. Through Unchained, Fraidy has helped hundreds of survivors across the U.S. to escape forced marriages, and she now leads a growing national movement to end child marriage in every U.S. state and at the federal level. Fraidy's research and writing on forced and child marriage have been published extensively, including in the New York Times, Washington Post and Journal of Adolescent Health and by Oxford Press, making her one of the foremost experts on these abuses in the U.S.  Read More about Fraidy's Reiss: https://www.unchainedatlast.org/founder-executive-director/ Relevant Resources on Forced Marriages: California Senate Bill 404 on Child Marriage ban https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB404/id/2832415 California Coalition to End Child Marriage https://cacoalitiontoendchildmarriage.org/ It is time to end child marriages in the US https://www.cfr.org/blog/its-time-end-child-marriage-united-states Asia Child marriage initiative: Summary of research in Bangladesh, India and Nepal https://www.icrw.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/PLAN-ASIA-Child-Marriage-3-Country-Study.pdf #EndDV, #maitripodcast, #maitri, #Endchildmarriage # Fraidyreiss #unchainedatlast www.maitri.org   This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Marital rape has been a crime in all 50 States in the US since 1993. The current California criminal code makes no distinction between rape by a stranger and an intimate partner or spouse. The non-consensual sexual relations within a marriage are subject to the same penalty and consequences resulting in registration in the sex offenders' list among others. As an agency primarily serving immigrant survivors from South Asia, it has posed and continues to pose a unique challenge for Maitri in communicating with survivors and delivering a message of no tolerance to sexual violence within a marriage. How can we, as advocates, address this cultural conditioning, belief system and yet be trauma-informed and sensitive to our survivors? How do we bring up this conversation with both our survivors and our community? In this episode of Between Friends podcast, Maitri Self sufficiency Coordinator Tejeswi Dodda and Legal Advocate Urja Patel discuss some aspects of the community perspective on Marital rape and consent in intimate relationships. Tejeswi Dodda is the Self Sufficiency Coordinator at Maitri. Tejeswi has a background as a journalist and activist highlighting issues around women and girls in India. She has extensive experience in nonprofit work, with a focus on social impact, gender justice, and advocacy for survivors, and over seven years of experience in the DV space. With Maitri since 2021, she is responsible for programming for Maitri's transitional housing and economic empowerment programs. Urja Patel is the Legal Advocate at Maitri. Urja Patel earned a B.S in Psychology with a minor in Women and Gender studies. She currently works as a Legal Advocate at Maitri with the intention of utilizing her educational background to provide assistance to individuals of marginalized communities specifically relating to issues of gender violence. As a child of first-generation immigrants who did not have the proper knowledge of resources available to them in this country, she aspires to help navigate other first -generation South Asians through the legal system of the United States by providing education to these individuals on their rights.This episode is hosted by Eboni Collins, Maitri's Digital Media Associate who has a background in Communication Studies and Digital Marketing. Resources Mentioned in the Discussion:Maitri Findings: Community Perspective on Marital Rape & Consent in IntimateRelationships:https://maitri.org/reportsPresentation on Findings recorded Live April 28, 2023:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB8GcLwU2Kc&t=10sPlease help us improve our podcast by taking a quick survey: https://shorturl.at/nozD7This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org]#MaitriBetweenFriendsPodcast #MaitriBayArea #MaritalRape #MaitriStaff #Tejeswi Dodda #Urja Patel --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

While men have always played an important role in shaping public policies and community awareness in many areas, domestic violence prevention often remains ignored within this group. How do we engage South Asian men in the movement? Maitri's long time advocate Zakia Afrin sits down with S Suresh, a past member of Maitri leadership and outgoing Board member in the Statewide organization CPEDV to discuss men in the DV prevention movement, his passion for social justice and writing novels in Tamil. As a community leader and activist, Suresh is vocal on social justice issues including domesticviolence, gun control, LGBTQ rights, religious and caste-based discrimination, environmentalrights, and racism in all shapes and forms. Prior to joining The Partnership board, Sureshserved as a member of the Board of Trustees at Maitri for three years. During his tenure there,he participated actively in issues critical to addressing domestic violence in general, and withinthe South Asian community in specific. He also played an instrumental role in helping Maitri tobring men into difficult conversations around domestic violence. A product executive with morethan 25 years of experience in enterprise software, Suresh is a writer, avid hiker, dog lover,amateur actor and environmentally conscious. Articles by S Suresh at Fair Observerhttps://www.fairobserver.com/author/sankaran-suresh/Books by S Suresh in Tamil:https://sandhyapublications.com/author/62bd89ccffdfba547069d667Available in Santa Clara Library District.Zakia Afrin: Zakia has been an advocate for immigrant women at Maitri for over 16 years and currently serves as the Director of Survivor Advocacy programs at Maitri. She is a senior fellow and Adjunct professor of International Law at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Zakia represents clients with their immigration needs and drives Maitri's policy advocacy efforts uplifting the voices of immigrant survivors. She founded Auditiya in 2020, a social and cultural platform for the Bangladeshi diaspora in the US.   Please help us improve our podcast by taking this quick survey: https://shorturl.at/puBGJ This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Immigration status based on marital relationships often creates barriers for a victim and survivor of domestic violence to address the abuse. Yet there are rights and resources available for individuals in those situations and many opportunities to advocate for policies focused on immigration reform. In this episode, we hear about Maitri's immigration assistance program observing its 12 years in existence and important lessons learnt throughout the process. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #MaitriBayArea #ImmigrationProgram #Survivors #AssistanceProgram --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

