Many survivors turn to faith or spirituality first after experiencing trauma, but those spaces can be both sources of comfort and harm.

In this episode of Teal Talk, we’re joined by Brenda Glass, Founder and CEO of the Brenda Multi-Purpose Trauma Center, to explore survivor-centered spiritual care. Brenda shares how belief systems shape healing, how trauma can disrupt spiritual connection, and what it looks like to support survivors without imposing faith or reinforcing shame.

This conversation is especially relevant for advocates working alongside survivors who are navigating spirituality, belief, and meaning after sexual violence, and for anyone interested in holistic, trauma-informed healing.

Follow OAESV on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oaesv. And remember, we’re here to help. Feel free to call our resource line at 888.886.8388 during regular business hours, or the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 at 844.644.6435.

This publication was supported by the Rape Crisis Trust Fund, administered by the Ohio Attorney General's Office. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ohio Attorney General's Office.

In this New Year’s episode, we sit down with Meg and Rachel, two OAESV team members who just completed their first year with the coalition. Together, we reflect on their transition from local programs to statewide advocacy, the moments that shaped their first year, and the wins, lessons, and challenges of 2025. We also look ahead to 2026: from new initiatives and big projects to hopes for the movement and the continued work of supporting rape crisis centers and advocates across Ohio, this is a warm, honest conversation to start the year with connection, reflection, and optimism.

Follow OAESV on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oaesv. And remember, we’re here to help. Feel free to call our resource line at 888.886.8388 during regular business hours, or the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 at 844.644.6435.

This publication was supported by Rape Crisis Funding awarded by the Ohio Governor’s office, administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The opinions, findings, conclusion, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governor or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

As we head into colder months and a busy holiday season, many advocates tell us the same thing: even when there’s time to relax, actually relaxing feels impossible. In this episode, we’re joined by Hope and Cassandra of Abide Yoga, two yoga and mindfulness instructors. Together, we talk about why our bodies stay alert, how rest can look different for each of us, and simple grounding practices that meet you where you are. This conversation offers realistic, accessible support for anyone navigating trauma work and needing a moment to breathe.

Follow OAESV on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oaesv. And remember, we’re here to help. Feel free to call our resource line at 888.886.8388 during regular business hours, or the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 at 844.644.6435.

This publication was supported by Rape Crisis Funding awarded by the Ohio Governor’s office, administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The opinions, findings, conclusion, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governor or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

What does nonprofit sustainability really mean in the world of sexual violence advocacy? In this episode, we talk with Nikki, OAESV’s former Funding & Grants Manager, about the challenges of sustaining prevention and advocacy work, how to build trust with funders, and creative strategies for long-term support. She shares insights on donor relationships, trends in fundraising, and why investing in people—not just programs—is essential to sustaining services for survivors.

Follow OAESV on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oaesv. And remember, we’re here to help. Feel free to call our resource line at 888.886.8388 during regular business hours, or the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 at 844.644.6435.This publication was supported by Rape Crisis Funding awarded by the Ohio Governor’s office, administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The opinions, findings, conclusion, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governor or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Stories can inspire change, but when shared unethically, they can also cause harm. In this episode, Elliott Fullenkamp, OAESV’s Manager of Training and Technical Assistance, talks about what ethical storytelling means in survivor advocacy. We explore consent, survivor readiness, and how to share stories in ways that honor and empower survivors.

Read Elliott's blog: Ethical Storytelling for Education, Awareness, & Outreach. Contact Elliott at efullenamp@oaesv.org.

Follow OAESV on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oaesv. And remember, we’re here to help. Feel free to call our resource line at 888.886.8388 during regular business hours, or the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 at 844.644.6435.

This publication was supported by Rape Crisis Funding awarded by the Ohio Governor’s office, administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The opinions, findings, conclusion, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governor or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

What happens when a former rape crisis volunteer becomes a state lawmaker? In this episode, Representative Michele Grim shares her journey from answering hotline calls as a teenager to shaping laws in the Ohio Statehouse. She discusses the challenges and opportunities of passing meaningful legislation on sexual violence, the role survivor stories play in influencing policy, and why stigma and silence remain barriers to justice.

Hosted by Laurie Hamame and Emily Gemar, this conversation highlights the power of advocacy inside and outside the legislature. Learn more about OAESV's public policy work and survivor-led initiatives. Find your lawmaker here.

Follow OAESV on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oaesv. And remember, we’re here to help. Feel free to call our resource line at 888.886.8388 during regular business hours, or the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 at 844.644.6435.

This publication was supported by Rape Crisis Funding awarded by the Ohio Governor’s office, administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The opinions, findings, conclusion, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governor or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Join us for a rich, powerful conversation that highlights the complexity of legal advocacy for survivors of human trafficking. In this episode, we speak with Emily Dunlap, Managing Attorney at Advocating Opportunity, about the complexities of expungement, immigration protections, and the systemic barriers survivors face even after escaping exploitation. She challenges myths about trafficking—including who is affected and how it happens—and shares how a trauma-informed, client-led approach creates space for long-term healing and justice.

From courtroom obstacles to housing insecurity, Emily reminds us that escaping a situation is not the end of the story, it’s just the beginning.

Follow OAESV on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oaesv. And remember, we’re here to help. Feel free to call our resource line at 888.886.8388 during regular business hours, or the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 at 844.644.6435.

This publication was supported by Rape Crisis Funding awarded by the Ohio Governor’s office, administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The opinions, findings, conclusion, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governor or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

We can't stop reminiscing about what a success our 2025 Voices of Change Conference was! Between opening statements, to workshop sessions, toindividual community groups, voices were encouraged to come together now morethan ever and rise up. On day 3, we had a panel discussion with survivors about their healing journeys. This episode is a recording of that panel discussion with members of OAESV’s Survivor Empowerment & Advisory Council, moderated by OAESV's Nicole KC.

Save the date for our 2026 Annual Conference on June23-25th, 2026. See you next year!

Follow OAESV on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@oaesv. And remember, we’re here to help. Feel free to call our resource line at 888.886.8388 during regular business hours, or the Ohio Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 at 844.644.6435.

This publication was supported by Rape Crisis Funding awarded by the Ohio Governor’s office, administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The opinions, findings, conclusion, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governor or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.