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The Femtastic Podcast

Katie Breen interviews feminist activists, researchers, and advocates working to make "women's issues"...well, non-issues. Femtastic explores issues of reproductive rights and health, progressive politics, gender equality, sexual violence, LGBTQ+ perspectives, racism, social justice, and more - examining topics through the lens of intersectional feminism and reproductive justice. We also laugh.
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Now displaying: February, 2021
Feb 16, 2021

[TW: domestic violence, sexual assault, physical violence, emotional abuse]

A sad but true fact: more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the US will experience intimate partner violence (IPV). Half of all female homicides are from a current or past male intimate partner. And these are just the estimates we have among cisgender people and those who report their abuse. But with the compounded stress and isolation of COVID-19, IPV has reached a tragic, all-time high. 

In Femtastic's first ever Spotlight Series, we focus the next two episodes on bringing awareness to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) or Domestic Violence (DV).  

The months of COVID-associated isolation, fear, and economic anxiety have ignited IPV to new and often deadly ends; specifically, domestic violence homicides have increased dramatically. Today, we focus on the type of abuse more commonly associated with IPV: physical violence. In the next episode, we focus on emotional abuse, an equally damaging type of IPV.

To discuss physical IPV today, Femtastic's guest is Kathryn Jacob, President and CEO of SafeHaven of Tarrant County, a DV shelter in Fort Worth, Texas. Kathryn has been working for over 20 years to shine a spotlight on the issue of domestic violence. As an expert in this field, she has a wealth of knowledge and leads the industry to develop early intervention techniques to reduce DV’s fatal outcomes.  

Today on the podcast, Kathryn discusses why and how IPV occurs, how it shows up in all types of romantic relationships (straight; queer; among trans and non-binary folks, etc.), misconceptions around IPV, how COVID has exacerbated it, and what you can do to help.

Resources (all hotlines are confidential):

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline (text LOVEIS to 22522 or call 1-800-799-7233)

  • Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741); free and confidential mental health texting via SMS message. 24 hours a day in US, Canada, UK, and Ireland.

  • The Network/La Red (IPV support for LGBQ/T folks as well as folks in SM/kink and polyamorous communities) 617-742-4911 

  • Assistance with Finding a Domestic Violence Shelter: Call Safe Horizon at 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) 

  • Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453); 24-hour, confidential hotline with resources to aid in every child abuse situation. Voice, text, and online messaging available.

  • Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project; 800-832-1901 (24-hour emergency hotline)

  • Trans Lifeline US: 77-565-8860; Canada: 877-330-6366; Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is an anonymous peer support phone service run by trans people for our trans and questioning peers. Call us if you need someone trans to talk to, even if you’re not in crisis or if you’re not sure you’re trans. Se habla español.
    • Family & Friends Line provides peer support for friends, partners, family members and professionals supporting trans loved ones and community members. To access this service, call our main hotline and ask for our Family & Friends Line. 

  • How to Identify Abuse (from the National Domestic Violence Hotline)

  • How to Support Others (from the National Domestic Violence Hotline)

  • Hotlines for LGBTQ+ folks (crisis intervention, suicide, IPV, youth and runaway info, HIV/AIDS)
  • HealMyShame.com: Great source of articles, blogs, and other information on emotional abuse and shame (recommended by spotlight series guest Beverly Engel, an expert psychotherapist on emotional abuse)

  • Article recommended by Beverly Engel: How to Leave an Abusive Relationship: 18 Expert Tips by Linda Rodgers 
Feb 2, 2021
Although the country has justifiably turned its attention to the COVID-19 crisis, maternal mortality remains a public health crisis.The maternal mortality rate in the United States is higher than any other high-income nation. Approximately 60% of maternal deaths are preventable. Inexcusably, women of color are disproportionately impacted by this crisis. Black women experience mortality as a result of complications of pregnancy at a rate THREE TO FOUR times higher than white women. American Indian and Alaska Native women die at a rate two to three times higher. This must stop.
 
Today on the podcast is Dr. Tamika Auguste, an OB/GYN at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, and a member of the Board of Directors for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 
 
Dr. Tamika Auguste discusses the American maternal mortality crisis, and in particular, why there are such stark racial disparities in maternal mortality. As a contributor to ACOG's guidance on optimizing postpartum care, Dr. Auguste also discusses why postpartum care is so important, what often gets overlooked in postpartum care, how we can ensure moving forward that postpartum care is more accessible to everyone - both so that we can reduce maternal mortality and generally increase the health and wellbeing of postpartum people.
 
Dr. Auguste and Femtastic host Katie Breen discuss both clinical solutions and public policy solutions to this crisis, and what you can do to help. 
 
Lastly, Dr. Auguste tells us about ACOG's new book, available on January 26, 2021, called Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month. Parents who are in the pre-conception, pregnancy, or postpartum period can learn more about pregnancy from the top medical experts on the topic.

Offering real clinical guidance without the clinical jargon, this straightforward book breaks down each step of pregnancy, month-by-month, in ways that every person can understand and relate to during each phase of the pregnancy experience. It answers parents' most pressing questions, including what bodily changes to expect each month; changes in fetal development; how to manage self-care; how to think about pain relief during labor and delivery; how to handle travel, work, and exercise; COVID-19 considerations; and a new chapter where new parents and parents-to-be can find quick answers to frequently asked questions. 

Resources:

- Buy ACOG's new book from independent booksellers

- Learn more about the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), including their helpful guidance for handling COVID-19 precautions and vaccinations in pregnancy, delivery, postpartum, and breastfeeding

 
 
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