Advocate Spotlight

Written By Jessica Katz

TW: sexual violence


When I was an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I wrote a few pieces for a student magazine highlighting Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment (PAVE), and specifically, their UW chapter.

Now, as I’m privileged enough to be working with PAVE, I wanted to highlight other sexual and domestic violence advocates and organizations. Some you may know of, but others have somewhat flown under the radar. Nonetheless, the individuals and organizations below have made a significant impact, in their own unique ways, in shattering the silence of violence.


EmBark

EmBark Foundation, Inc. is a national non-profit organization founded in 2021 by Sammy Michaels, Holly Muth, and Abby Moravec. Its mission is to provide support and services to survivors of trauma and their furry friends (Mission, n.d.). 

EmBark provides services to survivors of sexual violence, intimate-partner violence, domestic violence, and child abuse. Some of its services include funding for the adoption of a rescue animal, Emotional Support Animal (ESA) certification, pet supplies packages, survivor care packages, and veterinary bill reimbursements (Mission, n.d.).

What makes EmBark stand out is its focus on mental health and support animals. EmBark not only provides support to survivors, but in a way, works to further connect survivors with animals in their healing.

I was introduced to EmBark through their UW chapter, of which I was a member from 2021 to 2023. I’ve seen and experienced first-hand how strong of a community they have built in just a few years. Every member, regardless of role, is supportive and empathetic of each other. Their dedication has truly paid off and made an impact on survivors’ lives. 


Hire Survivors Hollywood™

Hire Survivors Hollywood was launched in early 2020 by actress Sarah Anne Masse as, “an initiative that works to end retaliation against survivors of sexual violence in the entertainment industry (Who We Are, n.d.).

This initiative helps guide productions on how to work with survivors at all stages, from development to release (Wagmeister, 2021). This involves assisting productions in a more inclusive casting process and encouraging productions to hire trauma educators, on-set mental health professionals, and intimacy coordinators.

So far, Hire Survivors Hollywood has gathered over 50 “Silence Breakers” who have partnered with the organization or taken the pledge to, “build a safer, more equitable industry” (Take The Pledge, n.d.). In an industry where many are mistreated and neglected for speaking their truth, this initiative continues to normalize hiring survivors and end gender-based violence in Hollywood.


We Will

We Will is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to sexual assault prevention and survivor empowerment (We Will At A Glance, n.d.). The organization was founded by Brittney Herman in 2018, and its name stems from its mission, “We will prevent assault, empower survivors, and will not rest until sexual assault is eradicated.” 

We Will has various functions: formal and informal education, survivor support, and community growth. It provides resources for survivors, including the Survivors Gallery, which consists of stories and messages from survivors. Beyond that, the organization offers education opportunities, through resources and speaking opportunities (We Will At A Glance, n.d.).

Overall, We Will works in a variety of ways toward one common goal—to end sexual violence.


Lexi Koster

I discovered Lexi Koster, clinical trauma specialist, through her Instagram profile, @thesurvivorsadvocate. Koster focuses on healing from trauma; her content educates on moving through big emotions, coping strategies, self-care, and other related topics. Koster also creates resources to help survivors feel safe in their bodies, relationships, and the world.

Koster’s advocacy is special in that she assists survivors in their paths of healing, normalizing the ups and downs that may occur along the way. I am truly inspired by her work; as a survivor herself, she has used her own experience to support and advocate for others. 


Angela Rose

Angela Rose, founder and executive director of Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment (PAVE), is a proud and vocal advocate for survivors.

At 17 years old, Rose was abducted at knifepoint and assaulted by a repeat sex offender on parole for murder (About, n.d.). Rose struggled with not only the abduction and assault, but the retraumatization from the following legal process. According to Rose, the authorities did not help her; rather, they subjected her to scrutiny, blame, and additional victimization.

Angela turned these difficult emotions into a positive force for change, working with her attacker’s previous victims and other community members to help enact Illinois’ Sexually Dangerous Persons Commitment Act in 1998 (About, n.d.).

In 2001, Rose founded PAVE as a student organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since then, PAVE has grown momentously into a multi-national 501c3 nonprofit organization. The organization, with chapters on multiple college campuses, has trained more than 100,000 college students and 10,000 professionals (About, n.d.).

Rose’s work, along with her empathy, passion, and drive, has touched the lives of so many survivors and made a monumental impact in shattering the silence of sexual violence.


