Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women & Survivors

In today’s episode, I’m talking with Sacramento District Attorney, Anne Marie Schubert, the first openly lesbian woman running for Attorney General of California. The job was formerly held by Vice President, Kamala Harris. Her platform: Justice for VictimsShe describes herself as a ‘tough-on-crime candidate’ who, in recent years, has helped put the Golden State Killer behind bars, and has been a leading force in the pursuit of justice through DNA evidence and cold-case prosecution. In 2002, she formed the Cold Case Prosecution Unit and served as its first prosecutor.While Anne Marie Schubert may be best known for the successful investigation, arrest, and conviction of the Golden State Killer, she has made a career of protecting kids from sexual predators and human trafficking and making sure violent criminals are held accountable for their crimes.  As District Attorney of Sacramento, Anne Marie Schubert has successfully put some of the state’s most notorious and violent criminals behind bars, including murderers, rapists and child molesters. She has aggressively prosecuted major corporations for practices that harm the environment and has worked to get illegal firearms off the streets.If elected, Schubert, 57, would be the first openly gay state attorney general. She is the co-parent of two teenage boys who she loves dearly.Even more significantly, Schubert is the rare political candidate vying for a major statewide office who is neither Republican nor Democrat but is running as an Independent.Join us for an open, candid discussion of one woman’s powerful vision of justice for victims of child sexual abuse and sexual violence now running for Attorney General in California. She’s a SHEroe and justice warrior.Listeners, Please Note Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.comPlease also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated

In this episode I’m talking with AUDREY MORRISSEY, a sex trafficked BIPOC child now adult survivor who says she was sold 10-20 times a day. “I’ve  been beaten, tortured, and left for dead.” "I thought I was going to die in the combat zone of sex traffickers.Her traffickers would use words like “Young. Fresh."It’s not like the blockbuster movie, “Taken”, where a pair of unwitting girls travel to Paris, and make every parent cringe by giving men they just met their address, and confirmation that they’re traveling alone. They’re abducted, and Liam Neeson saves the day and his daughter. However, for the hundreds of thousands of children that are sex trafficked, there’s no one coming to save the day. “Taken” is not what sex trafficking looks like in America. In most cases, our stereotypical perception of a “prostitute” is, in reality, a commercially sex trafficked victim,” say Morrissey.It  is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and our children are being sold on a large scale. The sex trafficking industry makes more profit from sex trafficking than any other illegal trafficking in drugs or weapons. Morrissey says “People don't understand this is happening right here in the United States."Her fervent conviction is that no child should be bought or sold.“Image sex with someone you love, but you have to have sex with them 10-20 times per day."If you can’t have sex with someone you love 10-20 times a day, how can you want to have sex with strangers 10-20 a day?”"I never once in my life, when I was a kid, said 'When I grow up, I want to be a prostitute.'" Listeners, Please Note:  Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.   Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at https://karneyadvocates.com/ Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated..

#Sexual Assault Awareness MonthI’m talking to Mary Reigel an experienced  Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). and Trauma  Recovery Specialist who has been working in the field of death, grief, and trauma about how to recover from trauma. Can you ever fully recover from trauma? What does recovery look like? We talk about the fear that so many trauma survivors carry of going to therapy and having to re-experience the trauma in order to “recover from it.” Mary Reigel talks about trauma-free, trauma recovery. New and emerging trauma therapy treatment methods.We also define trauma. What is trauma? Big trauma, small trauma. And how trauma shapes our brains, and how we are completely affected by what we’ve lived through. And how trauma has real, emotional, physical, and social consequences. Mary Reigel, LMFT, with over 36 years of experience helping people, has seen an amazing increase in the positive outcomes achieved in informed psychotherapy practices. These improvements are a result of the accumulation of knowledge, experience, and cutting-edge therapies. Mary helped individuals and organizations. In time she was working side-by-side coroner investigators, police, EMS, and firefighters in the big and little disasters that impact our lives. She knows that no amount of money or job title can immune us from life's sorrows. She also knows that people can recover with a solid sense of well-being.Though Mary is a full-time psychotherapist, she is also the founder of the Grief STEPtm Programs and its Say the Right Thing and Do the Right Thing Trainings, and an Approved Consultant for EMDRIA, Certified in EMDR treatment for trauma, Certified in Clinical Hypnosis, and an approved trainer for the ICISF.Mary talks about trauma, recovery, hope. How you can heal and turn your pain into purpose.

