In this Maitri podcast episode, Chanchal Garg opens up about the spiritual and sexual abuse that shook her identity and forced her to confront a life shaped by duty and sacrifice. She courageously shares her journey of personal transformation—unearthing hidden truths that have been buried under cultural obligations, spiritual trauma, and the silence often expected of women.This moving conversation offers courage and hope for anyone navigating cultural pressures, intergenerational conflicts, or the weight of victim-blaming.Chanchal Garg is a speaker, author, executive coach, and conscious leadership facilitator. For over eight years, she has facilitated a course on interpersonal dynamics at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Chanchal is also the author of Unearthed: The Lies We Carry and the Truths They Bury. 🌐 Website: chanchalgarg.comBook link: https://www.amazon.com/Unearthed-Lies-Carry-Truths-They/dp/B0F8LLD48L
As a new school year begins, thousands of students arrive on campus full of excitement and possibility. But alongside that hope lies a difficult truth: sexual assault remains a seriousissue on college campuses nationwide.
In this episode, we sit down with Smitha Chandrasekhar, Alex Fu, and Shreya Vishwanath to discuss why awareness matters, how students can support one another, and the steps needed to build safer communities on campus.
Tune in for an honest, urgent, and empowering conversation.
With Menaka Iyengar Cooke – Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recipient.
From surviving domestic violence in a foreign land with no family support…to becoming an award-winning social justice activist, author, and HR leader.
In this powerful episode of the Maitri Podcast, Menaka Iyengar Cooke shares her extraordinary journey of post-traumatic growth. Her story is a reminder that while the road from trauma to healing is long, community support can be the lifeline that changes everything.
🔗 Tune in to hear how Menaka broke the cycleof abuse and turned her pain into purpose.
💜 A must-listen for anyone who believes inresilience, justice, and the power of standing together.
About Menaka:
Menaka came to Australia in 1973, became a single parent soon after. She got an administrative job but went to night school to educate herself, reinventing herself as an HR professional, retiring as HR Director at the end of a 35+ year corporate career. As a result of her own experiences with sexism, racism, and ageism, she found her passion in retirement advocating for women’s and community matters, including women’s health (mental and physical), Aboriginal groups, and victims of Domestic Violence, Elder abuse, and bringing the achievements of migrants to light viaher podcast ‘Colours of Australia’.
Over the years, she has received various awards: Fellowship of the Australian Human Resources Institute, Prime Minister’s Award for employing people with a disability, Business Review Weekly award for ‘Family Friendly Policies’, the Prof. Shirley Randall-Women Chiefs of Enterprises Australia Award in 2021 for Social Contribution, The International Alliance of Women - World of Difference Award in 2022 and now an Order of Australia in the King's Birthday Honours List 2025.
This episode focuses on the cultural conflicts between South Asian parents and their children. Whether it’s clashing over career choices, dating, emotional expression, or even mental health itself, these tensions often leave deep emotional marks, sometimes even lead to abuse and violence. We’ll explore how intergenerational cultural conflicts affect our mental health, and what healing can look like when both generations are ready to listen.Our guest is Shalini Dayal, a licensed family therapist with thirty years of clinical experience in the mental health profession. She has worked extensively with South Asian youth and adults navigating issues related to relational disconnect, communication problems, depression, grief, stress, cultural adjustments, parenting, divorce, and couples counseling.More about Shalini Dayal: https://shalinidayalmft.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalinidayalmft/More about Maitri: www.maitri.org
This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re bringing you a powerful conversation that reminds us: our mental health is just as important as our physical health.In this episode, we shine a light on the often-unspoken emotional toll of unrealistic familial expectations, especially within in-law relationships. From subtle put-downs to emotional manipulation and controlling behaviors, these dynamics can deeply impact couples' well-being and mental peace.• How can we recognize these patterns?• How do we respond with dignity and protect our emotional safety? Join us and our guest, Sushma Trivedi, LMFT, as she shares valuable insights and tools to navigate these challenges and support healthier, more respectful relationships. Sushma Trivedi Bio:Sushma Trivedi's first career was as a physicist. She obtained her Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from IIT, Delhi. She worked in academia and the high-tech industry for more than twenty years before starting a career in the field of mental health. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and sees clients remotely and in person at her offices in Los Altos and Sunnyvale. Because of her cultural and professional background, she likes to integrate science and Eastern philosophy in her counseling work. Sushma believes that all clients have the resources within them to resolve the social and emotional challenges they are presented with in life. She pays close attention to her clients' belief systems, thinking styles, and patterns of relationships and how these are affecting their current life situation. She helps the client identify their goals and become aware of their strengths and resources.You can find out more about her at her website: https://www.sushmatrivedi.com#mentalhealthawarenessmonth #MaitriPodcast #SouthAsianMentalHealth #HealthyRelationships #EmotionalWellbeing #inlaws #EndDV #sushmatrivedi
