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/

In this episode of Genesis The Podcast, host Maria MacMullin delves into the topic of coercive control with expert Kate Amber. Ms. Amber, a survivor, who holds an MS in Psychology of Coercive Control from the University of Salford and is the founder of End Coercive Control USA (ECCUSA), shares her personal experiences with domestic abuse and explains her Quicksand Model of understanding coercive control. Kate Amber discusses how coercive control extends beyond physical violence in relationships to include patterns of manipulation and domination. The conversation covers the evolution of the term, systemic failures in recognizing coercive control, the impact on children, and how societal structures like patriarchy enable such behaviors. Amber also highlights how legislative and cultural shifts can aid in better addressing coercive control. The episode concludes with a discussion on the role of media in perpetuating or challenging coercive control and offers resources for further learning and support. Listeners can receive a discount on education modules related to coercive control offered through ECCUSA. Listen to the full episode for a discount code and where to find links to the trainings.

When Hispanic survivors of intimate partner violence seek help, they face a gauntlet of unique cultural barriers that can make safety seem impossible. From family members who prioritize appearances over protection to faith leaders who frame abuse as a spiritual test, the path to safety is fraught with roadblocks that extend far beyond language differences alone.

Teresa Gallegos, Director of Outreach and Accessibility at the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, brings profound insights to these challenges. Drawing from her experience as a nationally credentialed advocate, immigrant, and sibling survivor, Teresa walks us through powerful scenarios that illustrate how these cultural dynamics play out in real life. She explains why simply translating existing materials into Spanish misses the mark and how her groundbreaking "Juntos le ayudamos" (Together We Will Help Them) campaign took a fundamentally different approach.

Instead of targeting survivors directly, this innovative campaign focused on "comadres" and "compadres" – the trusted allies who serve as crucial lifelines when survivors finally decide to share their stories. Teresa reveals how her team crafted culturally-specific radio spots, billboards, WhatsApp messages, and even old-school tear-off flyers that resonated with Hispanic communities across Kansas. Most powerfully, she shares how seeing these Spanish-language resources gives survivors a profound sense of validation: "You matter enough for someone to do this."

Whether you're a service provider looking to better reach Hispanic communities or someone who might one day be that trusted "comadre" for a survivor, this conversation offers concrete strategies and commitment statements that can make all the difference. Join us to learn how small actions – from exploring your local grocery store's community board to implementing language access policies – can create pathways to safety for Hispanic survivors in your community.

Black women are six times more likely to be murdered by intimate partners than white women. Let that sink in.

Dr. Miltonette Craig pulls back the curtain on this hidden crisis in our powerful conversation about intimate partner violence and media representation. As an assistant professor at Sam Houston State University and research coordinator for the Crime Victims Institute, Dr. Craig brings both academic rigor and genuine compassion to this critical discussion.

The statistics are staggering – approximately 43% of Black women report experiencing intimate partner violence compared to 30% of white women. But statistics only tell part of the story. Dr. Craig expertly unpacks the complex sociocultural factors creating this disparity: economic barriers that trap women in abusive relationships, the "loyalty trap" where Black women hesitate to report abuse for fear of contributing to mass incarceration, and deep-seated mistrust of law enforcement that discourages seeking help.

Perhaps most troubling is how media coverage perpetuates these problems. Through her groundbreaking research, Dr. Craig reveals how news stories about Black female victims often lack context, resources, and the critical analysis needed to understand this epidemic. We discuss a particularly disturbing case where two Black women were murdered by their husbands during conjugal visits at the same prison facility within months of each other – yet media coverage remained superficial and disconnected from the larger pattern of violence.

This episode isn't just about identifying problems – Dr. Craig offers concrete solutions for journalists, newsrooms, and media consumers. From including crisis resources in every domestic violence story to diversifying newsroom staff, these actionable steps could literally save lives.

Whether you work in media, advocacy, or simply care about creating a more just society, this conversation will transform how you understand intimate partner violence and the power of representation. Listen now, and join us in demanding better for Black women and all survivors of domestic violence.

From the moment Dr. Carolyn West speaks, her passion for protecting Black women from intimate partner violence resonates with unmistakable urgency. As a professor of clinical psychology with over three decades dedicated to researching gender-based violence in marginalized communities, she brings profound insights into what she calls a "triple pandemic" that devastated Black women during 2020: COVID-19, domestic violence, and racial terrorism.

The statistics Dr. West shares are sobering: approximately 1,820 Black women murdered in a single year—four to five deaths daily that rarely made headlines. This invisibility isn't accidental. As she explains, "Domestic violence thrives on silence, secrecy, and shame," particularly when systems designed to protect women fail those at society's intersections.

Dr. West's Technical Assistance Guidance Series (TAGS) emerged from this crisis, offering a revolutionary framework for providing culturally responsive care to Black women survivors. Moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches, she advocates for survivor-centered services that consider the full spectrum of a woman's identity and experience. Her "web of trauma" concept brilliantly illustrates how historical trauma, institutional violence, poverty, community dangers, and harmful cultural stereotypes compound the impact of intimate partner abuse.

Particularly illuminating is her discussion of reproductive coercion and non-fatal strangulation—dangerous forms of control that disproportionately affect Black women yet often go unrecognized. For medical professionals and advocates alike, understanding these specific vulnerabilities can mean the difference between life and death, especially during high-risk periods like pregnancy.

What makes Dr. West's approach transformative is her insistence on seeing survivors' strength alongside their trauma. By rejecting both "colorblind" approaches that ignore racial disparities and deficit-focused models that overlook resilience, she offers a pathway to healing that honors the whole person.

Whether you're a service provider seeking to improve your practice or someone concerned about violence in your community, this conversation provides invaluable insights into creating safer spaces for survivors. The TAGS resources, available for free download, represent Dr. West's gift to a field desperately needing her wisdom.

Ready to learn more about culturally responsive approaches to intimate partner violence? Visit drcarolynwest.com or contact Genesis Women's Shelter and Support at 214-946-HELP (4357).

What makes someone capable of killing the person they claim to love? Dr. David Adams has spent over four decades searching for answers by interviewing both survivors and perpetrators of intimate partner violence.

As co-founder of Emerge, the world's first counseling program for men who abuse women, Adams takes us behind the facade of abusive relationships to expose the calculated tactics abusers use to trap their victims. The patterns he's uncovered are chilling: 75% of men who eventually murdered their partners began with first-date sex, and the average courtship before moving in together was just three months. These aren't coincidences but deliberate strategies of control.

Adams walks us through the four phases of abusive relationships—from the deceptive "honeymoon phase" of excessive attention and romance through escalating control, normalized violence, and ultimately deadly threats. Perhaps most disturbing is his revelation that many killers found "comfort" in knowing murder was an option if their partner tried to leave.

Drawing from both professional expertise and personal tragedy (Adams lost his mother to domestic violence at age 17), this conversation offers rare insight into the minds of abusers while providing practical knowledge that could save lives. Whether you work in law enforcement, victim services, or simply want to understand the warning signs of dangerous relationships, this episode provides crucial information about how to recognize entrapment strategies before they turn deadly.