I’m talking to social activist and rainmaker, Cherie Benjoseph, LCSW.  She has a passion for empowering children in order to keep our kids safe.  As co-founder of the KidSafe Foundation, she works with community leaders, kids, parents, guardians, foster care, and child-serving professionals to improve defining the ever-changing issues around protecting children.  Because, in order to keep kids safe we need to educate adults, parents, and their caregivers as well. Predators, pedophiles, and perpetrators groom not only the kids, but the community as well.  Cherie Benjoseph says, “We teach children to recognize their feelings, go to their Safe Adults, and speak assertively when they feel uncomfortable.  Through a fun—not fearful—interactive education, they can be taught what a right to safety really means and that there is strength and support in asking for help.”Now, more than ever, it is critical that we work to keep our kids safe. Pornhub is the 10th most visited website in the world and has 113 Million downloads a day of child sexual abuse and child pornography. There is more child sexual assault, stalking, blackmailing of children through fear of their sexual images being circulated on the internet than ever before!  Predators can abuse, assault, blackmail, and perpetrate online. Gaming, social media, are where many of today’s child predators are lurking posing as 13-year olds, and preying on our children. Just as technology changes, so must the protection of our kids so that the next generation can live healthy, productive, trauma-free lives. Cherie’s mission is to keep our KidSafe and free from child sexual abuse and exploitation. “It is attainable”, she says. 

In this episode, I’m talking with Laila Mickelwait who fights for The Children of the Porn (New York Times). Laila was also featured in Vanity Fair’s, February 2022 article Who Torched the Pornhub Palace. On the Pornhub site, viewers see child rapes, incest, revenge pornography, spycam videos of women showering, and footage of women being asphyxiated in plastic bags.  The house that porn built.These countless victims' images and videos showing the child sexual abuse, criminal sexual exploitation and violence against women they endured,  have been posted and monetized by Pornhub. Laila Mickelwait is the Founder and CEO of the Justice Defense Fund and the Founder of the global #Traffickinghub movement which is supported by millions around the world. She was in Vanity Fair, February 2022, "Who Torched the PORNHUB PALACE." The #Traffickinghub movement led by activist, Laila Mickelwait, called on the religious, non-partisan, non-centralized global effort to hold Pornhub, the 10th most visited website in the world, and the largest pornography website in the world, accountable for enabling and profiting from the sex trafficking and criminal sexual exploitation of countless victims including child sexual abuse. 2.2 million people signed a petition to shut the Pornhub site down. This nonprofit, #TraffickingHub documents abuses and calls for the site to be shut down. There are 118 million images downloaded a day of child sexual abuse and exploitation. According to #Nicholas Kristof of the #New York Times, Pornhub prides itself on being the cheery, winking face of naughty, the website that buys a billboard in Times Square and donates to organizations fighting for racial equity and offers ‘steamy’ content to get people through Covid-19.The Justice Defend fund was created to empower survivors of sex trafficking, child sexual abuse material (previously known as pornography), and image-based sexual abuse to pursue justice through sustainable strategic litigation funding. Laila also advocates for the adoption of laws that prevent child abuse and provide recourse to victims. Listeners, Please Note Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

 In this episode, I’m talking with Marissa Hoechstetter who was licked on her vagina by her OB-GYN, while pregnant with twins during an ordinary exam that was anything but ordinary.What should have been an exciting and joyous experience being pregnant with twins, turned into a horrifying nightmare as Marissa says she was sexually assaulted by her OB-GYN, Dr. Hadden.  Marissa quickly learned of other victims (over 200) who were also sexually assaulted at the hands of Dr. Hadden, including Evelyn Yang, wife of Andrew Yang Presidential Candidate, 2020.Marissa and other warrior women survivors fought for the  for the Adult Survivor Act (ASA) in New York and it PASSED!Tune in and join us for Marissa’s amazing story of how she turned her pain into purpose and went from victim to justice warrior.Listeners, Please Note:Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse and sexual assault,  this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, I’m talking to attorney David Angeloff, Esq., whom I call, the Workplace Justice Warrior, an experienced attorney for anyone who is being sexually harassed or sexually assaulted in the workplace. He is an outstanding trial lawyer.  A Man with a good heart, a brilliant mind, and the soul of a shaman.  Spiritual, deeply empathetic, yet warrior-like for survivors. I’ve gotten to know David; firsthand and you’re going to want to hear what he has to say. David takes on cases and fights for employees and workers in employment law, representing employees and workers who are sexually harassed or assaulted at work by co-workers, bosses, executives, and others.David defines what sexual harassment and assault at work and in the employment context look and feel like. How to know if you’re being sexually harassed or sexually assaulted at work and have legal rights. And if you feel you are being sexually harassed at work, what do you do about it? David is a trial lawyer and part of the Stalwart Law Group in Los Angeles, CA.David believes that all discrimination in the workplace needs to be looked at.  David Angeloff, lays out for us,  in a clear, no-nonsense way, how to know if you are being sexually harassed/sexually assaulted at work and what to do.  Buckle your seatbelts. You're going to want to hear this. 

