What They Don't Say: Sexual Assault and Everything in Between

This week's episode is equal parts heartbreaking and historic. Derrick Hurley joins Shannon to share how his daughter was drugged and raped by a London police officer while attending nursing school in Antigua. This case grabbed international headlines, as the officer was extradited from the UK to Antigua to face justice—a historic move for a rape conviction. In this episode, they talk about the em...

Shannon doesn’t usually tackle current events, but let’s be real—when P. Diddy, Harvey Weinstein, and Mike Jeffries are making headlines at the same time, it’s hard to ignore. In today’s episode, Shannon’s here to give a quick rundown of the criminal cases of three men with more money than morals, and apparently, no sense of decency. We’ve got a music mogul whose tracks don’t seem to include a val...

What happens when the people sworn to protect us turn out to be the ones we need protection from? In this episode, the ladies sit down with Chris McGhee, a father whose world turned upside down when his daughter was assaulted by a police officer at the age of 15. The real kicker: the officer received a misdemeanor, no jail time, and no sex offender registration. If you're thinking "That’s...

In this solo episode, Shannon opens up about her dad’s sudden death (because if you're going to go, why not a plane crash, right?). On the surface, her dad was a comedic two-time Olympian and Nike athlete. But what was he like behind closed doors? A full-blown OCD narcissist. Shannon shares how she was told to "stay strong" and didn’t shed a tear for years, and how his early exit might’ve saved he...

In this episode, the ladies dive into Em's story of domestic violence, coercion, and survival. For 15 years, she endured abuse at the hands of her former husband, who not only coerced her into fulfilling his dangerous kinks but also sex trafficked her. Under the guise of pleasing her ex-husband, Em was forced into situations she never consented to, including being advertised on Craigslist and...

In PART 2 with Sheerin: We dive deeper into the Women's Advocacy Initiative, where Sheerin reveals how they're bulldozing the barriers that keep survivors silent after assault. Whether it's financial roadblocks, lack of information, or just plain not knowing your rights—let’s face it, we've all been hit by at least one of these hurdles. Sheerin also shares some of her own battles with addiction—re...

The ladies sit down with Sheerin Gryloo, the founder of the Women's Advocacy Initiative. Together they truly shoot the shit and go on a rollercoaster of conversations from makeup to nose jobs, to how to truly be an advocate for yourself and the crossovers of battling addiction as a survivor. This is part 1 of an epic two-parter. Sheerin shares her experience of being what society would call "the w...

In this solo episode, Shannon discusses the current controversy that's rising in the sports world: Steven van de Velde, the beach volleyball player convicted of raping a child, is set to compete in the Paris Olympic Games this year. Should Olympic athletes be celebrated solely for their physical capabilities? Should someone with a history of heinous crimes be allowed to represent the pinnacle of s...

In part 2 of this two-part series, Lauren and Shannon continue their conversation with Tracy DeTomasi, the CEO of Callisto. Today’s episode builds off of the societal issues discussed in part 1 of sexual assault being a perpetrator’s problem and safety lists to dive into the solutions surrounding sexual assault prevention. Tracy dives into her work at Callisto and the technological solutions being...

In part 1 of this two-part series, Lauren and Shannon have on a powerhouse in the world of sexual assault prevention. Tracy Detomasi is currently the CEO of Callisto, a company using technology to change the face of prevention solutions. In part 1, the gals dive into the idea of rape being a “man’s problem” or really a perpetrator's problem. Tracy gives us insight into what it looks like to wo...

Today's episode dives into the questions and curiosity of so many listeners trying to decide whether or not a legal route is the right form of justice. Lauren and Shannon answer questions from listeners and shed some light on what the legal process looks like for a sexual assault case. This episode is lots of emotional advice with a sprinkle of legal, answering questions like: What if cross-examin...

My Calvin's, your questions, but not my consent. Today the ladies are here to answer your questions and comments from a recent TikTok video discussing the parallels between the trial that Denim Day stemmed from and Shannon & Lauren's court-martial. Why would you keep the bra you were assaulted in? How did you get access to your trial files? Was your perpetrator found guilty? Naturally, they de...

