Aspire – The I Have The Right To Podcast
Aspire - The I Have The Right To Podcast
Podcast Description
Join the I Have the Right to team and thought leaders as we Aspire to eradicate sexual assault. Inspired by Co-Founder Chessy Prout’s courageous voice and memoir, I Have The Right To- A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice and Hope, co-authored by investigative journalist Jenn Abelson, our mission is to create an ecosystem of respect, education, and support for all students! Aspire is meant to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for growth -- by offering a forum for dialogue - about issues affecting our culture and the way we live, interact, love, learn and grow. Real Men, Real Conversations: Aspire touches on both sides of the coin; Co-Founder of I Have the Right To and father of Chessy Prout, Alex Prout, and High School Student Leaders and Co-Hosts, Hugh Eastman and Gabriel Viscogliosi, share their voices with discussions about what it means to be a man- does it mean being aggressive, stoic, and not taking no for an answer? Or giving your buddy a hug and telling him you love him? Alex, Gabriel, and Hugh share how, across generations, common masculinity tropes impact us all, and how we can inspire the future to act with "aspirational masculinity". They interview guests to get their perspectives, while discussing how rigid gender norms can create harmful barriers for all. All this, and more, in “Real Men, Real Conversations”. Survivor Advocacy: In the “Survivor Advocacy” segment, Co-Founder and mother of Chessy Prout, Susan Prout, and Executive Director of I Have the Right To, Katie M. Shipp, highlight the power of survivor voices in driving meaningful change. These episodes —deeply inspired by Chessy’s unwavering courage to speak out despite attempts to silence her— amplify powerful survivor stories, engage with experts, and explore the path forward in the fight for justice and safety. Listeners will gain insight into where we’ve been, where we need to go, and how we can collectively create lasting impact. Together, we’ll explore diverse perspectives to drive meaningful, lasting advocacy and build a safer, more just future for all. We amplify survivors’ voices and address the root causes of sexual violence by creating open dialogue around its causes. Each episode features a variety of guests discussing survivor experiences, the aftermath of sexual assault, healthy masculinity, and the future we envision - free from sexual assault. Let’s explore, learn, and aspire together.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers on themes of sexual assault advocacy, healthy masculinity, and survivor empowerment. Episode highlights include discussions on aspirational masculinity, societal pressures around failure, the emotional journeys of survivors, and the impact of rigid gender norms. Specific episodes cover topics like the redefinition of masculinity following trauma and the significance of open dialogue among young men.

Join the I Have the Right to team and thought leaders as we Aspire to eradicate sexual assault. Inspired by Co-Founder Chessy Prout’s courageous voice and memoir, I Have The Right To- A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice and Hope, co-authored by investigative journalist Jenn Abelson, our mission is to create an ecosystem of respect, education, and support for all students!
Aspire is meant to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for growth — by offering a forum for dialogue – about issues affecting our culture and the way we live, interact, love, learn and grow.
Real Men, Real Conversations: Aspire touches on both sides of the coin; Co-Founder of I Have the Right To and father of Chessy Prout, Alex Prout, and High School Student Leaders and Co-Hosts, Hugh Eastman and Gabriel Viscogliosi, share their voices with discussions about what it means to be a man- does it mean being aggressive, stoic, and not taking no for an answer? Or giving your buddy a hug and telling him you love him? Alex, Gabriel, and Hugh share how, across generations, common masculinity tropes impact us all, and how we can inspire the future to act with “aspirational masculinity”. They interview guests to get their perspectives, while discussing how rigid gender norms can create harmful barriers for all. All this, and more, in “Real Men, Real Conversations”.
Survivor Advocacy: In the “Survivor Advocacy” segment, Co-Founder and mother of Chessy Prout, Susan Prout, and Executive Director of I Have the Right To, Katie M. Shipp, highlight the power of survivor voices in driving meaningful change. These episodes —deeply inspired by Chessy’s unwavering courage to speak out despite attempts to silence her— amplify powerful survivor stories, engage with experts, and explore the path forward in the fight for justice and safety. Listeners will gain insight into where we’ve been, where we need to go, and how we can collectively create lasting impact. Together, we’ll explore diverse perspectives to drive meaningful, lasting advocacy and build a safer, more just future for all.
We amplify survivors’ voices and address the root causes of sexual violence by creating open dialogue around its causes. Each episode features a variety of guests discussing survivor experiences, the aftermath of sexual assault, healthy masculinity, and the future we envision – free from sexual assault.
Let’s explore, learn, and aspire together.
In this episode of Aspire, host Chessy Prout is joined by interns Kylie L. and Sienna L. for a conversation with survivor advocate, somatic educator, and founder of Survivors 4 Justice Reform, Marlee Liss.
Marlee shares how her sexual assault case became one of the first in North America to reach a restorative justice outcome through the criminal legal system. She explains how the traditional court process left her feeling dehumanized, while restorative justice offered a survivor-centered path focused on accountability, healing, and meaningful answers.
The conversation explores what restorative justice can look like in practice, therapy, facilitated dialogue, circles, letters, compensation, or community accountability, and emphasizes that justice is not one-size-fits-all. Marlee discusses her global coalition, Survivors 4 Justice Reform, which advocates for options beyond the carceral system and works to make alternative pathways visible and accessible, especially for marginalized survivors.
Marlee also introduces a somatic practice: to notice, trust, value, and communicate, to help survivors reconnect with their true selves, and identify their needs. She reflects on the risks of public storytelling, her upcoming memoir If I Had Known Then, and her vision for a future in which every survivor can experience justice that is healing and survivor-centered.
To learn more about Marlee Liss and Survivors 4 Justice Reform, visit https://www.survivors4justicereform.com/
To learn more about Marlee's upcoming memoir, If I Had Known Then, visit https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/800053/if-i-had-known-then-by-marlee-liss/
To learn more about I Have the Right To’s educational programming, visit https://ihavetherightto.org/
Aspire is produced by BenHudakProductions.com

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