PA Centered

Combatting Human Trafficking

In this episode of the PA Centered podcast, we sit down with the Polaris Project and the YWCA Carlisle & Cumberland County to discuss what human trafficking looks like, the misconceptions of it, and if it can be spotted early.

 

RCC/CAC Collaborative Mentorship Project

In this episode, Jaime, the Children’s Advocacy Coordinator at PCAR, meets with the folks from the RCC/CAC (Rape Crisis Center/ Children’s Advocacy Center) Collaborative Mentorship Project, a project created to support centers that want to build better collaboration between the agencies in their communities.

• https://www.familysupportline.org/
• https://delcovictimassistance.org/
• https://www.facebook.com/clearfieldcountycac
• https://www.passages-inc.org/

Resilient Voices – Beth Docherty

On this episode, we meet with Beth Docherty, a sexual assault survivor, and Suzanne Estrella, the Commonwealth Victim Advocate, at the Office of Victim Advocate. Beth will share her story and then we will dive into the details of storytelling as a path to healing for survivors.

 

Be advised: This episode deals with details of a sexual assault. If that makes you uncomfortable, you may want to skip this episode.

 

This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-24-GG-00974-MUMU awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Episode 34: Trans Cultural Humility: Beyond the Basics

This episode we are joined by PCAR & NSVRC staff who share with us their experiences training on trans cultural humility and how we can be part of the solution to end transphobia. Learn More: Pronouns: A Guide from GLSEN Gender Unicorn - TSER A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth – The Trevor Project Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace: Recommended Policies and Practices Transcript of this episode Reach out to info@pcar.org if you need any support or have questions.

Cost of Conflict: The Risks of Trafficking among Refugees and Forcibly Displaced Communities

In this episode we explore the difference of “human trafficking” and “smuggling” as well as dive into how instability leads to human trafficking conditions.

For more information, please contact Zozan Kucukaydin: zkucukaydin@pcar-respecttogether.org

SPARCing Conversations | Stalking Part 2

Today, we sit down with Julia Holtemeyer from SPARC to take a deeper dive into Stalking behaviors, definitions, and family/friend tips for survivors of stalking.

SPARC (Stalking Prevention, Awareness, & Resource Center) is a

federally funded project providing education and resources about the crime of stalking. SPARC aims to enhance the response to stalking by educating the professionals tasked with keeping stalking victims safe and holding offenders accountable. To stay up-to-date on SPARC’s resources and offerings, follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter) @FollowUsLegally and/or subscribe to our quarterly newsletter. SPARC does not provide direct services to victims. We recommend that stalking victims work with a local victim advocate, and the Victim Connect hotline can help connect victims with one. Local victim advocates can help plan for safety, discuss legal options, and connect victims with additional services. Victim Connect can be contacted at https://victimconnect.org/ for online messaging and information, and by phone at 1-855-484-2846. Local domestic violence and sexual assault support services/organizations often work with stalking victims/survivors, even when those victimizations are not part of the stalking. Unfortunately, there are no hotlines and few support service organizations that specifically work with victims/survivors of stalking. The list below includes specific resources mentioned in the podcast and links to learn more about stalking: · Documentation Log: Sample log to help track stalking incidents · Safety Planning Strategies: Considerations for safety planning with stalking victims · Identifying Stalking Behaviors: Specific questions to help identify stalking behaviors · Media portrayals of stalking: More information about how movies and TV portray stalking · Awareness Videos: Short videos on a variety of topics around stalking · Supporting Friends and Loved Ones Experiencing Stalking: Resources to help support loved ones being stalked · National Stalking Awareness Month: January 2025 is the 21st annual National Stalking Awareness Month, help us raise awareness this year and make it the loudest one yet · Resources for Professionals: Guides, checklists, tools for professionals supporting stalking victims and holding offenders accountable (victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, corrections, campus professionals, and more) · Stalking & Harassment Assessment & Risk Profile (SHARP): Free, online risk assessment tool for stalking · Recorded SPARC Trainings: Dive deeper and learn more about stalking by watching/listening to a recorded webinar training · Safety Net Project: Learn more about technology safety and privacy, including safety tips, information, and privacy strategies for survivors. If you or someone you know is experiencing stalking behaviors and is in need of help, in Pennsylvania go to PCAR’s website www.pcar.org and click on the tab Find help in PA or call 888-772-7227; outside Pennsylvania go to www.rainn.org or call 800-656-4073.

Stalking Part 1

In this episode, we're joined by Jaime Cypher, PCAR's Children's Advocacy Coordinator, to discuss stalking. Listen along as Jaime discusses what stalking is, shares a recent experience of stalking after an event, and how bystanders can help and support when we see stalking happen. 

 

https://www.stopstalkingus.com/     https://defendyourself.org/      https://www.stalkingawareness.org/stalking-brochure/      https://www.stalkingawareness.org/documentation-log/

What is a Doula? With Marli Mayon

This episode we are joined by Marli Mayon, Training Projects Coordinator at PCAR, to learn about doulas. Marli tells us what doulas are, the different types of doulas, and how they can provide a trauma informed approach to the birthing experience. Marli also discusses the connect between doulas, reproductive justice, and the sexual violence movement. 

 

DONA International -- https://www.dona.org/ and Dauphin County Doulas -- https://www.dauphincountydoulas.com/ 

The Connection Between Reproductive Justice and Sexual Violence

This episode we are joined by Marli Mayon, Training Projects Coordinator at PCAR. Marli discusses the history of reproductive justice, how it connects to the sexual violence movement, and ways people can promote and handle pushback about reproductive justice. Marli also provides listeners with resources to learn more. 

 

Show Notes

Sister Song -- https://www.sistersong.net/  

Killing the Black Body by Dorothy E. Roberts -- https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/155575/killing-the-black-body-by-dorothy-roberts/    

We Testify on Instagram -- https://www.instagram.com/wetestify/?hl=en      

Planned Parenthood -- https://www.plannedparenthood.org/      

Sex Ed is a Reproductive Justice Issue -- https://urge.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Sex-Ed-RJ-Fact-Sheet.pdf 

Victim Blaming and Selective Compassion

In this episode, we discuss victim blaming, how this impacts survivors of sexual violence, and why people victim blame. We also discuss what selective compassion is and how this relates to the work we do with victims of sexual violence. We discuss how victim blaming and selective compassion are harmful and how we can do better.

To find a local rape crisis center in PA, call 1-888-772-7227 or visit https://pcar.org/help-pa/locations

Learn More:

• Observer's reaction to the "innocent victim"
• Sexual Assault and Victim Blaming
• Implicit Bias Test from Harvard
• Crisis Pregnancy Centers: Faith Centers Operating in Bad Faith
• How ‘empathy gap’ among social workers can affect services for people of color
• PCAR Website