In this episode, I’m talking to child-on-child sexual abuse survivor, Adrianne Simeone, the founder of the non-profit, The Mama Bear Effect.She calls our unwillingness to confront this issue head-on as “ Willful Blindness.” “Child sexual abuse is not necessarily an epidemic because abusers are so effective at perpetrating, but because the taboo, and consequent discomfort and fear, hold protective adults back from being aware, effectively empowering children, and responding appropriately.”Child on child sexual abuse as well as all child sexual abuse is one that parents, caregivers, and loved ones, just don’t want to deal with. And they don’t know how. Adrianne works tirelessly educating parents, caregivers, pediatricians on behalf of children to prevent child sexual abuse.  The Mama Bear Effect is a nonprofit whose mission is  to change the way people think, talk, and respond to child sexual abuse. Adrian calls child sexual abuse, “The Silent Pandemic.” About the issue of should I protect my children from the reality of child sexual abuse, Adrianne says, “ I am not going to shroud my children from this reality to somehow 'protect' them from the truth that the world isn't as safe and wonderful as we want it to be. I want them to know the truth so that when they have the power to do so, they can help make it better rather than turn a blind eye like so many doListeners Please Note: Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.    Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com  Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, I’m talking with Nicole-Earnest-Payte raped at gunpoint by a man who threatened to kill her. She knew at that point; she wasn’t getting out of this.Here is how Nicole told us her story.On June 22, 1991, 21-year-old Nicole Earnest-Payte was awakened on her couch by a man in a ski mask carrying a handgun about 8:30 at night after falling asleep on a couch in her home. He put his arm around her neck and throat to control her, while holding a gun at her head, held her hands behind her back as he forced her up from the couch, partially disrobed, all while continuing to hold a gun to head, telling her that he was only there to rob her and to stay quiet. Still masked, behind her with a gun still at her head, he then led her upstairs to her bedroom, put her face down on her bed, hog-tied her hands and feet together, duct-taped her eyes and mouth, and tied a pillowcase around her head. He then left her on the bed while he went downstairs to go through her personal belongings that he ultimately stole from her. He came back with a boom box. He turned it to a station that played love songs and told her these are our songs; these are our love songs. Nicole never saw her attacker’s face because he wore a ski mask and taped over her eyes.  Then, he turned the radio on. Nicole said, “At that point, he had only been looking through my belongings and asking for money, But at some point, he turned me over on my back and I started shaking because I knew what was about to happen…. I was shaking and started to cry. He said, ‘Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be as bad as you think.’” Nicole knew at that point she was not getting out of this. While raping Nicole multiple times throughout the course of several hours, Nicole’s attacker threatened multiple times to kill her that night. I felt terrified for my life, couldn’t believe what was happening, Nicole said , “I tried to think of ways to get away. “I knew there was no way I could get out of this. I was absolutely terrified. I just wanted him to get out of my house, and I thought if I don’t fight him maybe he’ll leave.”  The man told her he had been watching her for a week.  After the first time he raped her,  he began kissing her all over her body. He knew details of her personal life: how tall her ex-boyfriend was, where she worked, that she typically left her sliding glass door unlocked during the day while she was at work, generally locking it at night when she was in the house.  At some point, he started to apologize while laying kind of next to her. He said, ‘I’m sorry for doing this. I’ve never done this before and I’ll never do it again, I promise.’” The attacker finally left her home at about 2:30 a.m., after taking her ATM card and PIN and tying her hands in front of her with duct tape. Then he gave her a butter knife to cut the tape and strict instructions. “He instructed her to wait for three songs on the radio and cut herself free. Don’t call the police or I will know, and I will come back and kill you before they come.’ Then, as he left, the attacker said something “mockingly, ‘You should lock your doors from now on. Someone might come in and try to hurt you. ’After the three songs had played, she cut herself loose, got dressed, and grabbed a clothes iron as a weapon because she feared he was still there. Even after finding no one inside the home, she was still too terrified to call the police. She called her mother in Tiburon. She said ‘Mom, I just was raped at gunpoint in my house by a masked man, I need you to get here,’” Her mom told her to hang up and call the police. Nicole, too terrified to call police, truly believed he had access to a scanner.” Within minutes her mother showed up with Rohnert Park police with her as she passed them making a traffic stop in Rohnert Park near Nicole’s home. After 27 years of believing he would never be caught and punished here's what happened. 

