We open the new year by exposing myths that keep victims unheard and abusers protected: the “nice guy” persona, the anger excuse, the belief that leaving solves everything. With Ruth Guerreiro, Chief Clinical Officer at Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, we walk through the mindsets that drive coercive control and the covert tactics that slip past friends, families, courts, and even clinicians.

In this episode, Ruth breaks down recognizable patterns and behaviors of abusive men. From the demand man and Mr. Right to the drill sergeant, the player, and the terrorist, she shows how entitlement fuels different strategies with the same outcome: fear, isolation, and control. We explore social engineering and how a polished public image becomes a weapon in custody disputes and community spaces. You’ll also hear why anger management misses the point, how “high conflict” labels mask abuse, and what post‑separation abuse looks like when contact is enforced through parenting apps, daily calls, and court orders.

We also get practical. Learn how financial control can hide behind “I’ll handle the bills,” why the silent treatment harms more than shouting, how reckless driving is used to terrify, and how location sharing becomes surveillance.

How well do you know the driver of your rideshare? You don't. And you need to listen to this episode to understand what he is capable of and how to protect yourself.

In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the risks women face in rideshares and the systemic gaps that let predators operate with impunity. Together with Susan Knape, founder of A Case for Women, we trace the data behind thousands of harassment and assault reports, the realities of underreporting, and why a nice-looking car can lull riders into a false sense of security.

You’ll leave this conversation with a clear safety playbook: always sit in the back, stay alert, avoid revealing personal details, confirm your pickup without saying your name, don’t route to “Home,” and share your trip with someone who’s watching the route and timing. We also push for real fixes—mandatory in‑car cameras, access barriers, and stronger oversight—that deter abuse and create evidence when harm occurs.

If you’ve ever stepped into a rideshare and felt that uneasy twinge, this conversation gives you the context, tools, and resolve to protect yourself while we keep pressing for a safer system. We also challenge victim-blaming narratives, especially when rideshare companies market themselves as the “safe” alternative after drinking, and explore the heightened risks for teens, disabled riders, and passengers leaving medical procedures.

Before you step into a rideshare this holiday season, you deserve to know what you are getting yourself into.

A voice possesses the power to either conceal - or reveal - the truth. After decades of silence and shame about what was truly unspeakable childhood abuse, Shana Halligan chose speak out. And what followed was a complete transformation of her life that led to a music career of authentic self-expression and powerful presence.

As the daughter of Dick Halligan, founder of the band Blood, Sweat & Tears, Shana experienced music on a level most only dream about. From concerts to all-night jam sessions with some of the most renowned talent of the time to being the singing voice for Barbie commercials in the 1970’s, Shana was immersed in music her entire life. And it was music that finally allowed her to reveal the dark secret she had harbored since early childhood – that she is a survivor of sexual abuse. Shana’s earliest memories are of being molested by a stranger in her own bed – an experience that occurred for at least three years. Today, as the founder of the band Bitter:Sweet with a burgeoning music career of her own making, Shana has not only released the shame of what was done to her but also taken center stage in designing the life of her dreams. In this episode, Shana shares what happened to her all those years ago and how she emerged from the shadow of abuse to become both her own savior and a beacon of hope for others. Listen to the end of the episode for a sneak peek at Shana’s latest release, “Other Side.”

Shana’s story was revealed to the world in a Daily Mail article in 2025. You can read it at https://archive.is/20250523100119/https:/www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-14740137/Mum-cold-told-Id-raped-aged-six-thought-Id-never-forgive-cruel-words-reveals-SHANA-HALLIGAN-deathbed-extraordinary-happened.html

The full music to the single “Other Side” can be found at https://app.box.com/s/bhfzhlq6c5lolmw71bsj7s5xugnwscnh

More about Shana at https://www.shanahalligan.com/