The 'I'm Not In An Abusive Relationship' podcast, by southwest Michigan nonprofit Domestic And ... [+]
One nonprofit in southwest Michigan has turned to podcasting to ensure its stories are reaching those who need to hear them.
Domestic And Sexual Abuse Services, which serves men, women and children harmed by domestic/sexual/partner violence in and around St. Joseph county, launched the ‘I’m Not In An Abusive Relationship’ podcast this March.
Board member Dan Moyle says his idea to bring the podcast concept to DASAS sprung from his long-standing belief in the power of stories – and the power of podcasting.
“I heard a survivor of abuse telling her story, which included the statement she would often tell herself: ‘I'm not in abusive relationship. It's just a rough patch,’” Moyle said via email. “This, coupled with the idea that stories of hope to inspire and interviews with experts to teach, were the genesis of my proposal to start a podcast.”
The 'I'm Not In An Abusive Relationship' podcast, by southwest Michigan nonprofit Domestic And ... [+]
“I knew that even though DASAS serves just three counties in Southwest Michigan, we could use our voices to reach far beyond those borders – which we have,” Moyle continued. “We've heard from listeners in South Africa, in Canada, and across our area who have called or emailed telling us that our show helped them realize that they need help.”
Podcasting as a medium has become a global phenomenon. According to PodcastInsights.com, there are more than 750,000 podcasts worldwide, with more than 30 million individual episodes in circulation. Fifty-one percent of the U.S. population has listened to a podcast, with 33% having listened in the last month.
Podcast aficionado Ross Brand, of Livestream Universe, emphasized the value of sharing individual stories via audio.
“A podcast is a great way for nonprofits to talk about the impact they are having and the work that needs to done. Sharing the story of how one life was changed or one situation improved can be more powerful than all the statistics in the world,” Brand said via email. “The most emotionally impactful moments from your podcast can be repurposed on social media with audiograms or photo slide shows to capture attention in a noisy social environment.”
The ‘I’m Not In An Abusive Relationship’ podcast, published weekly on Wednesdays, has spanned a variety of topics. Earlier episodes answer broad questions like ‘What is domestic abuse?’ and ‘Do domestic violence abusers show warning signs?’ Later in the summer, episodes featured information about DASAS’s annual ‘Walk a Mile In Her Shoes’ event. Other episodes have spotlighted the stories of survivors, and recently, the show has served to familiarize listeners with DASAS board members, staff members and practitioners.
One of the most downloaded episodes of the podcast covers the topic of ‘Why do victims “go back” or stay?’ The 27-minute discussion, a Q&A format with experts Ellen Higgins and Deborah Hackworth, dives into the nuance of how each domestic violence situation is different, and requires an individualized approach.
Moyle says he hopes that more nonprofits will consider the idea of launching their own podcasts to better share their own stories.
“I would tell a non-profit that sharing the stories of those you help, of those who volunteer, and of those who believe in your mission is critical,” Moyle wrote. “A podcast is a terrific platform for this. Don't be afraid to start. Learn from others, like podcast groups on Facebook or great shows you listen to, and put your lessons into action. It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to move people with emotion and value.”
Those in need of help in the southwestern Michigan region can contact DASAS 24/7 at (800) 828-2023. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is (800) 799-SAFE (7233).
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Deborah Hackworth.
