Episode 128: #SurvivorStories Series with Ashleigh Rae on Your Voice and Accountability in Recovering from Sexual Violence

en(gender)ed

**Note: We refer to Ashleigh as "Alyssa" because we recorded this interview prior to the lifting of her gag order. Ashleigh is now not legally prohibited from speaking publicly about her experience.**

On this #SurvivorStories series episode, our guest is Ashleigh Rae, a survivor of sexual violence, childhood rape and sexual assault by multiple offenders. She took her case to court and won not once, but twice. We speak with Ashleigh today about her experience as a survivor of sexual violence, how it is different from other forms of abuse, how her trauma has impacted her, what accountability looks like, and what role forgiveness, community, and feminism plays in her healing and recovery journey. Throughout our conversation, we ask Ashleigh to share #abusertactics, #signsofabuse, and #upstandertips.

During our conversation, Ashleigh and I referenced the following resources and topics:

• Australia's Gag Order law
• Melbourne journalist, Nina Funnell's #LetUsSpeak campaign
• Teri's thoughts as a survivor on healing and recovery and her perspective on what accountability is and should look like
• The impact of sexual assault, rape, and abuse on a victim's family
• How "restorative justice" language is infiltrating domestic abuse advocacy spaces and its reduction of accountability
• Brene Brown's views on accountability and forgiveness
• Our unregulated wellness industry

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