Down the Rabbit Hole

Content warning: This episode includes discussions of domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse, child sexual abuse, and human trafficking. Please take care of yourself as you listen, and feel free to pause and return when you are ready. What does it take for a rural crisis center to become a resource children recognize, families trust, and an entire community helps sustain? In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, William and Samantha welcome Jennifer Burrows, Victim Outreach and Community Education Manager, VOCE educators Amanda Aldriedge and Jordan Medlock, and Child Advocacy Center Family Advocate Clarissa Galan from Abigail’s Arms Cooke County Family Crisis Center. The guests share how an organization that began as a local crisis hotline grew into a wide network of support for survivors and families, and how relationships, visibility, and a willingness to meet people where they are shape its work across schools and neighboring communities. They also delve into the challenges of reaching people in a rural area, the misconceptions that can stop survivors from seeking help, and the hopes guiding the team into the next school year. Tune in to hear how Abigail’s Arms is building trust long before someone needs its help, and staying ready when they do. www.abigailsarms.org Email: info@abigailsarms.org

Having a dedicated team that handles coordinated domestic violence response is essential in preventing family violence. Joining us for today’s episode of Down the Rabbit Hole is TCFV’s Coordinated Response and Safety Strategies (CRSS) coordinator, Nicholas, to discuss high-risk domestic violence and coordinated responses to it. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about what DVHRT stands for, what the purpose of it is, how having a dedicated DVHRT team has assisted in this work, a little bit about the DVHRT report, and trends Nicholas is seeing in the data. We delve into action steps organizations can take as a response to this data before discussing some promising DVHRT practices and some common traits successful DVHRT community partnerships possess. Our guest even touches on the delicate nature of using survivor stories in these programs. Finally, Nicholas talks about some of the most surprising DVHRT partnerships and shares his hopes for the future of DVHRT. Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning for domestic violence, so listen with care.

This episode includes discussions of domestic violence, sexual violence, hate crimes, anti-LGBTQ+ violence, and homicide. Please take care of yourself as you listen, and feel free to pause and return when you are ready. How can survivors feel safe asking for help when the systems meant to support them do not reflect who they are? In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, we welcome Johnny Argumedo, Anti-Violence Program Specialist at the Montrose Center, to discuss the realities LGBTQ+ survivors face when seeking support. Johnny shares how the Anti-Violence Program provides advocacy, therapy, case management, housing assistance, prevention services, professional training, and community outreach. He discusses barriers to safety and together we unpack what safety means beyond physical protection, how organizations can demonstrate meaningful allyship, and what accountability should look like after a harmful misstep. Johnny also explores the importance of chosen family, community connection, and creating a future where LGBTQ+ people can live and love without fear. Tune in to learn about survivor support, belonging, and building safer communities with Johnny Argumedo. https://montrosecenter.org/

This episode contains discussions of domestic violence and its impact on children and families. Listeners are encouraged to pause and care for themselves as needed.In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole , the Prevention team is joined once again by a favorite returning guest, Barbara, for an honest conversation about the realities domestic violence survivors and families face. Together, they explore the lasting impact of abuse on family dynamics, parenting, children, and support systems, while challenging the oversimplified question of why survivors do not “just leave.” The discussion also highlights protective parenting, barriers survivors navigate within community and institutional systems, and the emotional toll these experiences can have on families. In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, we also start with a candid conversation about personal wellness practices and the importance of making space for rest and care in difficult times. Resources: The National Domestic Violence Hotline Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) Lundy Bancroft Safe & Together Institute Child Welfare Information Gateway

Content Warning - This episode discusses themes of domestic violence. Please listen with care. In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, William is joined by Tracie and Samantha from the prevention team at TCFV to unpack their guiding belief: “prevention is everything, and everything is prevention.” They explore why any point of contact, from parks to public libraries, can be an opportunity for prevention or intervention, and how stronger community partnerships expand those opportunities. The conversation highlights the importance of addressing risk and protective factors, including basic needs like food and access to health care. Throughout, they share examples of everyday interventions, from a teacher stocking easy meals for students to helping survivors access employment and stability. Listen in for a thoughtful look at how prevention shows up in everyday moments, and the role each of us can play in building safer communities.

