Talking about Rape and Sexual Assault with SARSVL CEO Katie Russell
Conversations with Annalisa BarbieriShow Notes
This is a difficult subject, but an important one. I still get letters from people unsure whether they've been the survivor of sexual violence.
My guest is Katie Russell, former media officer for Rape Crisis and now CEO of Support After Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds (SARSVL). Katie is a specialist in sexual violence and abuse against women and girls with over 18 years' diverse experience within the Rape Crisis movement and wider voluntary and community sector.
In this episode we talk about what rape and sexual assault is, and also address other aspects of sexual violence. We talk about consent, and how it's an active, not a passive act. I.e. just because you didn't say no, it doesn't mean you meant yes.
We talk about the trauma response and how that can affect your response to sexual violence, and how this isn't anything you have control over.
In an ideal world I'd like everyone over the age of about fourteen to listen to this and really understand what consent is, because without understanding consent you can't be sure you've got it. And if you haven't got consent, you may be committing an act of rape or sexual assault.
I talk about organisations and articles in the episode and here are the relevant links:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jan/19/are-obedient-children-a-good-thing https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/08/shouldnt-force-child-kiss-grandparent-consent-sex-education
If you or someone you know has been affected by the subject matter of this episode you can get help and support by putting in the words rape crisis and the county you live in into Google.
SARSVL is the organisation mentioned and where Katie works is at.
Rape Crisis England and Wales.
The 24 hour helpline Katie mentions is on 0808 500 2222.
Support for men and boys affected by rape or sexual violence:
The legislation we refer to is the 2003 Sexual Offences Act.
Make a one off donation: https://supporter.acast.com/conversations-with-annalisa-barbieri
Want this podcast ad free? Head over to my Substack page: https://pocketannalisa.substack.com/
Follow us: Twitter: @AnnalisaB, Instagram: @pocketannalisa Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/conversations-with-annalisa-barbieri. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Conversations with Annalisa Barbieri
I am not a fan of the saying “let’s agree to disagree”, it can be so passive aggressive. But it’s the title of Gabrielle Rifkind’s new book and maybe this pass-agg comment deserves an upgrade.
This episode was not easy to name. The subject is highly topical, but the take on it is original and thought-provoking.
In this episode I’m in conversation with David Robson. David is an award winning science writer and author of three books, one of which The Laws of Connection, we really delve into here. David graduated from Cambridge university with a maths degree, has worked as features editor at the New Scientist, was a senior journalist at BBC Future and his work has appeared in various newspapers and journals such as The Guardian and The Atlantic.
Dr Sophie Behrman is a is a general adult psychiatrist and works in a community mental health team in Oxford. She’s set up an NHS menopause and menstrual disorders clinic, open to women who fit a certain criteria. She’s also edited a book called “Menopause, Menstrual Cycles and Mental Health” which is published by Cambridge University Press in June 2026. In the last series Sophie and I talked about the menopause and its impact on a woman’s brain and in this one we are talking about how the menstrual cycle, and the fluctuation of hormones can affect us physiologically.
I first came across the concept of dissociation when I saw a film called Sybil starring Sally Field and Joanne Woodward. It was about a young woman with multiple personalities. Sybil would dissociate and her various personalities would take over.