In this episode, I’m talking with actor, survivor, activist, Rosanna Arquette who speaks truth to power. With the courage of a lioness, Rosanna Arquette faces the behemoth Harvey Weinstein when she breaks her silence with reporter Ronan Farrow in the New Yorker and in the New York Times (with Jodi Cantor, 2017) about how Harvey Weinstein sexually abused her at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Ronan Farrow broke the Weinstein story and believed Arquette and the other women coming forward who told harrowing stories and allegations of being sexually assaulted, raped, violated by Weinstein. And how the Weinstein henchmen, secret operatives,  lawyers, and PR teams, came after these women, their lives, careers, families, and future, relentlessly. This is exciting, a no holds barred interview. Hang on to your seats, because this interview gets interesting, deep, and soulful.Rosanna Arquette bravely breaks the Hollywood “code of silence”, risking everything to help other survivors have a voice, AND says, #MeToo.Without Farrow and Arquette, Harvey Weinstein, may not be in prison today. Leaving other young girls and women at risk of forever bearing the tattoo of sexual assault by the rich, and powerful. We talk about other victims of Harvey Weinstein who also had the courage to speak out and tell their own stories of being sexually assaulted, abused, and violated by him. Victims who are now part of the movement to stop sexual assault and sexual predators. The brave women who spoke truth to power like Mira Sorvino, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, Kate Beckinsale, and Cate Blanchett. Arquette mentions Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow and the stories they told of nearly being abused by Harvey Weinstein. Brad Pitt’s outrage and defense of his then-girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ben Affleck’s statement about Weinstein’s sexual violence against women.We openly discuss Hollywood and the environment that often enables sexual assault and violence.  About being a sexual assault survivor, justice warrior, SHEroe bout trauma, healing, and resilience. Rosanna Arquette is talented. She is beautiful. She is brave with courage and heart, to break the silence against kingmaker, Harvey Weinstein. Come join us, for an intimate conversation with this talented superwoman and justice warrior, Rosanna Arquette. Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.   Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates. Please note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, I’m talking with Melissa Gilbert, actor, (former child star, "Little House on the Prairie"), former Congressional Candidate, NY Times Best Selling Author, activists, survivor and Sheroe  She needs no introduction for most of you, but I will do so, for those of you who may have been whisked away to another planet, or been otherwise, indisposed for the last 40 years.Melissa is talented, beautiful, outspoken and brilliant and has a lot to say about topics trending today that touch her heart and activism. She talks about Brittany Spears and the mistreatment, mental abuse, and financial abuse by parents, family, managers of child actors and those that are supposed to love and protect them. From, USAG Simone Biles to Brittany Spears, what’s behind the control, abuse, and torment young actors, athletes and stars endure. Melissa Gilbert, is someone who knows firsthand, the pain, torment, and often plagued journey of a child star, athlete, performer. She is someone who has been one of the most famous Hollywood child actors around the world,  starring as “half-pint” (Laura Ingalls) in the beloved, worldwide hit television series, “Little House on the Prairie.  Mel knows what it’s like to be told “just push through it” even when it’s dangerous, physically and mentally.This was a conversation like two girlfriends sitting down for lunch and catching up. Melissa, real, funny, smart, heartwarming.Mel shares a very special place in my heart, first, because she played me, in the television movie about my life, “Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story.” Mel seemed at times to know me, better than I knew myself, except she is a much more beautiful version of me. We Share a Soul.  We each carry one engraved cufflink, from her beloved, and cherished deceased father, Paul Gilbert.Melissa also played Helen Keller in the TV MOVIE, “The Miracle Worker, portrayed Anne Frank in The Anne Frank Story, and has starred in over fifty television movies and numerous television series over the course of her 54-year career. An activist and champion most of her life, she advocates for survivors and other causes..It is my honor and pleasure to introduce my good friend, Melissa Gilbert.  Help me welcome my twin soul, powerhouse, courageous,  heroic, and gifted woman, MELISSA GILBERT. I am so grateful to have her with us today.Listeners, Please Note:Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.    Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com  Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated. 