Shannon and special guest, Lori Allen, have a conversation about teaching your kids about consent, what to do if your child says they've been assaulted, and what needs to happen for us to see change in the world of child sexual abuse. Lori is the Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center, Gulf Coast Sexual Assault Program, and Healthy Start and Parents as Teachers of Bay Coun...

In this episode, the ladies dive deep into the unfortunate reality of how college athletes are protected at all costs by universities. Through the lens of issues at the University of Colorado Boulder, they discuss the hiring of perpetrators, misconducts that have been covered up, and the direct ties of schools with big sports teams and rape culture. But, this is not just a problem at their college...

In this solo episode, Shannon confronts her struggle with desensitization towards her own sexual assault and the ongoing denial she faces when reflecting on her assault. Moreover, she gets real, raw, and honest about feeling like her assault "wasn't that bad". Grab yourself a bubbly beverage, put on your cozies, and get ready to get personal. Cheers! Book mentioned: https://a.co/d/adtxAth Get Educ...

Lauren and Shannon's conversation with Jeffrey Epstein survivor, Jess Michaels. On this episode the ladies talk about the impacts of being raped at a crucial developmental age, the neurobiology of trauma, the unique paths Jess took in order to heal and a whole lot more. Jess also shares her innovative sexual assault first aid company, 3Joannes, she founded. Cheers! (0:00) Introduction (3:14) Jess’...

Lauren and Shannon delve into the complex relationship between sexual trauma, body dysmorphia, and disordered eating habits. They have a discussion about the influence of social media and advertising on our body image perceptions, reflecting on how even childhood experiences shape self-perception... why don't I have boobs but that girl does? Shannon shares her experience of disordered eating of tu...

PART TWO: Special guest Zoe Schacht. What happens when you bring an assailant into the lives of those you care about? We've all heard about fight, flight, and freeze responses to sexual assault, but Zoe shares a 4th trauma response: fawning. From personal anecdotes to a technique (from her therapist) to help reclaim the power of your words after assault and during sex. She shares her experience da...

PART ONE: Special Guest Zoe Schacht shares her story about being molested at age 7 and talks about how child PTSD can manifest over time. Being pinned as a "survivor" from a young age forced her to grow up faster than most, and led her to being hyper sexual as a teenager. From dating older men whom she had no interest in being vulnerable with, to realizing she is a queer woman who can't receive or...

The ladies have a conversation with the Chief Operations Officer of the Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center; Brent Patrick. They discuss what the organization does, the relationship they've built with law enforcement and why it's making big change, and therapy bunnies. Cheers! Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center: https://www.gulfcoastcac.org/ Gulf Coast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g...

Lauren & Shannon respond to YOUR sexual assault stories and answer a question from a listener "How often do you think about your sexual assault?" Two stories are shared from two different listeners. One is an example of medical assault; how several doctors took advantage of their power, pushed the boundaries of their patients, and the long-lasting impacts of it. The other is about someone who...

Happy Valentine's Day you sexy people! We know today is supposed to be all about love, self love, and relational love... but we can't talk about those things when some of you incredible people are dating an emotionally abusive narcissist. Today the ladies discuss what being in a narcissistic relationship actually is, the telltale signs, and how to get out this type of relationship. Is your partner...

In this week's therapy session... Lauren candidly shares her journey to break free from her routes of relationship stubbornness and toxicity, emphasizing that in a healthy relationship you can't hide beneath your old ways of toxicity. The gals explore the idea that being in a truly healthy relationship requires continual self-improvement, rejecting toxicity, and embracing the need for therapy. Sha...

In this episode, the ladies delve into the unsettling reality of friends behaving unexpectedly during the sexual assault court process. Join them as they share two personal scenarios where friends either disappeared, hired attorneys to evade subpoenas, or painted victims in a bad light while testifying. They even read a portion of a witnesses testimony and break it down in attempt to understand wh...

Shannon shares her story on how she was sexually assaulted. Hear her truth. Cheers! Get Educated: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Got questions? Have an episode idea? Send us an email: WhatTheyDontSayThePodcast@gmail.com Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tik Tok: w ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ww.tiktok.com/@whattheydontsayofficial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you or...