E31: Trauma-Informed Justice | Renee Williams on Supporting Survivors as a Lawyer - Advocacy in Action

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In this episode of Aspire, co-hosts Katie M. Shipp and Chessy Prout sit down with Renee Williams, Executive Director of the National Crime Victims Bar Association, the nation’s first and only professional association dedicated to supporting attorneys who represent survivors of crime in civil cases. Together, they discuss the challenges survivors face in navigating both the criminal and civil justice systems, as well as the importance of building trauma-informed practices across the legal field.

Renee shares what it truly means to be trauma-informed, the ethical challenges attorneys may encounter when working with survivors, and the impacts of vicarious trauma on lawyers and advocates. She also reflects on her personal path to this work, her experience as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, and how tending to her small farm helps her stay grounded.

This conversation underscores the urgent need for victim-centered services in justice reform, the role of civil litigation in holding institutions accountable, and the innovative new programs the National Crime Victims Bar Association is launching to empower survivors who want to step into advocacy.

To learn more about the National Crime Victims Bar Association, visit https://victimbar.org
For resources on sexual assault, visit https://ihavetherightto.org/get-info/

Aspire is produced by Ben Hudak Productions. For more information, please visit https://BenHudak.com