In this episode, I’m talking with Jennifer Carole, the daughter of a successful attorney, on his way to becoming a judge, who was murdered and his wife raped and bludgeoned to death, while the killer remained free to rape and kill some more,  and the victims and their families were deprived of justice for 40 years!  Today Jennifer Carole is here with us to share her horrifying experience learning of her father Lynman Smith and stepmother’s (Carlene Smith) murdered & RAPE when Jennifer was just 18 years old.  Finding justice was long and arduous for her. It took 38 years of dead ends, heartache, and personal struggles to learn that her father and stepmother were murdered by Joseph DeAngelo, aka "The  Golden State Killer."  IT  confounds her as to why and how her parents were targeted to be the only murders in Ventura by the GSK. For years she thought it was something her parents had done that caused him to murder them but now accepts this was a senseless random attack.  Sadly, Joseph DeAngelo is not talking, and it is not expected that the Smith family will ever get the answers they need to have.Throughout the search for her father’s killer, Jennifer lived with her father’s legal perspective in her head and as a result, she looked at this case through the eyes of a lawyer and the heart of a victim. We, at Roar as One, understand, that if you don’t take rape victims seriously, like the crime victims they are, you could be the next victim on the rapists, now turned murderers target list.Listeners,  Please Note:Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.  Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at https://karneyadvocates.com/Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, Kim Rhodenbaugh Lewallen’s life revolved around swimming, and she loved it.Kim made the US Olympic Swim Team and was thrilled to represent her country. Like many young athletes, her world revolved around the sport she loved and felt safe being surrounded by other like minded athletes. However, that sense of safety was soon shattered by some of the very same people she trusted. While napping in her room, she was awakened by a fellow athlete fondling her. When she was 16, another athlete, who she had a crush on, kissed her. But then, he overpowered her, ignoring her demands for him to stop, and he raped her.On the outside, she looked confident, happy, and capable. But inside she was broken, fearful, and deeply depressed. Despair replaced her joy. The seeds of self-loathing, shame and fear became deeply rooted. She had thoughts of suicide, many times wanting to run her car off the road. Soon after, Kim developed an eating disorder thinking that this was something that she could control in her out-of-control world. I Don’t Want Another Young Olympian Athlete to Experience the Horror That I and Hundreds of Others Have Endured-Kim Rhodenbaugh Lewallen’s: Athlete-on-Athlete Rape.Listeners, Please Note:Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.    Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at https://karneyadvocates.com  Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, I’m talking to Dr. Tragil Wade-Johnson, Founder of America's Big Sister Foundation, and Sister of NBA’s Miami Heat #3, Dwyane Wade. Tragil Wade grew up on the South Side of Chicago with her younger brother Dwyane Wade and tells her heroic story of protecting her younger brother, Dwyane from hunger, gangs, and crime.  Saving Dwayne's life took a turn for the better when, at 8 years old, he was tricked by Tragil who told him they were going to the movies, but they instead went to a different South Side neighborhood. Tragil then returned home and left Wade to stay with his father, who had re-married. The move changed the course of Wade's life, leading him away from the crime-ridden surroundings of his early years. But Tragil's life, took a turn for the worse as she endured child sexual abuse and was sex trafficked by someone she trusted, without the protection and help she needed.  Their family story from tragedy to triumph sparked her desire to provoke change. In her words, “helping the little Dwyane and Tragil,” which inspired her to start America’s Big Sisters Foundation in 2017 where she desires to change the narrative of youth that have similar challenges. Tragil continues to pursue her mission of impacting lives by sharing her story with the world.Tragil proudly shares her story in the hopes of motivating others, especially at-risk teen girls, to live their best dreams despite all odds and how to overcome insurmountable obstacles like she had to do. She is an infectious guest who brings excitement, wisdom, and hope to others at risk for child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and violence. Tragil is a hero and America's Big Sister. She believes in empowerment; her mission is to help at-risk teens and girls become goal-oriented and self-sufficient. Her message is one of hope and encouragement for girls and teens to become positive and productive members of society through reading and education to be successful in a global economy. One of the ways Tragil believes teens can be empowered is through education and specifically, reading raising funds for the Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program at Marquette University.  With that goal in mind, Dwayne Wade gifted $3 Mil to Marquette's literary program in his sister's name.Her highest honor was being a recipient of President Biden’s 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award.You're going to want to hear this episode of tragedy and redemption, horror and hope, escape and salvation. Listeners, Please Note:Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.    Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com  Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated. 