Welcome to Policy Matters, a quarterly presentation from Maitri Policy Advocacy, where we discuss public policies that shape the prevention, intervention, and overall attention to domestic violence within our communities.In our third presentation of Policy Matters, we interview Casey Swegman of Tahirih Justice Center on the prevalence of child marriages in the US and learn about the upcoming federal proposal to address child marriages nationally.Casey Carter Swegman is a national expert on serving immigrant survivors of gender-based violence. As the Director of Public Policy at the Tahirih Justice Center she oversees Tahirih’s state and federal policy advocacy focused on improving protections for immigrant survivors while simultaneously seeking long-term, systemic change. She engages in extensive domestic and international training and outreach and serves as a liaison to local agencies and service providers working to strengthen the capacity of their local community to respond to the needs of immigrant survivors. Before her role as Director of Public Policy, Casey spent over 10 years in direct service with immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking, including at Tahirih on the Forced Marriage Initiative and before that with the International Rescue Committee, where she led a program for refugees arriving with special needs.This episode was curated by the Maitri Policy Advocacy Program and facilitated by Smitha Chandrasekhar. Smitha is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Biology. She is currently on the pre-med track and intends to focus on a career in women’s reproductive health and oncology. Smitha has been volunteering with Maitri for almost a year and is deeply invested in promoting the rights of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to their own bodies and autonomy.Resources shared in this PodcastChild Marriage Prevention Act of 2024https://www.tahirih.org/news/child-ma...Discussion with Fraidy Reiss, Child Marriage Survivor and founder of Unchained At last • S5-E1: Unchained At Last: California ... Asia Child marriage initiative: Summary of the research in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal https://www.icrw.org/wp-content/uploa...Child Marriage in the UShttps://www.tahirih.org/wp-content/up...UNICEF working to end child marriages in the UShttps://www.unicefusa.org/how-help/ad...California Senate Bill 404 on Child Marriage ban https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB404/id... California Coalition to End Child Marriage https://cacoalitiontoendchildmarriage... It is time to end child marriages in the US https://www.cfr.org/blog/its-time-end.
Join us for a powerful episode of the Maitri Podcast featuring Anisha Durve—survivor, author, and motivational speaker—who is dedicated to raising awareness against gender-based violence. In this compelling discussion, we uncover the red flags of abusive relationships, explore the critical role communities play in either enabling or preventing partner abuse, and highlight the resilience and healing that survivors can achieve. This conversation is a beacon of hope, proving that post-traumatic growth is possible.The Power to Break Free Foundation: www.Power2BreakFree.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@powertobreakfreeBook: https://a.co/d/iLcP73R
Welcome to Policy Matters, a quarterly presentation from Maitri Policy Advocacy, where we discuss public policies that shape the prevention, intervention, and overall attention to domestic violence within our communities.
In your Second Episode, we revisit the need for funding Domestic violence services in CA. Earlier in January of this year, Governor Newsom announced the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, and it failed to take into account what advocates have been asking for: increased funding for domestic violence services. We reverberate the response released by the VOCA Advocacy Alliance of CA and seek your support in reaching out to the Legislatures.
This episode is created by Maitri Policy Advocacy and voiced by Smitha Chandrasekhar, Smitha Chandrasekhar is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Biology. She is currently on the pre-med track and intends to focus on a career in women’s reproductive health and oncology. Smitha has been volunteering with Maitri for almost a year and is deeply invested in promoting the rights of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to their own bodies and autonomy.
