In this episode, I’m talking with Senator Steele who reveals the first time she made a dramatic stand for survivors of sexual abuse. She bravely shared her own story of incest and child sexual abuse on the Arizona State Senate Floor.

Steele recounts the attacks, “My very first memory in life was being raped by my grandfather. She goes on to say that “I don’t have very many memories from my childhood,” those that I do have are not good. You don’t want to know them.”

She fought for justice for survivors of child sexual abuse when she introduced a bill to extend the statute of limitations for victims to bring a civil case against their abuser in Arizona. Current state law barred survivors from civil action after they turned 20 years old. According to Steele, “Republican leaders, so far, have blocked the bill.” Senator Steele supports survivors of child sexual abuse and the elimination of the statute of limitations for all child sexual abuse survivors nationwide.

Senator Steele is one of a growing number of survivors and women who are fighting for justice for survivors of sexual violence in State Capitols nationwide. These legislators of courage are working on behalf of women and survivors who have been beaten, raped, and even murdered by their abusers and predators. We salute Senator Steele.

In this episode, I am talking to Dr. Lois Lee, a pioneer and trailblazer in rescuing America’s sex trafficked and prostituted children here in the United States on a street near you.

She is the founder of Children of the Night and has rescued over 10,000 children from forced prostitution--she says, “that is more children than all of the other sex trafficking organizations combined.” Dr. Lee has taken on the gangs, drug and sex traffickers, and even the wealthy sex traffickers, to save children. Many kids who are sexually abused at home, run away, to take their chances on the streets. And are faced with even more horror, trafficking, forced into prostitution, and abuse. Roar with me to support justice for sexually abused, prostituted children, and trafficked children.

In this episode, I’m talking with Marissa Hoechstetter who was licked on her vagina by her OB-GYN, while pregnant with twins during an ordinary exam that was anything but ordinary.

What should have been an exciting and joyous experience being pregnant with twins, turned into a horrifying nightmare as Marissa says she was sexually assaulted by her OB-GYN, Dr. Hadden. Marissa quickly learned of other victims (over 200) who were also sexually assaulted at the hands of Dr. Hadden, including Evelyn Yang, wife of Andrew Yang Presidential Candidate, 2020.

Marissa and other warrior women survivors fought for the for the Adult Survivor Act (ASA) in New York and it PASSED!

Tune in and join us for Marissa’s amazing story of how she turned her pain into purpose and went from victim to justice warrior.

Listeners, Please Note:

Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse and sexual assault, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice. For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com

Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

In this episode, I’m talking to Dr. Tragil Wade-Johnson, Founder of America's Big Sister Foundation, and Sister of NBA’s Miami Heat #3, Dwyane Wade.

Tragil Wade grew up on the South Side of Chicago with her younger brother Dwyane Wade and tells her heroic story of protecting her younger brother, Dwyane from hunger, gangs, and crime. Saving Dwayne's life took a turn for the better when, at 8 years old, he was tricked by Tragil who told him they were going to the movies, but they instead went to a different South Side neighborhood. Tragil then returned home and left Wade to stay with his father, who had re-married. The move changed the course of Wade's life, leading him away from the crime-ridden surroundings of his early years. But Tragil's life, took a turn for the worse as she endured child sexual abuse and was sex trafficked by someone she trusted, without the protection and help she needed.

Their family story from tragedy to triumph sparked her desire to provoke change. In her words, “helping the little Dwyane and Tragil,” which inspired her to start America’s Big Sisters Foundation in 2017 where she desires to change the narrative of youth that have similar challenges. Tragil continues to pursue her mission of impacting lives by sharing her story with the world.

Tragil proudly shares her story in the hopes of motivating others, especially at-risk teen girls, to live their best dreams despite all odds and how to overcome insurmountable obstacles like she had to do. She is an infectious guest who brings excitement, wisdom, and hope to others at risk for child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and violence. Tragil is a hero and America's Big Sister.

She believes in empowerment; her mission is to help at-risk teens and girls become goal-oriented and self-sufficient. Her message is one of hope and encouragement for girls and teens to become positive and productive members of society through reading and education to be successful in a global economy.

One of the ways Tragil believes teens can be empowered is through education and specifically, reading raising funds for the Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program at Marquette University. With that goal in mind, Dwayne Wade gifted $3 Mil to Marquette's literary program in his sister's name.

Her highest honor was being a recipient of President Biden’s 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award.

