Below is a continuation from Part 1 of an exclusive, in-depth interview with 'Private Practice's' KaDee Strickland, which focuses on the message of hope being delivered in Shonda Rhimes' gripping story and Strickland's riveting performance when her character, Dr. Charlotte King is brutally raped. Click here to read Part 1 of the interview.
Co-Survivor’s Perspective
Sexual Assault is a crime that affects both the survivor and those who are closest to them. Strickland’s co-star Paul Adelstein is instrumental in telling this story from a co-survivor’s perspective as Cooper is emotionally and physically tormented in knowing the woman he loves was so brutally attacked and so outwardly and inwardly scarred from it. Strickland said,
‘I know that for Paul he has done something within the context of this story, in my opinion that is remarkable and I think again, I will link it to Shonda and the writers of our show. To really put in context what the co-survivor goes through is so rewarding because it is not just the person the assault happens to, it’s everyone around them. What that does to a level of intimacy, especially when you have a couple like Charlotte and Cooper where they’re super frisky and they love sex and they met because of sex and all of that – that was the base of their relationship. But then to have this love affair where these two very different people balance each other out, and see someone go through the experience of having to take care of their partner. Then to watch the unfolding of this story where he just really shows up and you see him angry, and you see him confused and you see him loving, this is all very real. And I think what Paul did with it was so beautiful and so vulnerable in a way that we need to see more of and I’ve had a lot of husbands also comment to me and boyfriends. Most relationships don’t make it. That is statistically a common thing. Relationships don’t weather the storm of this.’
Right now it seems as if Charlotte is moving along well in her recovery. She and Cooper are due to wed in an upcoming episode, which Strickland says ‘has some surprises of its own.’ She also hinted that Charlotte’s story may not be fully resolved, as these kinds of experiences don’t end for a sexual assault survivor once an attacker is caught. In this way, things don’t necessarily end with Lee McHenry for Charlotte.
Recognition
Strickland has been recognized for both her professional and humanitarian efforts over the course of this storyline. In February, she was nominated for a PRISM Award for Female Performance in a Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline. 'Private Practice' also garnered a PRISM nomination for Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline- Mental Health. The awards are given by the Entertainment Industries Council for outstanding accomplishments in the accurate depiction of substance abuse and mental health disorders: prevention, treatment and recovery, in film, television, interactive, comic book, music, and DVD entertainment. The award ceremony will take place on April 28th in Beverly Hills.
Strickland and Rhimes both received the Hope Award last November in Washington, DC. The award recognizes both of their efforts in educating the public about sexual assault prevention and recovery and for their volunteer work for RAINN. Strickland said the day she received the award was like a dream. She said:
‘It was a beautiful, beautiful night for me, but I met so many survivors that just, you know, to be there and to be able to actually put my arms around them and see what it felt like for them to see the show and the relief they had because of what Shonda had written and because of what we did as actors, you know, that’s something else. There are not words for that kind of stuff.’
Hope and Help
What matters most to RAINN spokesperson Katherine Hull and to actress KaDee Strickland is the hope and the help that survivors are able to get by connecting or relating to Charlotte’s story on ‘Private Practice.’ Hull said:
‘I think the production that we’ve seen with Dr. Charlotte King’s character has been so eye-opening to viewers, to understand what happens to somebody. We all tune in every Thursday, and we see her struggle with reporting, going to get counseling and dealing with the impacts of that crime on the relationships that she has.’
RAINN has helped more than 1.5 million people affected by sexual violence since 1994 via the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Hull praised Strickland’s cast members Amy Brenneman, Taye Diggs and Kate Walsh for including the National Sexual Assault Hotline number in their tweets following the episodes. Hull also advised that when Strickland’s RAINN Public Service Announcement video aired with the first episode of Charlotte’s story, hotline traffic increased by over 500%. They also received an outpouring of calls expressing gratitude for the episode. Snail mail and emails continue to pour in and Hull is amazed at the outreach. She said:
‘People who it happened to yesterday and last week, and even years ago were really inspired by Charlotte King’s experience to say this happened to me too and I’m not alone. That’s a really wonderful message.’
Strickland remains a strong advocate for RAINN on-screen and off-screen. She currently serves on RAINN's National Leadership Council and will be working with RAINN on Capitol Hill to support the SAFER (Sexual Assault Forensics Evidence Registry) Act sometime this spring.
Coming forward can often be the hardest thing for any survivor. According to RAINN, 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police. Since the episode aired survivors have reached out for help or come forward and Strickland finds that fact to be a validating and wonderful thing.
KaDee’s Message of Hope
The dominant theme for Strickland in Charlotte’s storytelling process this season is hope. Therefore, she was inspired to create a necklace with Gorjana jewelry to celebrate that. The Hope Necklace is a gold raindrop with the word hope very subtly inscribed on it. 80% of the sales proceeds go to RAINN. She liked the idea of water being cleansing, as an element. She said:
‘Literally you can wash the negative parts of this away and you still have your hope and your strength. I liked that, I liked that idea of how something can grow in a person and that’s getting strength back.’
Overall, Strickland feels humbled, honored and changed after going on such a remarkable storytelling journey. She is also deeply thankful for the stories she has heard from survivors who were touched by Charlotte’s story. When asked if there is a message that she wants to send survivors or people who may not yet have come forward she emphasized that it is never okay and this should never happen. Furthermore, she said,
‘I think the greatest thing I can advocate is knowing that you have nothing to be ashamed of. That this is not all there is for you. That you can come forward, you can seek help. You can move beyond the experience and the trauma and get help and have a full recovered life. It is possible. I’ve seen it. I know that it takes a lot of work. But, it is absolutely worth it and that they are not alone. There are so many people that go through this, that have sought the recovery that they require. That it doesn’t have to stop your life. That it doesn’t mean you can’t have intimacy or love that those things are all available to you and you deserve them. And, that the attacker doesn’t have control over you. You are a survivor. You’re not a victim. And that to me is one of the greatest delineations I learned in this process. That it is not about a victim or victimization. It is about a survivor of something that is to be loved and supported through this time.
It’s never too late to come forward. It’s never too late to seek healing and to seek support. And that’s why RAINN is so important and that’s why organizations like the Rape foundation are so important. And the thing that is so great about RAINN is that it’s 24/7. So if someone needs to call or get help or do the online hotline it’s always accessible. And I think it’s really important for people to keep that in mind. That’s there’s always somewhere to turn, because there’s a lot of dark moments that a person goes through. There’s no way around that. I’m not looking through rose colored glasses at the trauma. But I am very much an advocate of the help that is available at all times. That to me is the most important thing. You can have a full recovered life. I’ve seen it and I know it’s possible. And I know it’s possible for anyone – no one’s excluded, no matter how awful the experience.’
If you a sexual assault survivor and need help you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. All donations to RAINN will be matched up to $30,000. Click here to donate to RAINN now.
Click here to support RAINN by purchasing a Hope Necklace.
‘Private Practice’ airs Thursdays at 10 PM EST on ABC.
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