Resources in the Episode
California VOCA Funding Advocacy
https://www.cpedv.org/voca-funding-advocacy
California VOCA Alliance
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bHy24HKsyVC0Sth0fM666Y188_xDVwqZ/edit
UN Secretary-General's statement on domestic violence during COVID-19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJgVTeZrWLk&ab_channel=UnitedNationsinIndia
Maitri VOCA Advocacy in VALOR US Platform in 2022
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2310663309127820
Domestic abuse isn’t just physical—it can also shatter a person’s financial stability. Financial abuse often goes unnoticed, yet it deeply impacts victims by limiting access to money, sabotaging financial independence, and creating lasting economic dependency. It’s a hidden form of control that can affect anyone, regardless of income or background. In this episode, we dive into this critical yet under-discussed issue. Tejeswi Dodda, Maitri’s Self-Sufficiency Coordinator, engages in an insightful conversation with Ariadne Horstman, a certified financial planner. Together, they share essential financial knowledge and practical tools to empower you to protect yourself and others from the devastating effects of financial abuse. Tune in to this important discussion and learn how to reclaim financial independence and resilience. ----------------------------------- ARIADNE HORSTMAN, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Appreciate Finance was founded in 2015 to help individuals and families realize personal goals and dreams through comprehensive financial planning and investment management. Its founder, Ariadne Horstman, has practiced as a CFP® since 2008, advising numerous families and individuals on their financial situations. Prior to that, she worked in the tech industry in Silicon Valley. She is a Registered Life Planner® with the Kinder Institute. Financial Life Planning is based on the premise that advisors must first discover clients’ most essential goals before formulating a financial plan. In this way, a client’s finances fully support those objectives as the client begins to move toward realizing them.
Welcome to Policy Matters: A quarterly presentation from Maitri Policy Advocacy, where we discuss public policies that are at the heart of shaping the way prevention, intervention, and overall attention to domestic violence within our communities. In our first presentation, we look at the medical mandate of reporting domestic violence that has been in the minds of survivors and advocates alike for a long time seeking to change the law. Joining us for the conversation, are Chris Negris, the Associate Director of Public Policy Strategies at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, and Anisa Ali, Program Manager of Health at Futures without Violence.
This discussion was led by Smitha Chandrasekhar, Smitha Chandrasekhar is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Biology. She is currently on the pre-med track and intends to focus on a career in women’s reproductive health and oncology. Smitha has been volunteering with Maitri for almost a year and is deeply invested in promoting the rights of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to their own bodies and autonomy.
Chris Negri (he/him) is the Associate Director of Public Policy Strategies at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. Working with Partnership staff, members, and allied organizations, he hopes to contribute to policy victories that fund prevention work, improve the lives of survivors, and address critical problems such as the financial and housing insecurity that survivors often face. He is particularly passionate about and dedicated to working on child welfare issues, mindful of the harm that the child welfare system often inflicts on children and families affected by domestic violence, particularly youth of color and LGBTQ+ young people.
More About Chris :https://www.cpedv.org/profile/chris-negri
Anisa Ali believes that all survivors deserve access to trauma-informed, culturally responsive health care and that health settings can be an important place of support for survivors. As a Program Manager at FUTURES, Anisa provides training and technical assistance for the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence, including on the Campus Leadership Program, the Survivor Leadership Cohort, and California state policy work. She was a fellow for the Solís Policy Institute-State, through the Women’s Foundation of California. Anisa earned her MA in Gender and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her undergraduate degrees in International Studies and Spanish from Virginia Tech.