You're going to want to hear this episode of tragedy and redemption, horror and hope, escape and salvation.

Listeners, Please Note:

Shari Karney, the host of Roar with Shari. . . All Things Justice for Women and Survivors is a survivor and a practicing attorney in California representing victims of child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.

Even though Shari Karney is a licensed practicing attorney in the State of California practicing in the areas of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, this podcast is intended for informational purposes only, there is no expectation of confidentiality and is not intended nor should it be construed as legal advice. For legal advice, you should seek competent legal counsel. If you’re interested in speaking to Karney’s law practice they can be reached at www.karneyadvocates.com

Please also note that Karney Law is owned by Shari Karney. Karney is the founder of Roar as One. Roar as One is a nonprofit, Karney Law is a law firm and they are otherwise unaffiliated.

Allen v. Farrow:

THE ENABLERS

Where there is incest, there are enablers. Mothers, fathers, siblings, neighbors, therapists, doctors, churches, schools. As the victim is groomed, so is the community. In this episode of Allen v. Farrow (HBO) we see how the community and family is groomed. How we are all groomed by narcissistic, predators, especially, the rich and famous.

This episode focuses on Allen’s sexual relationship with another of Mia’s adopted daughters, Soon-Yi. Within seven months of the shocking discovery of Dylan’s allegation of incest by Woody Allen, he further tears the family apart by a startling revelation about his sexual relationship with Soon-Yi.

Allen, a public relations genius, is able to distract the media, the police, prosecutors, and the public, away from Dylan’s allegations of incest and onto another allegedly consensual relationship with Mia Farrow's other adopted daughter, Soon-Yi. The public, courts, legal system, media, become enablers to Allen’s Hannibal Lector plot to twist the truth.

In this episode, Shari Karney delves into HBO's Docuseries Allen v. Farrow Season 1.

THE SECRET.
The secrets that surround incest and child sexual abuse, especially when it occurs in the family.

Shari Karney is the victim of father-daughter incest. She understands what the child victim feels and the predatory obsession of the perpetrator. She understands Dylan Farrow's confusion, self-blame, sadness, depression, denial, guilt, and trauma. And how trauma compounds trauma. She also understands the mindset of predators, perpetrators, and incest aggressors. How they groom their victim, the community, the public. How the perpetrators can mask as 'caring fathers', excuse their obsessive inappropriate behavior toward the child as 'loving' their child victim too much. How the victim feels confusion, guilt, and pain, both physical and mental. Dylan Farrow, Woody Allen's adopted daughter with Mia Farrow, alleges that Woody Allen sexually abused her when she was 6 years old. She also details Allen's uncomfortable, unrelenting obsession with her.

This episode delves into alleged incest and the shame and secrets surrounding it. We see firsthand, the grooming process that predators use to prepare the family, community, professionals, and even, as a celebrity, the media, for the sexual assault to come. Dylan “He was always ‘hunting’ me.” Neighbors, members of the family, multiple family friends reported Allen was intensely obsessed with Dylan. One time, Dylan remembers in this episode that Allen told her to “suck his thumb.” In time, it became clear that Allen put incredible focus on her. “He didn’t want to see the other kids. He wanted to see only me,” Dylan said. We learn that all victims are groomed. Grooming is subtle, hiding in the shadows, often invisible to victims.

In HBO's Allen v. Farrow, this episode sheds new light on the fact that Connecticut state prosecutor Frank Maco, despite believing there to be grounds to continue, elected not to criminally prosecute Woody Allen for the alleged sexual abuse of Dylan.

While Allen continues to receive accolades in Hollywood and is supported by famous actresses who worked with him, the momentum of the #MeToo movement coupled with Ronan Farrow’s public support emboldens Dylan to go public with her story for the first time. This podcast is about breaking silence when you are ready, and how empowering it is to Roar as One.

In this bonus episode, we discuss that while Mia Farrow tries to shield 7-year-old Dylan from the trauma of repeated questioning about sexual abuse, Allen’s legal and PR team drives a narrative that Mia is a scorned woman and unfit mother who brainwashed her children. What ensues is a harrowing custody battle where Allen tries to get sole custody over Dylan, Moses, and Ronan Farrow.

You get to experience the legal system, its bias towards women and children. People say the system is "broken." We say the system was designed this way to have power and control over women and children. Every mother's nightmare. A custody fight, where she goes to war to save her children, and the alleged perpetrator goes to the nuclear option to win. Win at all costs, no matter the damage.