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual violence, survivor experiences, and navigating the reporting and legal system. Please listen with care. What keeps you going when you’re young, feeling overwhelmed, and trying to be heard in a system that seems bigger than you? In this episode, we begin with an open letter from young survivor Vivian Sanchez and then delve into her experiences navigating reporting and legal processes as a minor and later as a young adult. Vivian discusses self-advocacy during moments of powerlessness, how her voice and choices were perceived differently at various ages, and what kind of support actually helps instead of taking control away. She also offers guidance for educators and advocates on fostering safer spaces, respecting boundaries, and empowering young people to speak for themselves. Tune in for an honest survivor-led perspective on support, agency, and healing. Resources Mentioned in Today’s Episode: TCFV love is respect

What does it look like to hold youth accountable for violent behavior? Today on Down the Rabbit Hole, Samantha, Tracie, Diane, and Amanda join us to discuss youth accountability. In this conversation, you’ll hear all about Amanda’s career and what led her to TCFV, what BIPP is, why we need teen-specific interventions, and so much more! We delve into how the Family Peace Initiative intervenes in youth accountability and its unique programs before discussing the topics the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence touches on during their youth programs. From the importance of parent involvement in youth accountability to co-facilitation to our hopes for the future of youth accountability, this episode covers it all, so be sure to tune in now! Please note, this episode carries a content warning for domestic violence, BIPPS, and youth violence, so please listen with care and take breaks when needed. Resources from the episode: Family Peace Initiative – Youth Initiative Programming: https://familypeaceinitiative.com/community-programs/youth-initiative Center Against Sexual and Family Violence- Teen Intervention and Prevention Program: https://casfv.org/prevention-education/teen-intervention-prevention-program LoveisRespect: https://www.loveisrespect.org/ Texas Department of Criminal Justice- Community Justice Assistance Division: Battering Intervention andPrevention Program Accreditation Guidelines: https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/documents/BIPP_Accreditation_Guidelines.pdf

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of domestic violence, trauma, and homicide. Please listen with care and step away if you need a break. Behind every statistic is a life. In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, William sits down with Tracie and Samantha, and guest Wendy Arias, Coordinated Community Response Coordinator for the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV), to discuss the Honoring Texas Victims (HTV) 2024 Intimate Partner Fatality Report. Wendy walks us through how the report is created, from reviewing homicide cases to working with partners across Texas to ensure accuracy and accountability. The conversation covers key findings from the 2024 data, including trends related to firearms, age ranges, and the broader impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on families and communities. We also discuss why victim narratives are central to the report, keeping the focus on people rather than statistics. Wendy reflects on the emotional toll of working with fatality data and the importance of community care for advocates and prevention workers. Listen in for a grounded, compassionate conversation about violence, prevention, and the human cost behind the data.

All the political and social changes that have happened this year have created challenges that have impacted prevention work. In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, most of the prevention team, William, Tracie, Samantha, and Vivian, reflect on 2025 and discuss what we’re looking forward to for next year. Tuning in, you’ll hear what foods are nostalgic and meaningful for us over the holidays, how this unpredictable year has impacted the way we do prevention work, and the importance of community and community care. We touch on our goals to talk about self-care and wellness in conjunction with community partnership next year. You’ll be inspired to operate from a mindset of abundance and broaden your community engagement with creativity. We are so excited to see what 2026 has in store for us! To hear all this and even learn a breathing exercise to ground you in the new year, be sure to press play now.

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of domestic violence, trauma, and healing from abuse. Please listen with care and step away if you need a break. What does healing look like beyond the therapy room? In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, William and Samantha sit down with their colleague and public policy coordinator, Krista Varney, to explore how nature, community, and non-traditional practices can support survivors of domestic violence. Krista shares her journey into the movement, her current work in policy, and how becoming a Texas Master Naturalist and her interest in native plants, trees, and wildlife reshaped her own healing and her approach to advocacy. They unpack why nature can be such a powerful complement to traditional counseling, how simple experiences can calm the nervous system, and why access to green space is deeply tied to equity, history, and environmental justice. They also discuss integrating food access and mutual aid into programming, honoring Indigenous knowledge of land and ecosystems, and creating communities that function like healthy forests. Join us to learn new ways to weave nature into advocacy, prevention, and healing journeys for survivors and their families. Tune in now!