A shift is taking place in our community as the stigma that has always surrounded mental health is beginning to fade. RCoz is providing a platform in normalizing our conversations around mental health. Many community members are sharing their stories openly to let others know that it is necessary to take care of our emotional wellbeing. Listen to this podcast to know why people are talking about mental health, what they are sharing and how RCoz is helping. Please visit Rcoz.us to find many wonderful stories. After listening please take this short quiz to help improve our podcast: https://shorturl.at/wN245 This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #MentalHealth #SouthAsianCulture #MaitriBayArea #RCoz --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

In this podcast South Asian youth are talking about different stress factors that impact their mental health, how they need support from their families, community and system to take care of their emotional well being and community's role in breaking the stigma associated with help seeking. After listening please take this short quiz to help improve our podcast! https://shorturl.at/mzQ03 Resources: National Alliance on Mental Illness: https://nami.org Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC). openpathcollective.org The Hume Center AACI Wellness center. AACI.org This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #MentalHealth #MaanMukti #YouthMentalHealth #MHAM #UCLA --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

Listen to this powerful narrative from Shamita Das Dasgupta about the South Asian Gender Justice Movement. In the seventies and eighties, South Asian women across the nation started addressing feminism that was different from white feminism where issues faced by immigrant women were raised. This momentum led to the growth of the South Asian gender justice movement which impacted South Asian survivors, advocates, communities, and the larger society. Please listen to this episode to learn about the early stage of the movement building, where we are now and where we need to go. After listening, please take this short quiz on our Podcast: https://shorturl.at/beEPY Thank you for listening! This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #EndDV, #MaitriPodcast #Maitri #TDVAM www.maitri.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maitribayarea/message

This month, the Maitri podcast was able to bring on four UCLA students to discuss what a healthy partner relationship means to Gen- Z. What does a healthy relationship look like for young college students? What do they expect from their partners? All of this and more is discussed during this months episode of Between Friends. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #EndDV, #MaitriPodcast #Maitri #TDVAM www.maitri.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Maitri joined South Asian SOAR in a remembrance campaign to honor and remember 10 beautiful souls who we lost to disturbing acts of gender-based violence in 2022. And we are dedicating our first episode of the new year to show our grief and frustration toward these senseless acts of gender based violence. Representatives from South Asian SOAR joined us in the discussion. This episode is our effort to keep our community members engaged as we continue to discuss on how we can prevent gender based violence and bring awareness to the South Asian communities affected by it. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #EndDV, #maitripodcast, #maitri, www.maitri.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Sharing a powerful story of a survivor. She suffered violence and abuse inflicted by someone she loved and trusted. Her life has been a continuous struggle during and after the abuse yet she didn't give up. She turned her pain into purpose and started a new journey to find her peace. #SurvivorSpeaks, #MaitriPodcast, #EndDV This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

South Asian youth are doing their part in breaking the stigma associated with mental health. In this episode students are discussing some common issues that can affect emotional wellbeing of community youth, how generational and cultural gaps can impact their mental health and what can be done to uphold the message that our mental health is too precious to risk. To find resources and information please Visit: nami.org/Home, MannMukti.org, www.humecenter.org. Sutter health.org. https://www.instagram.com/ucdmannmukti/ . --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

