The Upfront Podcast

Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin | Victim Blaming Rhetoric

Nina Mueller Episode 26

My guest today is Jolanda Spiess Hegglin, a journalist and former Swiss politician. One harrowing night, everything changed for her. In the aftermath, her name was extensively used in Swiss tabloid media in attempts to ruin her reputation and to victim blame, while Jolanda was trying to come to terms with what had happened to her and to seek legal accountability. Now, Jolanda is an activist against gender-based violence and has founded an NGO called netzcourage. Jolanda still, to this day, is receiving misogynist hatred, harassment, and threats, while she is working on vindicating her name and taking sole ownership of her story. 

We are talking about the personal story of one incredibly courageous woman who has taken on what feels like an entire nation’s victim blaming rhetoric. We will also talk about how everything that has happened to Jolanda has uncovered a dysfunctional justice system, law enforcement victim blaming and revictimization, and how evidentiary material was being disregarded. Jolanda and I will also discuss the impact of the #Metoo movement on Switzerland, the discrimination of minorities, and the dangerous rise of incels in Switzerland.

Donations to #Netzcourage https://netzcourage.ch/spenden/
Find out more about Jolanda on https://www.jolandaspiess.ch/
Instagram instagram.com/jolandaspiess
Facebook facebook.com/jolandaspiess
Twitter twitter.com/jolandaspiess
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolandaspiess/
Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@jolandaspiess@swiss.social

Helpful Links
Netzpigcock.ch https://www.netzpigcock.ch/en/
Netzcourage on the web www.netzcourage.ch
Victim Help Hotlines (US) https://victimconnect.org/resources/national-hotlines/
Hotline & resource directories (international) https://ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html and https://www.rcne.com/links/sources-of-help-for-survivors/

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