VSC Podcast

Today is #denimday ! Denim day is an international movement that encourages people to wear denim to show they are against victim blaming and believe survivors and their stories. On this week’s podcast Join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she chats with VSC Advocate Nicola Prichard and VSC Advocacy intern Rachel Stachler about Victim Blaming, why we blame the victim as a society, and w...

Vulnerability is a strength! On this week’s podcast Join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she chats with two amazing mental health professionals from Positive Behavioral Solutions Paula Lupton and Juanita Carbajal to chat about the power of genuine connection and vulnerability as it relates to healing. Paula Lupton, LCSW uses she/her pronouns and is Head of Clinical Operations at Posit...

It’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month - a time to uplift conversations around sexual violence and learn more about this incredibly important issue. Did you know Women with disabilities are 3x more likely to be physically or sexually assaulted than able-bodied women? On this week’s podcast we discuss Sexual Violence and Persons with Disabilities. Join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she...

Today is Start By Believing Day!! We are so excited to be hosting Alison Jones-Lockwood to talk about The Start By Believing Campaign on today’s Podcast. Join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell, VSC Executive Director Lui Damiani, and Alison to talk about the history and importance of this campaign as well as the impact believing can have on survivors when they share their stories and sexua...

There is no correct way to respond to trauma and on this week’s Podcast VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sits down with two of VSC’s Advocacy Interns Nicola Prichard and Rachel Stachler to talk about common reactions to trauma, myths and stigmas survivors face in regards to trauma responses, and ways we can be better supporters through normalizing the individuality of trauma and healing....

On this week’s Podcast we are excited to be joined by Author Karen Moe to chat about her work Victim: A Feminist Manifesto from a Fierce Survivor. Join Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell and VSC Program Director JoEllen Revell who sit down with Karen Moe to chat about her book, what she wants readers to gain from her writing, and how she chose her title as well as hear her read an excerpt! Kare...

On the 104th Episode of the VSC Podcast join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she chats with DV/IPV Expert Dr. CarolAnn Peterson and Help Now of Osceola’s Outreach Services Director Evelyn Herrera-Jackson to chat about Strangulation - an often overlooked and extremely dangerous aspect of Intimate Partner Violence. Dr. Peterson uses she/her pronouns, is a former Full-time Lecturer at th...

How are social media platforms like TikTok being used to groom children? Come join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she chats with Children’s Advocacy Center’s Ann Pimentel-Kerr and former VSC Intern Mahnaz Asif to chat about Online Grooming, what signs to look out for, the effects of sexual abuse, and ways we can help prevent grooming and abuse. Ann Pimentel-Kerr uses she/her pronouns...

How can we better support survivors? Come join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she chats with VSC Victim Advocate Priscilla Aquino and VSC Therapist Orialis Sosa to chat revictimization and its possible impacts, what we can say and avoid saying when someone discloses about their trauma, and ways supporters can practice self-care. Priscilla Aquino uses she/her pronouns and is a Bilingu...

It’s Black History Month and on this week’s Podcast we are joined by Gail Gardner who is making history! Come join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she chats with VSC Program Director JoEllen Revell and VSC Speaker’s Bureau Member Gail Gardner to chat about Gail’s Law and how Gail is spearheading and advocating for the rights of survivors of sexual assault. Gail Gardner is a member of...

It’s the 100th Episode of the VSC Podcast!! Come join VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell as she chats with VSC Executive Director Lui Damiani and VSC Board Member and former Board Chair Craig Swygert to talk about the story of the VSC, how they got involved in this work, how this organization has grown and overcome challenges, and why rape crisis centers like the VSC are so important for ou...

How can Social Media be used as a Prevention tool? On the 99th episode of the VSC Podcast Emilie Mitchell sits down with Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’s Digital Communications Manager Shannan Webster and VSC Marketing and Outreach Specialist Kyle Fray to chat about the power of Social Media in helping end violence. Shannan Webster uses she/her pronouns and  is the former Volunteer and O...

How does language and the way we talk about rape perpetuate it? On the 98th episode of the VSC Podcast Emilie Mitchell sits down with two amazing VSC interns Miles Poola-or and Nicola Prichard to chat about how language and the way we talk about rape as a society, on an interpersonal level, in the news, etc. can contribute to rape culture and ways we can mindfully change the language we use to hel...

