National Documentaries Create Powerful Change Through Training and Awareness in 2023
The Lauren McCluskey Foundation is proud to recognize the growing impact of national media pieces that share Lauren’s story, and the meaningful ways they are being used to improve the response to relationship violence and stalking.
National Documentaries Create Powerful Change Through Education
In 2023, ESPN released LISTEN, an award-winning documentary directed by Nicole Noren. First made available on ESPN+ and Hulu, and later released on YouTube in early 2024, the film has now been viewed more than 6.7 million times. Lauren’s story continues to resonate deeply with audiences around the world.
These documentaries are more than compelling narratives. LISTEN, along with episodes from ABC’s 20/20 and NBC’s Dateline, have been widely adopted as training tools by campus police departments, university administrators, and student support staff. They help people identify red flags, understand systemic failures, and build more effective, compassionate responses to student safety.
One campus safety official recently shared that Lauren’s story is now a core part of officer training at his university, required as part of annual compliance and new officer orientation—followed by training discussions about what went wrong, where, and how officers would respond in similar scenarios.
These media pieces are now being incorporated into:
- Student and faculty events
- Annual Title IX and compliance training
- New student and employee orientation programs
- Campus-wide safety discussions
They don’t just show what went wrong, they are helping shape what must be done right. Across the world, these documentaries are helping universities improve campus safety and foster more accountable, empathetic environments.
We’re deeply grateful to ESPN, ABC, NBC, and the many journalists, students, faculty, and community members who continue to elevate Lauren’s voice. It is making a difference. If you are interested in implementing these resources or would like to learn more about our work, please contact Linda Mittelhammer.
Contact:
Email: linda@laurenmccluskey.org
Phone 509-432-1662
