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Sep 28, 2023
Dordulian Law Group’s founder and president, Sam Dordulian, recently appeared on the “No Longer Ashamed” podcast to discuss legal options for survivors of sexual assault and abuse who wish to pursue justice against their perpetrators. The podcast is an outstanding resource for survivors and allies alike, increasing awareness and offering educational information via a platform for victims to tell their stories. We spoke with the “No Longer Ashamed” podcast team about their experience creating and developing the show and connecting directly with survivors.
“No Longer Ashamed” is a podcast offering messages of hope and healing for survivors of sexual abuse. Hosted by Kevin Bolger and Laurie Hardie, both survivors, the podcast initially started as an opportunity for Kevin to complete voiceover training and soon expanded into a forum for victims.
After giving testimony at his church about being a survivor, Kevin described a powerful message from God which led him to see an opportunity in focusing the podcast on firsthand accounts from survivors – both men and women – and chronicling their unique experiences.
“For men, it’s really difficult to talk about this,” Kevin said. “Men just don’t do that, and I was really affected when Chester Bennington [late front man of the bank Linkin Park] committed suicide. He was a survivor and openly talked about his experience.”
“If I could keep just one person from doing that, I felt like it was important,” he added.
Kevin, Laurie, and their producing partner – Charnell Bolger – sought to create a podcast that would be a safe space for both men and women survivors to speak out. The trio described the process as being positively surprising on many fronts, but also as an amazing learning experience about the healing process.
To date, the “No Longer Ashamed” podcast has featured 20 interviews with survivors who openly tell their stories – many for the first time. Additionally, the show hosts experts, authors, and attorneys (such as DLG’s Sam Dordulian).
“Many people being interviewed are just beginning the healing journey and starting to understand how to deal with so many issues,” Laurie said.
And all survivors who have appeared as guests on the “No Longer Ashamed” podcast directly sought out the team behind the show.
“It’s all happened organically,” Charnell said. “People find us online and are interested in telling their stories.”
The team described one remarkable instance where a male survivor contacted Kevin during a dinner party after finding the “No Longer Ashamed” website.” The survivor was considering suicide but found an outlet through appearing on the program to tell his story.
Kevin described the show’s mission to highlight the effect abuse has on men and how difficult the subject often is to talk about. “Scandals like the Boy Scouts, Catholic Church, and even Michael Jackson have brought some awareness, but I still don’t think people fully understand the scope,” he said.
“It’s not just occurring in these institutions. People don’t realize it’s your neighbor, your family member, someone you know who is often the perpetrator.”
Kevin noted Male Survivor – a forum and website dedicated to men impacted by sexual abuse and assault – as an additional resource that guests who appear on the podcast often utilize.
“Men face a different type of stigma. Many people don’t know the full truth and often assume that if you’re a survivor, you’re more likely to commit abuse. It’s actually such a small percentage, but those are the stories you always hear about in the media.”
Every episode of the “No Longer Ashamed” podcast features a number of empowering resources and information for survivors. The team noted that even small aspects of a survivor’s journey – such as taking control of one’s language – can have a positive impact.
“We try to educate and provide support. And we really try to help survivors take ownership and focus on their language – encouraging victims to say, ‘the person who abused me’ or ‘the perpetrator’ rather than ‘my abuser’ and take away that ownership,” Laurie said.
“Many survivors think they’re alone in being abused and don’t realize how common it is for these perpetrators to serially offend,” Laurie added. “And coming forward to tell your story can help keep a perpetrator from continuing to abuse victims.”
And the positive impact often only begins with an appearance on the podcast. The team behind “No Longer Ashamed” noted that many survivor guests have gone on to create their own podcasts and blogs, with some taking on the cause of being a survivor advocate full-time.
Currently a side project and a “labor of love” for Laurie, Kevin, and Charnell, the team hopes to continue growing and reaching a larger audience.
“I would love to take it to the next level just because of how important the topic is,” Kevin said.
“We would really like to make this message more available to people,” Charnell added.
New episodes of the “No Longer Ashamed” podcast are dropped every week, and the team plans to continue their mission for as long as survivors come forward and express interest in sharing their stories.
“The biggest surprise for me has been how many survivors want to tell their stories,” Kevin said. “I’m in awe of the courage and the number of survivors who are willing to share publicly.”
“Empowering survivors has just been so rewarding,” Charnell said.
Our experienced attorneys can help you pursue a financial award for your personal injury case. Contact us online or by phone for a free consultation today.
To help further the important work being done by this outstanding team, please visit the “No Longer Ashamed” podcast support page to make your tax-deductible contribution.
Sam Dordulian is an award-winning sexual abuse lawyer with over 25 years' experience helping survivors secure justice. As a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for L.A. County, he secured life sentences against countless sexual predators. Mr. Dordulian currently serves on the National Leadership Council for RAINN.
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