In this episode, I’m talking with Tabitha’s Mpamira who shares her incredible story which begins when her own African grandmother was sold as a child into a forced marriage with an older man in exchange for a cow. Tabitha’s mother was also forced into child marriage in exchange for a goat, but fought back and escaped. So began the journey of freedom that was passed on from mother to daughter.Tabitha's heroic story and activism was made into a documentary, screened at the United Nations, called: Victors: A Song to the Lions."  With only a single Motorcycle and cell phone, Tabitha Mpamira moved day and night to protect young girls in Kenya from rape and sexual assault and from contracting HIV from their abuse. After Tabitha realizes that she too was sexually abused as a child, she goes through her own healing process turning trauma into activism to protect other young girls from child rape. Tabitha Mpamira’s story is a transformational journey of breaking the family and cultural legacy of sexual violence against women and children. This interview with Tabitha is a reflection of the devastating reality for assaulted children and the inspirational people that created a path out. Tabitha’s story is filled with compassion and shows how the actions of a few, can begin to put a stop to decades of depredation. The rise of a woman leading a community that has said, ‘enough is enough.’Listeners Please Note:Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.    Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com  Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.  

In this episode, I’m talking with rape victim, Rosebud Ireland, the last rape victim of The East Side Rapist before he turned into The Golden State Killer (raping and then killing his victims). Rosebud Ireland was only 22 years old when she was awakened suddenly at 3 AM feeling suffocated by a leather glove and a pillow over her head. The gloved man raped her and disappeared. For the next 39 years, Rose tried her best to go on with life, but she suffered from  PTSD, and rape trauma, never knowing who her rapist was, or being able to hold him accountable.  The day that Joseph DeAngelo, the Golden State Killer (HBO docuseries I'll Be Gone in the Dark) was captured, Rosebud knew it was him. The one that had raped her so many years ago. She then set out to find and seek justice. She was disbelieved, blamed, disrespected. The detective on her case asked, “what were you wearing at the time of the rape?” Rosebud Ireland describes her battle trying to get justice from the wealthy entitled, privileged, celebrity enclave of Santa Barbara County, CA to hold the killer accountable for raping her in 1979. Listeners, Please Note:Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.    Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com  Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, I’m talking to a grandmother who experienced first-hand the devastating impact of child sexual abuse in her family. The financial, emotional,  psychological and legal devastation.  It all began when Carol D’Attoma’s six-year-old granddaughter was sexually abused by her father.  He was arrested, and Carol’s daughter’s main source of income was gone. The mother of the child (Carol’s daughter) had to sell her home, her car, and re-locate to a less expensive area with more immediate family support.  Her income was not enough to support her four little girls, so Carol and her husband John began a campaign to raise money to help her pay for medical deductibles, co-pays, fresh fruit and vegetables, and assist with her living expenses.Carol D'Attoma now devotes full time executing her passion for helping families and children victimized by child sexual predators. She is Co-Founder of Sexually Abused Children’s Relief Endeavor known as SACRED.Sacred has raised $1,082,102 since our inception, granted over $640,000, assisted 340 families and growing and assisted 317 children. Listeners, Please Note:  Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.   Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com  Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, I’m talking with former Jehovah’s Witness, Mark O'Donnell who rips the lid off the Jehovah’s Witness Secret DATA BASE OF CHILD ABUSE“It’s like a cult.” says, Mark O’Donnell in the documentary made about the child sexual abuse occurring in the JW, called “Crusaders.” JW makes people fear for their lives and puts them in a box they cannot escape.Mark is now a heroic whistleblower about the secret child sexual abuse files he alleges were KEPT HIDDEN in Kingdom Halls, in congregations throughout the World Finding the secret data base was like  finding  the holy grail.Mark O’Donnell is all about truth, and  how he is turning his pain into purpose.The dirty little secrets are well kept.  