PurpLE Health Foundation, a non-profit transforming healthcare for survivors of gender-based violence through comprehensive healthcare, research, and economic opportunity. A wonderful initiative from health care professionals in treating women who have endured intimate partner violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. Dr. Anita Ravi, the CEO and co-founder of this nonprofit shared her experience and hope on our podcast. Know about the PurpLE Health Foundation: www.PurpLEHealthFoundation.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Archaic expectations in a marriage, playing to reasoning fallacies like "appeal to tradition," enforcing strict gender roles, these and some other similar narratives can be used as justification for perpetrating domestic abuse. These abusive tactics can be particularly hard to prove as they border on emotional abuse and can be damaging to a victim's psyche. In this podcast, we are joined by long term California resident Ganesh Gigamani who is a social observer and lends his voice to bring about cultural reforms in society. He shares his experiences bye delving deep into the issue of how seemingly normal cultural nuances can be downright insensitive to the victim and can be a red flag leading to a domestic violence situation. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #maitripodcast, #maitri, www.maitri.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

The stigma of divorce in South Asian communities is real. Divorce is viewed as a failure for women. In this episode, we're joined by Neha Gill form Apna Ghar (www.apnaghar.org/) and Kavita Mehra from Sakhi for South Asian Women (www.sakhi.org/) to discuss the impact of divorce, its stigma within the South Asian community and community's role in destigmatizing divorce. We all can play a key role. Let's recognize our own biases that patriarchal culture engraved in our minds and start the conversation in destigmatizing divorce. Please share widely. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #EndDV, #maitripodcast, #maitri, www.maitri.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Reproductive coercion can be used as a control mechanism against survivors of domestic violence. In this episode advocates from Maitri, Daya Houston and Rakhsha Inc. are sharing their experiences working with survivors facing reproductive coercion, how the recent Supreme Court decision on overturning Roe v Wade can add more problems for these survivors and organizational strategies to educate community members about women's reproductive rights. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #EndDV, #reproductivecoercion, #maitripodcast, #maitri, www.dayahouston.org/, www.raksha.org/ , www.maitri.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

A Maitri podcast with Rennu Dhillon, an entrepreneur, educator, motivational speaker and author. Rennu suffered domestic violence yet she didn't give up, with her courage, dignity and hard work she has rebuilt her life. Listen to Rennu's unbelievable life journey. www.maitri.org | 1-888-8MAITRI @maitribayarea: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #EndDV #genderbasedviolence #DomesticViolence --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

In this episode Dr. Preet Kaur Sabharwal and Dr. Sheetal Siledar-Lee discussed the stigma associated with mental health in South Asian communities. Also, they talked about what can harm the emotional well being of South Asian youth and elderly populations and what they can do about it. #maitri #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Victims of child marriage face severe lifelong damaging consequences including physical, sexual and economic abuse; denial of education; and a loss of freedom to make their own futures. In this episode Sasha K Taylor, a former FBI analyst and an advocate to end child marriage is sharing her own experience of being a victim of child marriage and discussing community role in preventing this oppressive practice. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

In today's world abusive partners are increasingly using digital platforms to threaten, control and abuse their victims. How to be safe online? What are the red flags one should be aware of to know that their devices are bugged? Where to report tech abuse? To discuss these important questions, we invited an internationally recognized digital safety expert, Adam dodge. Listen to this podcast and share widely. You can save someone's life. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Our host sat with Rachna Khare, Executive Director of Daya, a Houston based nonprofit to discuss the unique challenges that both Maitri and Daya see their clients face. Also, how we see a huge need and scope for community engagement in preventing gender based violence. Listen to this interesting discussion and a client testimony from Daya. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #EndDV #TogetherWeStand #CommunityEngagement --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Our guests are commemorating Women's History Month by sharing their thoughts on women's status in today's world from their personal lens and how to identify and break obstacles to gender equity. Listen to this thought provoking discussion. Maitri helpline: (1-888-8MAITRI) | Free & Confidential | Mon – Fri (9 am to 3 pm PST) This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #WomensHistoryMonth --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

A conversation in Bangla with Indira Chakravorty and Zakia Afrin about the past, present and future of domestic violence prevention work. Both the speakers are social activists, authors and veteran advocates to end domestic violence. In this episode they have shared their experiences working with domestic violence survivors, unique challenges immigrant survivors face and what can be done to prevent domestic violence. They have also shared wonderful resources. Here are the links: Victims Right Advocacy Project: https://maitri.org/victim-rights-advocacy-project-recommendations Islamic Family Law in American Courts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQhNWW9Dd_z3jTcSeamzvrg Daya Houston: https://www.dayahouston.org/ Asian Family Support Services of Austin: https://www.afssaustin.org/ Swayam: https://swayam.info/ Naripokhkho: http://www.naripokkho.org.bd/nari-index.html This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #EndDV #domesticviolence #DV --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