We are so excited to be sitting down with one of VSC’s own SANE nurses and now best-selling author Marie McKenzie to chat about her book Things That Keep Me Up At Night! On the newest episode of the VSC Podcast Emilie Mitchell sits down with Author and SANE Marie McKenzie and VSC SANE nurse Chris Bemis to chat about Marie’s book, her journey to advocating for herself and survivors of sexual assaul...

On the newest episode of the VSC Podcast VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell sits down with VSC Victim Advocate and founder of the Passion Flower Project Steven Wilson and VSC Advocate Intern Nicola Prichard to chat about the benefits of support groups and the importance of building a community to help survivors heal. Come learn about this support group that incorporates gardening and CBT sk...

Sexual Assault can affect anyone and everyone can be a part in preventing it. On the 95th episode of the VSC Podcast VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell chats with VSC Marketing and Outreach Specialist Kyle Fray and VSC Volunteer Jonathan Green about men in prevention, the societal pressures men can face, and ways we can all be better supporters and active bystanders. Kyle Fray uses he/him p...

According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 70% of adolescents receiving treatment for substance abuse that were surveyed had a history of trauma. Trauma can have many diverse reactions and effects, and this week on the VSC Podcast VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell chats with Founder of HUSH no More Dr. Vanessa Guyton and VSC LGBTQ+ Victim Advocate Kevin Fox to chat about add...

Ever feel pressure or that you just can’t say no during the Holidays? Tune into the newest episode of the VSC Podcast featuring VSC Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell and VSC LGBTQ+ Victim Advocate Kevin Fox to learn how to set boundaries and advocate for you and your loved ones in practicing self-care. Kevin Fox uses he/him pronouns and is a Victim advocate in an adjunct position with the VSC...

1 in 6 men experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. On the newest episode of the VSC Podcast, Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell is joined by VSC Speaker’s Bureau Member Ralph Reinert and VSC Therapy Intern Miles Poola-or to chat about Male Survivors, the culture of silence, and how we can be better supporters. Ralph Reinert uses he/him pronouns and is a Retired Executive for...

On the 91st episode of the VSC Podcast, Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell is joined by VSC Speaker’s Bureau Member Tracy Kelly and VSC Advocate Intern Yael Rivera to chat about Communal Healing, Activism, and ways some survivors make meaning from trauma as part of their healing path. Tracy Kelly uses she/her pronouns and is a survivor of child sexual abuse from the ages of 9-11 years old by a...

If you think a line has been crossed, it has. On the 90th episode of the VSC Podcast, Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell is joined by VSC Victim Advocate Steven Wilson and VSC Advocate Intern Nicola Prichard to chat about Verbal Coercion, how rape culture normalizes this type of coercion, and ways we can combat this culture and heal. Steven Wilson uses he/him pronouns and  is a Crisis Coun...

On the 89th episode of the VSC Podcast, Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell is joined by VSC Victim Advocate Danielle Simpson-Baker and VSC Advocate Intern Yael Rivera to chat about Sex Therapy, diverse and common effects that sexual trauma could have on intimacy, and ways survivors can heal and feel empowered. Yael Rivera uses she/her pronouns and attends Florida State University’s Master’s of...

On the 88th episode of the VSC Podcast, Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell is joined by FCASV’s Director of Programs Melissa Ashton and VSC’s Lead Victim Advocate Rhonda Wilson to chat about the many barriers survivors may face when it comes to reporting, the different options survivors have and the resources available to them whether or not they want to report, and why it is important for surv...

Did you know Orlando ranks 3rd in the nation for Human Trafficking calls? On the 87th episode of the VSC Podcast, Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell is joined by United Abolitionists’ founder/president Tomas J Lares and a Victim Advocate from the State Attorney’s Office Jenny Castaneda to chat about Child Sex Trafficking, myths, and ways we can help end Human Trafficking. Tomas J Lares uses he/...

On the 86th episode of the VSC Podcast, Education Coordinator Emilie Mitchell is joined by FCASV’s Leo Vera, Esq. and VSC Victim Advocate Priscilla Aquino to chat about Undocumented Immigrants, myths surrounding this population, their rights after facing victimization, and ways we can learn more about and help support survivors that are undocumented immigrants. Leo Vera, Esq. uses he/him pronouns...