Just Us : Connecting Survivors and Creating Change With Kelly Justus [Part 2]

10/15/24 • 48 min

[Content Warning]: Child sexual abuse, sexual assault, incest, descriptions of rape, drugging.
Today, Jan is joined again by Kelly Justus, survivor and founder of The Justus Project. In part two the discussion touches on the impact of trauma on individuals and the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for survivors to come forward. The Justus Project and Brave Step are mentioned as organizations that provide support and resources for survivors. The importance of educating and healing adults, not just children, is emphasized. The idea of creating a production company focused on sexual assault stories is mentioned, with a focus on telling the aftermath stories and addressing the mental and health effects of assault. In conclusion, there is a need for cultural change and the power of survivors' voices in creating that change.
Keep In Touch With Kelly:
The Justus Project
Instagram @the_justus_project
Facebook
Mentioned Resources:
S.A.S.S. Podcast (Dave Markel)
It’s On Us
Callisto
Brave Step
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264
Subscribe / Support / Contact:
🍎 Review on Apple🎶 Review on Spotify✍ Share Your Story🌐 Podcast Website🔴 YouTube📷 Instagram
Jan Broberg Foundation:
💝 Foundation Website📒 The Jan Broberg Story🗞 Sign Up For Our Newsletter💞 Thrivivors

Previous Episode

Just Us : Connecting Survivors and Creating Change With Kelly Justus [Part 1]

[Content Warning]: Child sexual abuse, sexual assault, incest.
Today, Jan is joined by Kelly Justus, survivor and founder of The Justus Project. In part one, Kelly discusses the prevalence of sexual assault and the need for support and funding to address the issue. She highlights the staggering statistics, such as 2 billion survivors worldwide and over 130 million survivors in the United States alone. Kelly emphasizes the importance of prevention through education and red flag awareness, as well as the need for trauma-informed training for parents, teachers, and professionals. She also touches on the long-lasting effects of sexual assault, including mental health issues, substance abuse, and physical health problems. Kelly shares her personal experiences and the lack of support and justice she encountered. Both Jan and Kelly stress the urgency of addressing sexual assault and ending the cycle of abuse. The conversation explores the importance of raising awareness about sexual assault and the need for tools like Calisto to connect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. They highlight the challenges survivors face in reporting their experiences and the lack of belief and support they often encounter.
Keep In Touch With Kelly:
The Justus Project
Instagram @the_justus_project
Facebook
Mentioned Resources:
S.A.S.S. Podcast (Dave Markel)
It’s On Us
Callisto
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264
Subscribe / Support / Contact:
🍎 Review on Apple🎶 Review on Spotify✍ Share Your Story🌐 Podcast Website🔴 YouTube📷 Instagram
Jan Broberg Foundation:
💝 Foundation Website📒 The Jan Broberg Story🗞 Sign Up For Our Newsletter💞 Thrivivors

Next Episode

Tell Somebody : Unmasking the Hidden Epidemic with Aleesha Barlow

[Content Warning]: Child sexual abuse, incest
Today, Jan is joined by Aleesha Barlow, a sur-thrivivor of child abuse and the origin story of the Tell Somebody movement. As a child, she was molested by her maternal grandfather. At age 6, she told her aunt. Aleesha was then instructed by her 2 aunts and mother, to keep it a secret from the police and her own father with the promise the abuse would stop. Aleesha was still brought around her grandfather, and unfortunately the abuse continued until she was a teenager. It took Aleesha 20 years to tell her dad, but the moment she did, she felt an immediate weight lifted off her shoulders that she wants all survivors to feel, so she started the Tell Somebody movement. She shares many different survivors' stories on her platform, and she travels the world teaching kids to speak up and tell somebody if they are being touched inappropriately, with her Amazon’s Best Seller “Tell Somebody: The Basics” children's book.

Aleesha discusses the emotional impact of abuse on relationships and self-esteem, emphasizing the importance of breaking the abuse cycle. She faces challenges in getting schools to address child abuse and reaches out to families through her 'Reach the Unreachable' series. The conversation highlights the need for more support and funding for abuse survivors, and the importance of education and early intervention. Aleesha shares her experiences with public figures and emphasizes caution in trusting others. She and Jan stress the importance of educating children about body safety and encourage survivors to share their stories to break the cycle of abuse.
Get Your Copy Of 'Tell Somebody'
Follow Aleesha:
TellSomebodyToday.com
Insta: @_QueenLeesh / @TellSomebodyMovement
TikTok
Facebook
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264
Subscribe / Support / Contact:
🍎 Review on Apple🎶 Review on Spotify✍ Share Your Story🌐 Podcast Website🔴 YouTube📷 Instagram
Jan Broberg Foundation:
💝 Foundation Website📒 The Jan Broberg Story🗞 Sign Up For Our Newsletter💞 Thrivivors