Ep. 13: Two Survivors. One Predator. How They Turned Trauma Into a Movement | Sarah Hedlund & Diana Mondragon

Ep. 13: Two Survivors. One Predator. How They Turned Trauma Into a Movement | Sarah Hedlund & Diana Mondragon

What happens when two women—living in different states—discover they were groomed and sexually abused by the same teacher? In this powerful episode of Crossing the Line, host Joelle Casteix sits down with Sarah Hedlund and Diana Mondragon, hosts of the podcast Blooming After Grooming, to discuss the extraordinary journey that brought them together. After years of believing they were alone, Sarah found Diana through a series of online clues. That single text message led to an unlikely friendship, a shared search for accountability, and a podcast that is helping survivors around the world feel seen. Together, they discuss: • How grooming can continue long after childhood • Why educator sexual abuse is so often misunderstood • The devastating impact of institutional betrayal • How schools, families, and communities miss warning signs • Healing, friendship, and finding purpose after trauma • Why changing the conversation is essential to preventing future abuse This conversation is honest, hopeful, and deeply human. Whether you're a survivor, parent, educator, advocate, or simply someone who wants to better understand grooming and abuse dynamics, this episode offers insight, validation, and hope. Guest Hosts: Sarah Hedlund & Diana Mondragon Hosts of Blooming After Grooming https://www.bloomingafterpod.com/

Ep. 12: The Blind Spot: Female Educator Abuse and the Survivors We Overlook with Dr. Donna Bulatowicz

What happens when a survivor's story doesn't fit society's expectations? In this powerful episode of Crossing the Line, host Joelle Casteixspeaks with educator, researcher, advocate, and survivor Dr. Donna Bulatowicz, whose life was forever changed by abuse at the hands of a female elementary school teacher. Donna shares her deeply personal story of grooming, abuse, institutional betrayal, retaliation, and the long road to healing. Her experience highlights a reality that is often ignored in discussions about child sexual abuse: women can be perpetrators, girls can be victims, and society's blind spots can leave survivors isolated and unheard. Together, Joelle and Donna explore why female-on-female abuse remains under-researched, why so many survivors struggle to find validation and support, and what parents, educators, and policymakers need to understand if we are serious about protecting children. This conversation challenges assumptions, exposes dangerous myths, and offers practical guidance for prevention. About the Guest Dr. Donna Bulatowicz is an educator, researcher, survivor advocate, and teacher educator whose work focuses on educator sexual misconduct, female perpetration, survivor experiences, and prevention. Through her scholarship andadvocacy, she is helping shine a light on a population of survivors who have too often been overlooked. Books mentioned: Can I Give You a Squish by Emily Neilson Rissy No Kissies by Katey Howes The Brave Knight by Diane Tarantini Listen to the Girls by Chrystal Giles

Ep. 11: Making Noise Before #MeToo: Joelle Casteix on Truth, Advocacy, and Institutional Accountability

NOTE: This episode is audio only. What does it take to speak truth to power when no one wants to listen? In this special crossover episode of Crossing the Line and Blooming After Grooming, host Joelle Casteix shares her personal journey from survivor advocate to nationally recognized voice for accountability, child protection, and institutional reform. Long before the #MeToo movement, Joelle was challenging powerful institutions, exposing abuse cover-ups, and advocating for survivors at great personal and professional cost. In this candid conversation, she discusses what it was like to be labeled "difficult," the realities of speaking out against the Catholic Church, and the lessons she has learned from decades of advocacy. Together, we explore survivor healing, resilience, whistleblowing, institutional betrayal, and the importance of continuing to make noise—even when change feels impossible. Whether you're a survivor, advocate, educator, parent, journalist, or simply someone interested in how social change happens, this conversation offers insight, hope, and a powerful reminder that one voice can make a difference. Topics discussed: • Survivor advocacy and healing • Grooming, abuse, and institutional accountability • The Catholic Church abuse crisis • Whistleblowing and speaking truth to power • Life before and after #MeToo • Resilience, hope, and creating systemic change • Child protection and prevention Subscribe to Blooming After Grooming and Crossing the Line wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.bloomingafterpod.com/

Ep. 10: “You Wanted This”: The Lies Predators Tell | Michelle Denault on Grooming and Educator Sexual Abuse

Before it’s abuse, it’s grooming. In this deeply powerful episode of Crossing the Line, Joelle Casteix speaks with survivor, advocate, and national speaker Michelle Denault about how educator sexual abuse often begins—not with force, but with manipulation, attention, secrecy, and emotional dependency. Michelle shares the devastating story of how, at just 14 years old, she was groomed by a popular teacher and coach who convinced her for years that their abusive relationship was “love.” What followed was nearly a decade of manipulation, secrecy, victim-blaming, and institutional failure. Together, Joelle and Michelle unpack: * How grooming actually works * Why “good kids” and loving families are still vulnerable * The dangerous myths society still believes about educator abuse * How shame keeps survivors silent for decades * The lifelong psychological impact of coercive relationships * The role schools and communities play in enabling abuse * Why prevention requires adults to recognize the warning signs before abuse escalates Michelle also discusses the national prevention and training work she now does with schools, law enforcement, and educators across the country—helping adults understand the realities of grooming, power, coercion, and survivor support. This conversation is emotional, candid, and essential listening for parents, educators, policymakers, and anyone committed to protecting children. Resources: * Michelle Denault: MichelleDenault.com [https://michelledenault.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * National Center to Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct, and Exploitation (NCSESAME) [https://www.ncsesame.org?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Crossing the Line Podcast [https://www.ncsesame.org/podcasts?utm_source=chatgpt.com]

Ep. 9: The Hidden Risks of International Exchange Programs: What Families Aren’t Told

International student exchange programs promise opportunity, cultural immersion, and safety. But what happens when oversight fails? In this episode of Crossing the Line, host Joelle Casteix speaks with Danielle Grijalva, founder of the Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students, who has spent nearly two decades documenting cases of abuse, exploitation, and systemic failure within the international exchange industry. Drawing on thousands of reported cases, this conversation exposes critical gaps in oversight—from inadequate background checks and lack of accountability to the silencing of vulnerable students far from home. This episode is essential listening for parents, educators, and policymakers navigating student exchange programs. In this episode: * The reality behind international exchange program safety * Patterns of abuse and exploitation in host placements * Why reporting systems often fail students * Key questions every parent should ask before sending a child abroad * What educators can do when something doesn’t seem right If you’re considering a student exchange program—or working with exchange students—this conversation may change how you think about safety and oversight. Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students: https://csfes.org/