SILENCED BY STIGMA

We're taking a break to focus on Season 2. To my guests, I thank you for your bravery and expertise. To my listeners, we'll be back soon and in the meantime remember: everybody sucks but you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

Our guest today is Jay Sefton, therapist, writer, and recovering alcoholic. Jay was subjected to abuse by a Catholic priest at a time when parishioners viewed them as beyond reproach. We discuss how that distorted view perpetuated the abuse by creating a safe-haven for Jay's abuser. Jay Sefton is a psychotherapist living and working in Easthampton, Massachusetts. He received the LA Weekly best solo performance award for The Most Mediocre Story Never Told, a solo show which he wrote and performed, and explores the nature of personal narrative and the stories we tell ourselves about our identities. Jay is the author of several essays including: Two Sides of the Same Cross (Licking River Review), I'll Have a White Zinfandel (Storyscape Journal), and featured editorials in several newspapers about his experience being abused as a child by a priest in the Philadelphia suburb of Havertown, Pennsylvania (They normalized a culture of child rape and then asked us to sign away our rights and Pa. lawmakers must stop denying justice to abuse victims). Jay is also a professional actor who has worked in theatre, film, television. Jay is currently working on a degree in French and hopes to use his love of languages to create a therapeutic intervention for people who struggle with alcoholism and other addictions. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

Today we have psychotherapist Jason Hanson who, for the past eight years has been counseling victims of domestic abuse, and is the author of "Domestic Abuse: Men Suffer Too". We discuss the horrors of this abuse and its indiscriminate reach across gender and sexual identity of both victims and perpetrators. 2010 Study by Elizabeth Monk-Turner, PhD Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice at Old Dominion University: Only 15% of the 54 mental health centers surveyed had any contact with male victims 2011 by Emily Douglas, PhD a professor and chair at the Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy at Montclair State University: 49.9% of men who sought help from DV Agencies, 63.9% of men who sought help from DV Hotlines, and 42.9% of men who sought help from online resources were told “we only help women” 2010-2012 report by CDC at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: 1 in 7 men will experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner BOJ reported Criminal Victimization statistics for 2017: men are just as likely to be the victim of a violent crime as women In 2017 the LA Times reported, at the time of publication, only two shelters exist for male DV victims. 2021 Study by Muarry Straus, professor of sociology at UNH stated: more than 200 studies have found “gender symmetry” in perpetration of IPV --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

In this bonus episode I'm interviewed by Eric Jennings, who was my first guest on Silenced by Stigma. We discuss my history of abuse, the fallout, and what led me to creating this project. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

Today we have JM Lander. An elite athlete who, starting at the age of 15, was sexually abused by a secret society of powerful men. His astonishing and disturbing story is almost beyond comprehension. JM's composed and courageous manner is in stark contrast to the obscene amount of vulgarity I spewed, out of shock and raw anger, at the inhumanity to which he was subjected. John-Michael Lander is creating a voice. Through writing, speaking, and consulting, he helps individuals and organizations identify the signs of grooming, manipulating, and stigmatizing of sexual abuse and how to help survivors (of any type of abuse) face the past and find their true self. John-Michael battled with finding his true self and authentic voice. As an elite athlete, he endured sexual abuse from coaches, benefactors, and medical team which resulted in years of PTDS, depression, anxiety, and even suicide attempts. Today, John-Michael is passionate about helping people face the past and find their true self; educate parents, guardians, coaches, teachers, and officials how to spot and recognize the signs of abuse. He has found this passion also as an Independent Consultant for Arbonne International, a health and wellness company. John-Michael competed in international Springboard and Platform diving competitions. His entertainment experiences include performing on television on General Hospital, All My Children, and national commercials; the lead in the independent films All the Rage and Pilgrim; andoriginating many roles on New York stages. He taught high school English for seven years at the nationally recognized Stivers High School of the Arts in Dayton, Ohio. John-Michael publishing portfolio includes the following books: Surface Tension (2017), Spandau Ballet (2018), and Life's a Beach (2018). John-Michael presented the speech “An Athlete's Silence” at the TEDxDayton 2018 Convention. He has recorded several TV and radio interviews about abuse, spiritual journey, and finding his true self. He is on The Army of Survivors Board of Directors and created An Athlete's Silence. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

Today's guest is attorney Helene Weiss, former Special Victims Bureau Prosecutor, now an associate in the James Marsh Law Firm. The nation's preeminent advocate for sexual abuse victims, seeking to hold their abusers accountable. Helene explains how trauma-informed attorneys bring comfort to their clients, all while politely allowing me to vent my frustration with an unbalanced justice system. The information in this podcast should not be considered legal advice. Please consult an attorney in your area to discuss avenues of recourse. https://www.jamesmarshlaw.com/people/helene-m-weiss/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/heweiss/ https://twitter.com/HeleneMWeissEsq --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

For today's episode we have my best friend of 30 years, Rosalyn Mihalko, screenwriter and playwright living in Los Angeles, who's recently disclosed a history of childhood sexual abuse. Like so many, these events were only recognized as abuse while looking back with the eyes of an adult. In the time between this disclosure and our interview, she has come out as a transgender woman. This interview is littered with jabs, insults, and jokes that would make a twelve-year-old roll their eyes. While some may find our approach to such sensitive topics as a bit odd, we've both decided to air the episode as is. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

Brad Watts discusses the atrocities of sibling sexual abuse, the horror it leaves in it's wake, and how to find the road to peace, in this brutally frank interview. Brad Watts is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSOTP). Brad specializes in working with individuals and and families where sibling sexual abuse has occurred. Brad conducts trainings with communities and groups on how to recognize and respond to incidents of sibling sexual abuse. He's helped hundreds of people on their journey to healing following sibling sexual abuse. Twitter: @bradwattslpc Email: bradwattslpc@gmail.com Book-"Sibling Sexual Abuse: A Guide for Confronting Amreica's Silent Epidemic" Sibling Sexual Abuse: A Guide for Confronting America's Silent Epidemic: Watts, Brad: 9798578496905: Amazon.com: Books --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

Our guest today is stage actor, John Gregor whom, during the first UK lockdown was forced to once again wrestle with the unimaginable impact of his abuse. He's written, produced, and filmed a short about his extraordinary struggle with self-harm and profound compulsive behavior. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

This bonus episode is the story of someone very special, whom I met while committed to a psychiatric hospital, following a suicide attempt. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

For today's episode we have Special Victims Detective Mike Iacone, a 20 year veteran, who offers unique insight into the investigative process, how he protects victims from further harm, and his highly effective method of interviewing suspects. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

For the premier episode we have a conversation with Eric Jennings, writer, visual artist, yoga instructor, and childhood sexual abuse survivor - who kept his secret hidden for over 3 decades. After seeking help to deal with his past, Eric is ready to publicly tell his story. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message

SILENCED BY STIGMA is an intense, detailed examination of Childhood Sexual Abuse, its impact on victims, their loved ones, and our society at large. This series will not only feature survivor accounts but will present conversations with researchers, mental health professionals, sexual abuse attorneys, and Special Victims Detectives, all to demonstrate that you're not alone and there are people dedicated to your protection.
 While the voices of the abused are often silenced, we're here to help you stand up and speak out. Reach out via voicemail, or our website: silencedbystigma.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silencedbystigma/message