Turning Pain into Purpose, Life After Sexual Assault - Part 1

National Tribal Clearinghouse on Sexual Assault

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Access the transcript for this episode.
In this episode, Blaze Bell shares her story of sexual assault. She and Christina Love both deliver intimate details regarding their experiences with health care providers and law enforcement officers when seeking services after trauma.
Guest Bio:
Christina Love is an Alaska Native from Egegik village who was raised in Chitina, Alaska. She is a consultant, Recovery Coach and civil and human rights activist, while dedicating the last 7 years to systems change for targeted and marginalized populations in Alaska. She is a formerly incarcerated person in long term recovery who currently works as a Specialist for the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA), the state’s coalition of domestic and sexual violence programs. Christina's role focuses on intersectionality with an emphasis on trauma and substance use at ANDVSA. Christina works with programs, agencies, and communities state and nationwide to address the continuum of care for support services through strategic initiatives, substance use screening, training and technical assistance, community-based organization, integrated services, curriculum development, evaluation, assessment, and organizational and community healing. Christina is part of a collective movement that works to end violence, oppression, shame, and stigma through the liberation of education and community healing.
Interviewer Bio:
Blaze Bell is a lifelong Alaskan, Speaker, Singer, and Transformational Coach, who has turned her pain into her purpose. She is on a mission to help others heal, in the ways that she has, from trauma and addiction. Blaze has a popular podcast highlighting healing tools and a new video series interviewing leaders in the healing industry. She is the Board President of Victims for Justice and also frequently works with Standing Together Against Rape (STAR), a rape crisis intervention service in Anchorage, Alaska. As a certified holistic health coach and award-winning singer, Blaze combines her unique skill set to bring the world healing through mindfulness, health, music, and joy.
This project was supported by Grant No.2019-SA-AX-K001 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this presentation are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women or the International Association of Forensic Nurses.