It is the Season SIX premiere of Down the Rabbit Hole ! For this special premiere we explore the question "What does coalition leadership look like during political, cultural, and financial changes, and how do we lead without leaving anyone behind?" To open DVAM (Domestic Violence Awareness Month), William and Samantha convene a roundtable of state coalition leaders to explore why coalitions matter now more than ever. Gloria Aguilera Terry (Texas Council on Family Violence) is joined by Judy Chen (Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence), Dr. Maria Corona (Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence), Hema Sarang-Sieminski (Jane Doe Inc.), and Susan Higginbotham (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence). Together, they unpack the collective power of speaking with one voice, the realities of funding gaps, and the drivers of the politicized pushback. They also discuss the toll of the work on advocates, and why prevention, radical empathy, and world-building belong at the center of coalitions. Join the conversation to learn how shared leadership, collective care, and prevention-first thinking can help us build safer communities together. Tune in now! This episode explores topics of domestic violence. Please listen with care.

We're getting ready for our annual Town Hall! Join William and Roy, along with special guests Gloria Aguilera Terry, our CEO, and Tommi Vincent, a thought leader and passionate advocate, to hear more about this year's Town Hall. We will talk about some of the journeys we've been on with this work, what kitchen gadgets are a must-have, we'll hear about the incredible initiatives Tommi has undertaken, and what it's like serving as a board chair for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Together, we delve into deeper discussion on the inception of Town Hall, how the Honoring Texas Victims Report plays a significant role, the powerful impact the event carries, and what we’d love people to experience and walk away with after this year’s event. These conversations are a call to action. Listeners are encouraged to take what they learn and use it to drive the necessary change in their own lives and communities, helping them to ultimately thrive!

There are 140 days in every Texas Legislative Session, and it goes fast! Jennifer Mudge is the Public Policy Manager, and Molly Voyles is our Director of Public Policy at Texas Council on Family Violence. During this conversation, they join us to share what our policy team focuses on during the session, the systems that support their work, and how they measure the success of each legislative session, always keeping survivors at the heart. We unpack the experience of preparing survivors to testify and explore the particular successes of the most recent session, before discussing how a new task force will help to reduce the rate of family violence homicides in our state, and exploring how recent work on a Crime Victim Bill of Rights protects victims of family violence. We also discuss the upcoming 30-day special session and what our team will do to carry important bills forward to truly make an impact.

Artificial intelligence is changing how we experience relationships, and not always for the better. In this episode, we are joined by guest Adam Dodge, founder of EndTAB (End Tech-Enabled Abuse), to unpack the growing role of AI and digital tools in gender-based violence and intimate relationships. EndTAB works with victim service providers and community organizations to help them confidently address and prevent technology-facilitated harm. Their work covers everything from image-based abuse and tech safety planning to digital breakups and healthy masculinity in the age of AI. Today’s conversation gets into the drawbacks and benefits of AI and how to navigate this rapidly changing landscape. We explore how AI companions are influencing relationships, how AI is hypersexualizing girls and women, the impact of algorithm-driven misogyny on young boys, and the need for emotional literacy in both kids and adults. Adam also shares practical steps for advocates and parents to support young people to help them safely navigate these technologies. Join us for this essential conversation on safety, consent, awareness, and what it means to build real relationships in the era of AI.

This episode explores topics of homophobia and identity-based violence. Please listen with care. Happy Pride! Today is all about being an LGBTQIA+ parent and parenting LGBTQIA+ kids. We are joined by Sam, a father of two, and an advocate at Safer Path Family Violence Shelter and by Lucas, the Director of Development for The Delores Project and father of three. Join us as we get into our main discussion by unpacking queer identities and how they inform how we show up at work and at home. We talk about how Pride support differs in smaller communities compared to larger ones, the effects of social media on queer identities, and the pressures of being an influential LGBTQIA+ voice or community leader. We also learn how to approach uncomfortable conversations, how to set boundaries with your kids and other family members and why leading with love is the best way to support queer youth and those struggling with their identities. Finally, Sam and Lucas describe how their jobs and skills in advocacy help them better navigate difficult conversations while exploring the importance of creating safe and secure healing spaces for the Pride community. Resources: Family Acceptance Project - San Francisco State University No One Taught Me How to Be a Man The Delores Project

This episode involves discussions of sensitive topics, including domestic violence. Please take care of yourself as you listen. If you need to take a break, please do so. What does it mean to be a protective parent, especially while navigating trauma, abuse, or the child welfare system? In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Samantha and Tracie are joined by Barbra Grimmer, a policy coordinator with years of experience in both domestic violence advocacy and child welfare. Together, they explore how the definition of protective parenting has evolved beyond checklists and rigid standards, and how survivors are often judged most harshly during their most vulnerable moments. They examine the scrutiny placed on mothers in shelter, the conflicting demands of CPS and family courts, and the deep flaws in "failure to protect" policies. Tune in for a powerful episode on parenting, resilience, and reimagining how systems respond to survivors!