Eat Predators

Eat Predators is a survivor-led movement created by Alexa Nikolas, an actress best known for her role as Nicole on Zoey 101 (Power To Survivors Since 2022, n.d.). Its mission involves ending the systemic perpetuation and cover-up of abuse throughout society; immediate, tangible action from legislators and all people in positions of power to end the cycles of abuse that permeate nearly every facet of society; and improved public awareness, education, and comprehensive resources to survivors and their allies.

Eat Predators has held public protests against large contributors to the perpetuation of rape culture and the protection of abusers such as Red Light Management, Sony Music Entertainment, Nickelodeon, and LiveNation (Shafer, 2022). On its social media, Eat Predators continues to raise awareness of sexual harassment, sexual assault, NDAs to cover up sexual violence, human trafficking of minors, and other related issues in the entertainment industry. This movement is bold and powerful, yet it is inclusive to all survivors and even highlights the voices of those who are not in the spotlight.

EMPWR

The EMPWR Collective was founded by survivor advocates Isa Bogart and Nina Randolph with a mission to, “promote the healing and empowerment of all those impacted by sexual or relationship trauma by making healing more approachable” (Our Story, n.d.).

EMPWR offers two courses in “adult sex ed” (Our Courses, n.d.). Say “Yes” To Pleasure is a six-month self-paced experience where survivors can learn how to unpack sexual shame and reconnect with their bodies. The other, Reclaiming Pleasure: Survivors’ Edition, utilizes trauma-informed practices to survivors reclaim pleasure.

Additionally, EMPWR uses its social media to promote awareness and uplift survivors, discussing topics such as boundaries and sex positivity.

What makes EMPWR so special is its ability to talk about “taboo” topics in a way that feels comforting. Many survivors face shame and feel disconnected from their body, yet, those feelings are discussed not enough. Thank you, EMPWR, for starting and normalizing these conversations.


Know Your IX

Know Your IX, a survivor- and youth-led project of Advocates for Youth, was founded in 2013 by Dana Bolger and Alexandra Brodsky (About, n.d.). Its mission is to empower students to end sexual and dating violence in their schools.

One aspect of Know Your IX’s work is educating college and high school students about their legal rights to safe education. Another involves training, organizing, and supporting student activists and advocating for policy changes (About, n.d.).

The thought of reporting or even speaking out about sexual victimization can be petrifying for survivors. Sometimes, they don’t even know where to start. Know Your IX respects survivors’ decisions to report or not to report, but through raising awareness and educating students, it guides and empowers survivors through finding peace and justice post-assault.


Evan Rachel Wood

Phoenix Rising is the 2020 two-part documentary on Evan Rachel Wood’s story of domestic and sexual abuse by musician Marilyn Manson (Horton, 2022). The two met when Wood was 18, while Manson was 37, and Wood was in cycles of abuse with Manson for four years. Despite all the disturbing accusations and a lot of evidence, Manson has not faced any consequences.

Since then, Wood has become a public advocate for survivors of domestic violence. Most notably, Wood successfully passed the Phoenix Act in California, raising the statute of limitations on domestic violence felonies from three to five years and requiring more training for police officers on intimate partner violence (Phoenix Act, n.d.). Moving forward, Wood and others behind the Phoenix Act are working on building a movement to create more rights for survivors. This movement could be immensely impactful for survivors if enacted nationally.

Wood and her story exemplify strength. Despite all the trauma and backlash she has faced, she has taken control of her narrative and used her experience and platform to fight for other survivors. 


Sources:

  • About. (n.d.). Know Your IX.

  • About. (n.d.). PAVE.

  • Horton, A. (2022, March 18). Evan Rachel Wood's Marilyn Manson doc shows the messy

  • timeline of healing. The Guardian. 

  • Mission. (n.d.). The EmBark Foundation.

  • Our Courses. (n.d.). EMPWR.

  • Our Story. (n.d.). EMPWR.

  • Phoenix Act. (n.d.). Phoenix Act. 

  • Power To Survivors Since 2022. (n.d.). Eat Predators.

  • Shafer, E. (2022, August 25). Who Is Alexa Nikolas, What Is Eat Predators and Why Does It Target Music Companies? Variety.

  • Take The Pledge. (n.d.). Hire Survivors Hollywood.

  • Wagmeister, E. (2021, December 21). Sarah Ann Masse on Her Hire Survivors Hollywood Initiative. Variety. 

  • We Will At A Glance. (n.d.). We Will.

  • Who We Are. (n.d.). Hire Survivors Hollywood.

Jessica Katz

Jessica Katz is a UW-Madison alumna and first-year MSW student at Loyola University Chicago. She’s passionate about mental health, reproductive rights, and survivor advocacy. As a spring 2023 outreach intern, Jessica hopes to support survivors in their varying paths of healing.

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