She Is Your Neighbour

Iona is an equity, diversity and inclusion consultant and professor. After experiencing domestic violence in a past relationship, Iona recognized a gap in messaging and support around domestic violence in marginalized communities. In this episode, we talk to Iona about the unique struggles that are faced by marginalized communities who experience domestic violence, the importance of intersectionality in talking about complex social...

Growing up, Jude lived in an abusive household. As an adult, he works with men to hold them accountable when they use violence against their families and partners.

In this episode, Jude tells us about his story of domestic violence and shares his experience working with men through Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region’s Engaging Men program. He also explains the importance of early intervention strategies to prevent domestic ...

After a near-fatal altercation with her ex-boyfriend in 1997, Colette Martin spent many years trying to process her experience. In this episode of She Is Your Neighbour, Colette talks about the red flags leading up to the night of the attack, her experience healing from trauma and how she is using her story to inspire others to be better neighbours. 

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As a survivor of domestic violence, Sofia saw a need for more peer-support services in Waterloo Region to prevent domestic violence tragedies. In this episode, Sofia explains how her stay in Women’s Crisis Services’ emergency shelter led her to explore the support services available in the region. She shares how her personal experience with abuse inspired her to co-found VoicesWR, a peer-support group for survivors of intimate part...

Sarah Robertson is a child welfare worker and survivor of domestic violence. When her relationship ended and a tragedy occurred, Sarah used her knowledge of child welfare to protect her family. In this episode, we learn how Sarah was able to move forward with her children and build a new life free from abuse.

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Myrna Dawson is known as one of the most prominent femicide researchers in Canada, who co-founded the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee in 2002. In this episode, we talk about the definition of femicide, collateral victims, and groups that have been disproportionately impacted by abuse.

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In early 2020, Jennifer Kagan-Viater’s daughter, Keira, was believed to be killed by her father in a murder-suicide as an act of revenge. In this episode, Jennifer shares a mother’s perspective on child loss relating to domestic violence. She talks about love-bombing, coercive control and explains how she is using Keira’s story to create change in the family court system.

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The loss of Fallon’s mother and father shaped who she was from a very young age. The subsequent death of her brother further impacted her and contributed to the survivor’s guilt she experienced. In this episode, we talk to Fallon about her tragic family experience with femicide, her life as a Métis woman and advocate, and learn how she has used her story to help others heal from violence.

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Alpha Nkuranga is a Residential Support Worker at Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. In this episode, Alpha talks about experiencing with domestic violence as a child and the violence she endured while living in a Tanzanian refugee camp during the Rwandan genocide. We talk about the journey to her new life in Canada, her upcoming book, and the different support services that Women’s Crisis Services provides to women.

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Sarah Tieleman is an entrepreneur and a member of Women’s Crisis Services’ Board of Directors. In this episode, Sarah opens up about her journey as a teen mom experiencing domestic violence. She explains how she stayed at Anselma House in Kitchener and how her journey came full circle 20 years later, when she became a board member of Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. 

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Samra Zafar is a best-selling author, motivational speaker and mental health advocate. In 2019, Samra released her book “A Good Wife: Escaping the Life I Never Chose”.  In this episode, Samra shares her experience with domestic violence. She talks about the importance of having cultural support from your community and explains why she chose to write her book, A Good Wife.  

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Carlos Morgan is a Canadian Rhythm and Blues singer. He won a juno award in 1997 for his R&B - Soul album called “Feeling Alright”. In this episode, Carlos talks about experiencing domestic violence as a child and the impact this had on his life and future relationships. He also explains about how his music has been an outlet for him to heal from trauma.  

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Cheryl Haskett is an entrepreneur, who runs her goat milk ice cream company, Udderly Ridiculous, from her family’s farm in Bright, Ontario. In this episode, Cheryl talks about her previous abusive marriage and how this led her to stay in a women’s shelter in Barrie, Ontario with her two young children. We talk about the services that she was able to access while in shelter and how she uses her business, Udderly Ridiculous, to give ...

Anna Maria Tremonti is a Canadian journalist who is well known for her hard-hitting work with CBC. In the winter of 2022, Anna Maria opened up about her experience with domestic violence, a secret she had been keeping for 40 years. In this episode, Anna Maria shares her experience dealing with the long tail of domestic violence. She talks about the shame that survivors feel and explains why she chose to share her story on her podca...

In 2011, Raven Lacerte went on a hunting trip with her father near the infamous Highway of Tears, a section of highway between Prince George and Prince Rupert, BC, where many Indigenous women have gone missing or been murdered. Little did they know this trip would mark the beginning of the Moose Hide Campaign – a grassroots movement focused on ending violence against Indigenous women and children. In this episode, Raven Lacerte and...

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The vast majority of women in prison are survivors of sexual abuse and interpersonal violence. In this episode, we hear from PH.D. candidate, Jessica Hutchison, whose research focuses on the use of strip-searching in women’s prisons. Jessica discusses some of the reasons why survivors of domestic violence go to prison and how their prison experience can cause them to re-live their trauma. 

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