DEAR KATIE SURVIVOR PODCAST

The Dear Katie Survivor Podcast features survivors of sexual assault, rape, and abuse; supporters; authors; celebrities; and agents of change about their survivorship and support. Learn how their journeys can help all survivors and their supporters. Delve into backlash, legal systems, campus reactions, family and friends, mental health, PTSD, substance use, body image, and the journey from hurt to healing and thriving.

After Katie Koestner appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine at age 18 as the first person to speak out nationally and publicly as the victim of “date” rape, she received 100+ letters from others who had never told anyone about their own story. Katie wrote back to all of them, and some of them have now been guests on her Podcast 30+ years later to share their story with the world. The name “Dear Katie” honors all survivors in the power of sharing their story. Silence changes nothing.

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Notable Guests & Most Popular Episodes

Rowena Chiu

Weinstein Whistleblower

“I feel that the glass is both half full and half empty.” Rowena Chiu is a former assistant to Harvey Weinstein. In 1998, she was sexually assaulted by him at the Venice Film Festival and was coerced into signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which silenced her for over twenty years. In 2017, a New York Times journalist came to her home and doorstepped her husband of over a decade, revealing information about the assault and NDA. Rowena was featured in the subsequent NYT investigation, but she insisted on remaining anonymous. In 2019, she finally broke her story on the NBC Today Show, live in front of three million viewers. Rowena’s story was featured in both the book and the movie, SHE SAID.

Rowena's Episode

Jon Vaughn

NFL Player & UMich Survivor

Jon Vaughn made waves around the world as one of the few to publicly speak out against the abuse of University of Michigan doctor Robert Anderson in 2020, leading over 1000 survivors in a lawsuit against the university that settled in 2022. Today, he is a testament to the power of speaking out and advocating for what is right against all odds. Jon Vaughn is a former professional football player who was a running back and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons (1991-1994) for the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, and Kansas City Chiefs. In 2022, the Foundation for Global Sports Development (GSD) honored Jon with its prestigious Humanitarian Award.

Jon's Episode

Marina Lacerda

Epstein’s Minor Victim #1

Desensitized to sexualization, young Marina is dazzled by Jeffrey Epstein’s collection of Victoria’s Secret Bottles and models for him, topless. Later testifying as Minor Victim #1 in the case against him, she shares a journey of exploitation, survival, escape, and ultimately, healing. Marina is a girl from Brazil who survived abuse and is now determined to make a change. She uses her voice to help other women break their silence because she knows how powerful speaking out can be. Her hope is that by sharing her story, she inspires others to stand tall, so we can build a future where no one stays silent.

Marina's Episode

Anthony Edwards

Golden Globe – Top Gun

Actor Anthony Edwards discusses the sexual abuse he experienced starting at the age of 12 by a trusted adult mentor, and how that experience informs his acting, his career, and his personal life. Edwards is a four-time Emmy-nominated actor and winner of the Golden Globe Award in 1998 for his work on the network television series ER. He most recently performed as Mr. Franklin in the Broadway revival of Children of a Lesser God and as Mars Harper in Netflix’s Designated Survivor. He has executive-produced a number of award-winning television films and documentaries. Edwards is also a chairman and national spokesperson for the organization 1in6, which was founded by and for male survivors of sexual abuse.

Anthony's Episode

Antuan Raimone

Hamilton on Broadway

The first time Antuan Raimone spoke out as a survivor, he had 90 seconds. But those 90 seconds were all he needed to secure funding for the sexual assault organization he was working with for the following year. In this interview, he details how he dealt with his trauma, how the theater helps him find his strength, and how he learned to acknowledge and live with fear. PAVE Ambassador Antuan Magic Raimone is an Author, TEDxSpeaker, Activist, and Actor with over 20 years of experience in Musical Theatre who is currently a Universal Swing for “Hamilton” on Broadway and across the U.S. He was also the Vacation Swing for the Off-Broadway, Broadway and 1st National Tour of “In The Heights” and has performed at Radio City Music Hall and the Grand Ole Opry in Tennessee.

Antuan's Episode

Rachael Denhollander

Larry Nassar Survivor

“How much is a little girl worth?” Guided by a strong sense of justice since she was young, Rachael decided at ten that she wanted to be an attorney. However, her experience reporting abuse in her church comes with a terrible lesson: don’t report unless you can prove it. Taking this to heart, when her gymnastics coach Larry Nassar sexually assaulted her, she stayed silent. Sixteen years later, supported by investigative journalists and public outrage, she reported her abuse, becoming the first whistleblower and rallying an army of survivors to bring Larry Nassar to justice. Today, Rachael Denhollander speaks across the country to make change by pursuing survivor healing and institutional transformation.

Rachael's Episode

Jennifer Hirsch, Columbia

Shamus Khan, Princeton

Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Khan to discuss their book Sexual Citizens: Sex, Power, and Assault on Campus. Published in January 2020, Sexual Citizens analyzes why sexual assault is so prevalent on college campuses, and how space and power dynamics influence who has control. Jennifer Hirsch is a professor of Socio-medical Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Shamus Khan is a professor of Sociology and American Studies at Princeton University.

Jennifer & Shamus' Episode

Winnie Li

Author & Activist

Dr. Winnie M Li is an author, activist, and educator. A former filmmaker, Winnie’s life and career trajectory were severely disrupted at the age of 29, when she became the victim of a violent stranger rape in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her debut novel Dark Chapter (2017) is a fictional re-imagining of that assault and its aftermath, from the perspectives of both victim and perpetrator. Her subsequent novels Complicit (2022) and What We Left Unsaid (2025) also address the legacy of trauma, in workplaces and in families. Winnie’s doctoral research at the London School of Economics explored the emotional labour of ‘public’ rape survivors, and she is now an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham in the UK.

Winnie's Episode

Zahabiyah Yamasaki

Yogi & Survivor

Zahabiyah Yamasaki, founder of “Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga,” gives us a glimpse of her work with trauma survivors. Due to her college stranger rape at the University of California – Irvine, Zahabiyah has dedicated herself to helping others who have also experienced trauma explore their mind-body connection, feeling safe in their body, and healing. In her work, she emphasizes the importance of community through survivorship, where resilience and tenderness shine through.

Zahabiyah's Episode