A group of college students joined our podcast host in analyzing the root causes of dating violence and abuse. They addressed the harmful cultural conditions, norms and practices that enable partner violence. They shared wonderful tips in ending toxic culture that support dating violence and abuse. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #EndDV #toxicrelationships #toxicdating --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Ruchira Gupta, a social justice activist, feminist campaigner and journalist has been fighting a long battle to empower women and children in red light areas. Ruchira shared incredible stories of her making a documentary on flesh trade, her journey in helping millions of sex workers and her satisfaction of working with resilient and brave sex workers. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #humantrafficking #EndDV #genderbasedviolence --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Casey Swegman and Hellitz Villegas from Tahirih Justice Center had an insightful discussion with our host Nandini Ray about forced marriage: How is it different from arranged marriage? What's the impact? And what protections are available? Listen to this podcast. With this information, you can save someone's life. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #forcedmarriage #honorcrime --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Most of the time we tend to overlook that patriarchy can be oppressive and damaging for men too. Many men negotiate their desires, hopes and frustrations in a society that expects them to fit in to the rigid gender norms. In this episode our guest Rajat Mittal shares how he is using his creativity and storytelling approach in addressing oppressive gender roles. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #genderdiscrimination #genderstereotypes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Did you know the first marital rape conviction in the US was in 1979? Where does the law stand in CA now? We discuss the crime, the punishment and how to bring our communities to prevent this violent act. Our guests are CPEDV Policy Specialist, Krista Colon, and Maitri's Director of Survivor Advocacy, Zakia Afrin. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth #DVAM #DVAM2021 #maritalrape #maritalrapebill --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Jasmin Uribe, a survivor of dating violence is sharing her experience and knowledge to help you in finding if you are in a toxic dating relationship and what you can do about it. Jasmine turned her pain into power and became a nationally recognized program consultant, public speaker, training facilitator, and curriculum developer. She is now empowering survivors to rise! This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #MaitriPodcast #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth #DVAM #DVAM2021 #datingviolence --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

In conversation with Sharan Dhanoa, Detective Gurbaksh Sohal, and Swostika Timalsina. Human trafficking is a shocking reality in today's world and California has a high rate of human trafficking cases. It's possible that one of your neighbors or classmates is a trafficked victim. In this episode, our host, Nandini Ray had a conversation with a law enforcement officer and two advocates who have vast experience working with trafficked victims. Listen to this amazing discussion on how to identify trafficked victims, the resources that can help survivors, and what community members can do to prevent this modern day slavery. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #HumanTrafficking #TraffickedVictims --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Our host, Nandini Ray has a deep conversation about love and acceptance with a lovely couple, Parag and Vaibhav. Their wedding made headlines around the world. Not only was it a same-sex wedding performed according to Dharmic traditions, but it also served as a model for how families and communities can evolve when they lead with unconditional love and compassion. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #GayRights #Pride #LGBTQ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Who are responsible in fostering harmful, patriarchal gender norms? Are they men, women or both? Is it possible for men and women to work in partnership to identify and eliminate gender inequalities and gender based violence? Let's find out with community youth. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Amita Swadhin is relentlessly fighting interpersonal and institutional violence against young people. Amita's commitments and approach to this work stem from their experiences as a queer person of color, as a daughter of immigrants, and of years of sexual abuse by their father. Amita shared their pain, resilience, healing journey, and activism in this episode. ________________________ This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org #Maitri #AmitaSwadhin #ChildAbuse --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

In this episode, Daman Tiwana is in conversation with two community members, Khyati Thakur and Tushar Malik, about how media and movies influence our thinking, normalize certain behaviors, and eventually shape our culture. Influences, both positive and negative, come in all shapes and forms, like the movies that we watch whether Bollywood or Hollywood, music videos, lyrics, ads, tv shows, magazines— the list is long and some of the messages end up being toxic for our minds, our relationships, and even our future generations, and it's imperative to be selective about the content that we allow our minds to consume. Listen to this reflective discussion where our guests share their own stories and biases they noticed in themselves as a result of this conscious and subconscious exposure to media & movies! www.maitri.org | 1-888-8MAITRI Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn _____________ This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message

Sexual violence & abuse in an intimate partner relationship is not an isolated incident and it often occurs alongside other forms of abusive behaviors. Listen to this in-depth discussion on how we must change harmful social and cultural conditions that allow sexual violence and abuse in partner relationships. Today’s guest: Sarah Khan, the Director of Programs at the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence. www.maitri.org | 1-888-8MAITRI Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn _____________ This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. www.sccendviolence.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/maitribayarea/message