According to Attorney Irwin Zalkin, “The problem with Jehovah’s Witness’ the child sexual abuse in that organization is much more prevalent than it is even in the Catholic Church.”Listen with us today, to  Mark O’Donnell’s  story of how he turned from  being a faithful believer in Jehovah Witness and Watchtower to being disfellowed, shunned banned for making made public Jehovah  Witnesses dirty little secret of rampant child sexual abuse and torture among elders, parishioners, and fellows toward the very children the organization claimed to care so much about, and how JW knew and did nothing about it.Listeners, Please Note:  Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.   Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at https://karneyadvocates.com/ Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, I’m talking with Thien  Ho, who successfully prosecuted serial killer and rapist, Joseph DeAngelo, known as The Golden State Killer/East Side Rapist. DeAngelo had escaped justice for 30 years leaving in his wake, dead, murdered, and raped girls, women, children, and men. He is now running for top DA, Sacramento, California. Find out how the victims of The Golden State Killer/Eastside Rapists got justice! And how others, didn’t get justice because of the running of the statute of limitations. Thien had a long path to justice. At just 4 years old he and his family escaped the Communists in Vietnam, on a rickety fishing boat, risking death, torture, and capture finally landing in a refugee camp with nothing but the clothes on their back. As a lead prosecutor for Sacramento County, Mr. Ho successfully prosecuted the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer and secured a sentence of 12 life terms that ensure the disgraced former police officer will die inside a California prison.,  DeAngelo is one of the nation’s most prolific and notorious serial killers who committed 13 murders and over 50 sexual assaults in 11 different jurisdictions throughout California.  This case has been the focus of HBO’s docuseries, I’ll be Gone in the Dark The case has also been featured on CNN, 20/20, and countless news outlets across the world.Additionally, Thien Ho has supervised the Gangs and Hate Crime Unit and was a panelist for an Asian hate crime discussion sponsored by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).  As a member of the Legislative Committee for the California District Attorneys Association, Mr. Ho has analyzed pending bills and advocated on legislative matters for California. He has drafted legislation to prosecute and get justice for victims of Sexually Violent Predators and has testified before the California Assembly regarding pending bills.Now, the 47-year-old Democrat and lifelong prosecutor has announced he is running to succeed Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who is a candidate for State Attorney General (filling Kamala Harris’ seat before Harris ran for the US Senate in California). Thien Ho is all about truth, and justice. One of his main platforms as a candidate for Sacramento District Attorney is justice for victims of child sexual abuse, rape, and sexual assault.                                                                                       ### Listeners, Please Note:  Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.comPlease also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, we discuss an unsolved murder. Haunting, horrible, upsetting and deeply troubling documentary: The Keepers on Netflix. Gemma Hoskins, Emmy Nominated for The Keepers, is still hunting down who killed beloved teacher and nun Sister Cathy Cesnik. Every now and again you stumble across a documentary that leaves you speechless, of murder, sexual violence, and hidden secrets, that plants an expression of disbelief across your face that lasts long after you’ve finished watching it. One, that leaves you no choice but to be heavily invested in strangers’ lives, and leaves you still trying to find resolve to unanswered questions in the days that follow. A documentary that makes you question what the hell is wrong with the world. The Keepers is one of those documentaries. Our guest today, is Gemma Hoskins, one of the students of Sister Cathy, and at the center of the documentary, The Keepers. Horrible, gut wrenching and deeply haunting. But it's an important and incredibly brave story nonetheless. The Keepers tells the story of Sister Catherine Cesnik, a 26-year-old nun living in Baltimore who was abducted and murdered back in the 1960s. The case was never solved, but was linked to a horrific history of sexual abuse by a chaplain called Father Joseph Maskell. The documentary itself is incredibly interesting, but the subject matter is difficult and descriptions of what happened are upsetting and rather detailed, so I'd probably make sure you're aware of what you're getting yourself into before you dive into your next true crime binge.Meet Gemma Hoskins who shares with us today, her personal, relentless pursuit of the unsolved murder of her favorite high school teacher, Sister Cathy Cesnick and what they uncovered, which was more horrible than even murder.Listeners, Please Note:  Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.   Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at https://karneyadvocates.com/ Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.