More About Anisa: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/anisa-ali-14/
Resources from the Episode:
AB 3127 Factsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFlrrOX3bbmuM8BqwFaMTN5UvjsNNYDN/view
Should California doctors report domestic abuse to the police? Here’s how physician lawmakers voted: https://calmatters.org/health/2024/05/california-doctor-domestic-violence-reporting/
In this podcast, Nazeehah Khan, a sexual assault survivor, activist, and the founder of Restraining Orders Without Borders had an in-depth conversation with our host Nandini Ray. Nazeehah shared her ordeal, hopes, and how she transformed her pain into power. Listen to the episode here: Nazeehah Khan is the Founder of Restraining Orders Without Borders (ROWB), a national legislative campaign expanding restraining order jurisdiction for nonresident survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence. ROWB has passed laws in Hawaii, and Oregon, and is pending the passage of SB 554 in California. Nazeehah holds a Masters in International Relations from the University of Cambridge. She was born and raised in Hawaii and is of Indo-Fijian heritage. Nazeehah’s story and activism have been published in different media outlets including Forbes, KITV_abc, RISE, the Star-Advertiser. Learn more about ROWB here: https://www.rowbnational.com/ Learn more about Maitri here: www.maitri.org Listen to the Maitri Podcast and share with your networks.
Statistics suggest that marital rape happens in 10-14% of all California marriages. However, the silence surrounding marital rape leaves many victims unaware that they can seek help. In this episode of “Between Friends” Zakia Afrin and Indira Chakravorty discuss Indira’s Article on Marital rape as a tool for domestic violence in the recently published “Khadr Dhare Ghor”/ an edited book of essays on Domestic violence published in Kolkata Book Fair, 2023.
পরিসংখ্যান বলে, কালিফরনিয়ায় শতকরা ১০ থেকে ১৪ টি দাম্পত্য সম্পর্কে যৌন নির্যাতন ঘটে থাকে। তবু এই বিষয়ে রাখ ঢাক থাকায় অনেকে জানেন না, সাহায্য পেতে হলে কি করতে হবে। এই নিয়ে কথোপকথন রইল আমাদের এবারের পর্বে।
Zakia Afrin is the Director of Survivor Advocacy at Maitri.
Indira Chakravorty, Author, co-founder of Daya-Houston and Saheli Houston; and volunteer at Maitri. ---------------------
Useful resources:
Danger Assessment Toolhttps://www.dangerassessment.org/.../DA_NewScoring_2019.pdf
Marital Rape Incident in Bangladesh
https://www.thedailystar.net/.../marital-rape-killed...
498A of the Indian Penal Code
https://indiankanoon.org/doc/538436/
Maitri Discussion on Domestic Violence deaths in the South Asian community
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AtE6X0aAVM&t=0s
No means No Campaign
https://www.nomeansnoworldwide.org/Healthy
Relationship and Power and Control Wheel; The South Asian Context
Reproductive Coercion
https://www.thehotline.org/resources/reproductive-coercion/
This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org]
Join Maitri volunteers Davinder Kaur Atwal and Arvinder Dhalla as they engage in a profound conversation that challenges widely-held perceptions about domestic violence. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in breaking the stigma surrounding domestic violence, supporting survivors, and fostering a community culture that does not tolerate abuse. Don't miss this enlightening and empowering conversation! Gain valuable insights and prepare yourself for informed discussions on this crucial issue so that together, we can end domestic violence in our community. This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org Host: Nandini Ray Conversation: Davinder Kaur Atwal and Arvinder Dhalla
Presenting a special episode of the Maitri podcast in Punjabi! Join Maitri volunteers Davinder Kaur Atwal and Arvinder Dhalla as they engage in a profound conversation that challenges widely-held perceptions about domestic violence. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in breaking the stigma surrounding domestic violence, supporting survivors, and fostering a community culture that does not tolerate abuse. Don't miss this enlightening and empowering conversation! Gain valuable insights and prepare yourself for informed discussions on this crucial issue so that together, we can end domestic violence in our community This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org Host: Nandini Ray
Conversation: Davinder Kaur Atwal and Arvinder Dhalla
Commemorating Women’s History Month!
Tune in to our latest podcast episode where four South Asian women come together to discuss misogynistic behaviors and attitudes that we women face every day. From overtly offensive behaviors to subtle, normalized attitudes, we delve into the spectrum of experiences women face daily. Join us in identifying and confronting misogynistic attitudes and behaviors. Together, let’s explore strategies for dismantling this toxic culture and envision a future where equality thrives.