What happens when healthcare and the criminal justice system intersect? In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, William, Samantha, and Tracie dive into the world of forensic nursing in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Joined by forensic nursing specialists Karen Carroll and Kalen Knight from the International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN), they explore the critical role that forensic nurses play in patient advocacy, evidence collection, and legal proceedings. The conversation highlights the importance of trauma-informed care, the wide-ranging responsibilities of forensic nurses beyond sexual assault cases, and the ethical and legal challenges they navigate daily. You’ll also discover how forensic nurses contribute to justice by bridging the gap between medicine and law. Whether you're a healthcare professional, legal expert, a survivor of violence and trauma, or simply curious about the unseen heroes of the medical world, be sure to tune in for an eye-opening look at a profoundly important profession dedicated to care, compassion, and accountability! This episode involves discussions of sensitive topics, including sexual assault, death, and domestic violence. Please take care of yourself as you listen. If you need to take a break, feel free to do so. You can always return to the podcast whenever you're ready. IAFN Website: https://www.forensicnurses.org/ IAFN Foundation: https://fundforensicnursing.org/ SAFEta Resource Page: https://www.safeta.org/

This episode explores the many ways that coercive control is used by unpacking scenarios of intimate partner violence and other forms of abuse. Please listen with care and take breaks as needed. Coercive control is a destructive force that’s embedded in all aspects of relationship violence, but many do not understand what it is and how their lives are impacted by it. To help expose the inner workings of coercive control, TCFV's Prevention team is joined today by Josephine, an advocate and survivor to raise awareness of the many ways coercive control can show up. We learn about her journey with coercive control and how she broke free from it, why great support systems matter, how coercive control plays out in reproductive coercion and other nuances, and how the legal system can sometimes cause harm to survivors. Resources from this episode: Framed: Women in the Family Court Underworld Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) https://www.thehotline.org/ Coercive Control in Children's and Mothers' Lives Reproductive Coercion: Connecting the Dots Between Partner Violence and Unintended Pregnancy Reproductive Abuse and Coercion Reproductive coercion and abuse in intimate relationships: Women’s perceptions of perpetrator motivations

Young people are essential to the future of advocacy and social justice, but how do we create meaningful opportunities for them to engage? In this episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, Samantha, William, and Tracie are joined by TCFV interns Mishal Ali and Veronika Croan to explore youth involvement in the movement to end domestic violence and promote social change. They dive into the challenges young people face when trying to get involved, including organizational hesitancy and lack of awareness, and share creative outreach strategies that make engagement more accessible. The conversation highlights the power of mentorship, the importance of social media as a recruitment tool, and how organizations can align their messaging with their mission to foster an inclusive and empowering culture for youth. Whether you’re an organization looking to better engage youth or a young person eager to make a difference, this episode is packed with valuable insights. Tune in to learn how to break down barriers, cultivate young leaders, and ensure that youth voices aren’t just included but heard and valued!

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses sensitive topics, including sex trafficking, child abuse, labor trafficking, and domestic violence. Please listen with care. What does human trafficking really look like in our communities and how can we play a role in prevention? In this powerful episode of Down the Rabbit Hole, we are joined by Ada McCloud, a prevention practitioner with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. In our conversation, Ada sheds light on the complex realities of human trafficking and ways the public can help prevent it. She debunks common human trafficking myths, explains key definitions, and unpacks the importance of building protective factors for vulnerable people. Gain insights into how systemic vulnerabilities contribute to trafficking, how community-focused actions can create meaningful change, and the unseen dynamics of trafficking. Ada also sheds light on actionable ways to support survivors and promote accountability in our communities. Tune in and discover how you can help create safer communities for everyone.