The Girlfriends: Spotlight

Anna sits down with author, lawyer and activist; Leigh Goodmark, to discuss the problems of prisons. Especially when it comes to imperfect victims, like Kelly.  And Anna asks - is prison abolition really the answer?    If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic violence charity we’ve partnered wit...

Anna deep dives into the story of Tina, who you first met back in Episode 7.  Unlike Kelly, Tina fully admits that she committed a terrible crime. But is prison the right place for her?  And does she deserve to be forgiven?    If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic violence charity we’ve...

Bruna DiBiase is the judge who presided over Kelly’s resentencing. But long before Kelly walked into her courtroom, Judge Bruna’s life had already been touched by tragedy.  In the first of four bonus episodes, Anna sits down with Bruna and her daughter Lisa- to discover how this mother and daughter found their way back to each other, from opposite sides of the law.    If...

Struggling to adjust to life outside of prison, Kelly tries to start fresh.   And Anna discovers that while her story is nearly over, for Kelly… it’s only just the beginning.    If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic violence charity we’ve partnered with.    The Gir...

Years into her incarceration, with a decade left to serve… a new law might finally give Kelly, and some of her inmate clients, a chance at freedom. But for some, it might have come too late.    If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic violence charity we’ve partnered with.    The Gir...

Reeling from the jury’s verdict, Kelly searches for the strength to keep fighting in a new maximum security prison.    If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic violence charity we’ve partnered with.    The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For mor...

Kelly’s case finally goes to trial and the prosecution throws everything they have at her. How can she convince a jury that, not only is she not guilty but that she’s a victim too? If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic violence charity we’ve partnered with.    The Girlfriends: Jailhous...

Stuck in Rikers Island Jail, Kelly forms a family of women who’ve been through hell, just like her. But she’s got enemies too.  And as she studies for her case, she begins to discover that the law… just might be the greatest love of her life.   If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic vi...

In 2010, a traumatised Kelly sits in a police cell and reckons with the horrors of the previous night. Years later, Anna tries to make sense of the night of the murder and discovers that some of the accounts aren’t adding up.   If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic violence charity we’ve partnere...

Anna traces a path back through Kelly’s turbulent life to answer the question: how did she get here?   If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at https://www.nomore.org a domestic violence charity we’ve partnered with.    The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit h...

Meet Kelly Harnett. She’s a loving sister, a childhood gymnast and an aspiring DJ. And, according to the justice system; she’s also a murderer.  Anna travels to New York to meet Kelly, and to try and figure out how a victim of domestic violence became a villain in the eyes of the law.  If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show please reach out to NO MORE at h...

What does it mean to be a victim, or a villain? What happens when the line between the two starts to blur?  On 7th July 2010, Kelly Harnett says her abusive boyfriend murdered a man right in front of her.  So how did she end up in prison for it? Anna Sinfield - the journalist behind the global number 1 podcast, The Girlfriends, returns with her toughest story yet.  This series isn&r...

When Nadya Tolokonnikova saw her country Russia change under President Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime, she knew she had to do something.  She started the iconic ski-mask-wearing art protest collective Pussy Riot. On February 21st, 2012, they performed their anti-Putin protest song, Punk Prayer, in a Moscow church, launching Nadya into overnight activist fame… and a prison...

As a trans woman, Eilís Ní Fhlannagáin didn’t have much faith in mainstream health care. So when she wanted gender affirming surgery to remove her testicles, she turned to her best friend and trainee doctor Willow, and asked her to perform the operation in her living room… From this humble beginning, Eilís and Willow built a whole clinic dedicated to trans...

Madison Conradis had her life turned upside down when someone began posting naked photos of her online. Soon, the abuse intensified with anonymous messages and calls to her family, friends and even her boss… The police didn’t seem to care, so Madison turned to her twin sister Christine for help. Together, they transformed into online sleuths, tracking the harasser across the country t...

Rose Brady’s job running Baltimore County’s SVU was a frustrating one. The sexual violence crimes she and her team were investigating were just the tip of the iceberg. Her department was sitting on thousands of unsolved rape cases, dating back decades - with little hope of ever finding the perpetrators. That was until Rose made an incredible discovery: At a local hospital, a diligent f...

From the moment she heard a guitar being played in an empty classroom at her convent school in the Philippines in 1961, June Millington knew what she wanted to do with her life: rock and roll.  So when a girl called up June and her sister and asked if they wanted to start a band, the answer was hell yeah .  They went on to become Fanny, the first all-female rock band to release an album...

Nellie Bly was a true trailblazer. In late 19th century America, women were expected to get married and become housewives, or go into a suitable career like teaching.  But Nellie didn’t do any of that. Instead, she changed journalism forever, becoming one of the world’s first female investigative journalists, and paving the way for a generation of incredible ‘Girl Stunt Repo...

In 2019 Tracy Otto was a college student in Tampa, and a fitness fanatic. Then a violent attack by an ex-boyfriend changed her life forever. She was left paralysed from the chest down, and lost her left eye. But that’s only the beginning of Tracy’s story. In the aftermath of the attack, she rebuilt her life through sheer force of will, and discovered a passion for archery. That passion...

When Lu Ann Cooper was just fifteen years old, she was told to drop out of school and marry her first cousin. She would be his fourth wife.  Lu Ann grew up inside the so-called Kingston Clan, a religious sect where, Lu Ann claims, every man is expected to have many wives, and every woman is expected to have many children. All with the aim of building up the Kingdom of God. But one day, Lu Ann...

Our brand new series The Girlfriends: Spotlight launches on Monday April 7th. Here's a taste of the incredible stories you can expect to hear... The Girlfriends: Spotlight is produced by Novel for iHeartPodcasts. For more from Novel visit Novel. Audio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Season 1, The Girlfriends told the story of how a group of incredible women came together to bring down one bad ex-boyfriend and seek justice for the murder of Gail Katz. In Season 2, we found the truth about a torso washed up on Staten Island, and gave Heidi Balch the memorial she deserved. Now, we want to introduce you to a global gang of girlfriends in our new show, The Girlfriends: Spotligh...

In the third instalment of the Girlfriend’s Guide we turn our attention to the over 600 thousand people who go missing every year in the United States. With the help of a citizen sleuth and former Missing Persons Detective, Producer Anna Sinfield lays out what to do if someone you know goes missing.  Relevant links:  Raul’s Map https://dnadoeproject.org/ The Girlfriends is produced by Novel for iH...

In the second episode of The Girlfriends’ Guide, we learn how to tackle domestic violence in our own lives from the people who fight it every single day.  If you are affected by this episode please reach out to NO MORE at https://nomore.org/girlfriends, a domestic violence charity we’ve partnered with.   Other useful links:  https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/the-survivors-handbook/...

The Girlfriends’ Guide, hosted by Producer Anna Sinfield, is a three part mini series where we lay out how you can solve crimes and keep your girlfriends safe.     We dive back into our archive of never heard before interviews, break down real life case studies and give tangible tips on how you can do it yourself. In this episode we uncover how to identify an unidentified person. Together,  Anna a...