Host: Nandini Ray, Sr. Manager Outreach, Prevention, and Policy Advocacy, Maitri
Guests: Aarushi Kumar, Rika Alavi, Kashmira Patel (Maitri Volunteers)
This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org] Please share your feedback here: https://forms.gle/Req1NfTSAYfUnYfD7
Are South Asian youth comfortable sharing their dating experiences with their parents? Do they receive enough guidance and support from their families in understanding the concept of healthy partner relationships?
To discuss these questions we invited 3 South Asian youth community members. Hajra Usman, Sid Barathi, and Nidhi Satyagal joined us to shed light on the unique challenges South Asian youth face when navigating conversations about dating and relationships with their families. They also shared their recommendations on how both South Asian youth and adults can facilitate an environment of safe and open communication to have conversations on healthy partner relationships. Please listen to this insightful discussion and share this episode with your network. Feel free to share your recommendations with us at maitri@maitri.org.
This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org]
Our host: Nandini Ray has been involved in the gender justice movement since 2011. As the Sr. Manager of the Outreach & Prevention Program at Maitri, she leads community engagement and education efforts at Maitri, represents Maitri at community talks, panels, and in media, and provides culturally responsive training for DV advocates and service providers. Nandini curates, designs and hosts Maitri’s reputed Podcast series, “Between Friends” and leads social media outreach efforts.
Hajra Usman is a clinical researcher assistant and a long-time Maitri volunteer.
Sid Barathi is a recent graduate from UCSB. He currently works at a research lab and a clinic as a medical assistant.
Nidhi Satyagal is the Prevention Program Associate at Maitri. She recently graduated from UCSB with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in History.
Female genital cutting/ mutilation has been recognized as a human rights violation by the World Health Organization. This topic is highly controversial due to its roots in cultural and religious practices so we should have multiple conversations to have community awareness around it. To discuss how we can end this oppressive practice and bring positive social change, we invited Mariya Taher, the co-founder and U.S. Executive Director of Sahiyo. Listen to this episode here! Visit: https://sahiyo.org/ This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org #EndDV, #maitripodcast, #maitriwww.maitri.org
Mariam Azimi, a survivor with her courage and resilience not only paved her future with safety and dignity, but also gave support, guidance, and emotional confidence to many survivors that they needed after suffering from domestic violence. Mariam has been working relentlessly to break the stigma of divorce. In this Maitri podcast episode, Mariam shares her journey and hope.
Mariam Azimi is the founder of Care2Elevate.space and established CircleofsiSTARhood (https://www.facebook.com/circleofsiSTARhood/about_details.)
We invited Yasmin Azad, the author of Stay, Daughter on our podcast to talk about her experience and reflection on the dilemmas that Muslim women faced and are facing in balancing the rules of orthodox Islam with the freedom and innovations of the modern world. Fahria Khan, our Donor Engagement Manage had an in-depth conversation with the author. Please listen to the episode here!
Yasmin Azad grew up in Sri Lanka and was among the first group of girls in her Muslim community to go away from home to pursue a university degree. After obtaining a B.A. in English, she married and moved to the United States where she raised her three children and worked as a mental health counselor. Her writing has been published in Navasilu, Solstice Literary Magazine, and The Massachusetts Review, and her memoir is Stay, Daughter: A Memoir of Muslim Girlhood. Read more about Stay Daughter: https://staydaughter.com/
Fahria Khan is the Donor Engagement Manager at Maitri. She is a community leader who has spent the last 20 years serving the community through various non-profit organizations, programs, and initiatives.
#EndDV, #maitripodcast, #maitri, # YasminAzad, #MuslimGirlhood, #girls
This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention. [www.sccendviolence.org]
In this episode, Flavia Agnes joined us to share her journey from a survivor to a trailblazer. Flavia Agnes is a women’s rights advocate, legal scholar, and one of the central figures of the women’s movement in India. Her own experience with domestic violence inspired her to become a women's rights lawyer. As co-founder of MAJLIS, a legal and cultural resource center in Mumbai, India, her primary engagement has been to provide quality legal services to women and children.
**About Flavia Agnes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavia_Agnes
**About Majlis: https://majlislaw.com/about/
Learn about Maitri: www.maitri.org
This project was made possible by funding provided by the County of Santa Clara Office of Gender-Based Violence Prevention: https://desj.sccgov.org/ogbvp
