WHEN DATING HURTS

This is part one of two parts with Amanda. This interview comes with all the trigger warnings. Amanda lives in Australia, but her story could have taken place anywhere in the world. The treatment Amanda and her twin sister (named J.J.) received as babies continued into their teen years. It is shocking, disturbing, inhumane, and, frankly, impossible to comprehend. But it is true, nonetheless.  This...

This is part three of three parts with Sabrina.   She met him in her freshman year of college. He was a senior. Was it love at first sight Maybe for her. Not for him. Jake had other ideas. This story is meant for parents with daughters in, or soon entering, college. It should be a time when they begin to take off in life and learn to find their way. But it be a time when they display their innocen...

This is part two of three parts with Sabrina.   She met him in her freshman year of college. He was a senior. Was it love at first sight? Maybe for her. Not for him. Jake had other ideas. This story is meant for parents with daughters in, or soon entering, college. It should be a time when they begin to take off in life and learn to find their way. But it be a time when they display their innocenc...

This is part one of three parts with Sabrina. She met him in her freshman year of college. He was a senior. Was it love at first sight? Maybe for her. Not for him. Jake had other ideas.  This story is meant for parents with daughters in, or soon entering, college. It should be a time when they begin to take off in life and learn to find their way. But it be a time when they display their innocence...

Serena offers to speak about the financial "bottomless pit" she was put in. We cover financial abuse in this episode. It's a subject that never gets enough airtime. Imagine, the one person her ex-husband took most advantage of? His own wife!  It was financial abuse to the max. She says: “I have not told my full story (other than to the police, federal investigators, divorce attorneys, and forensic...

I get a lot of questions via email, Facebook, Instagram, and before and after speeches. I felt it a good idea to answer them for you in this episode. Thank you for listening to our WHEN DATING HURTS podcast, Bill Mitchell WhenDatingHurts.com NOTE: If you are a survivor and want to share your story of abuse on the WHEN DATING HURTS Podcast, please email me: BillMitchell@WhenDatingHurts.com The WHEN...

I read Janine Latus's 336-page book, "If I Am Missing or Dead", years ago. I finished it in two days. It was that compelling a read. I reached out to her many times since then, and she has always answered me. She is so special. Janine has been called "...the most compelling speaker on sexual assault and relationship abuse I've ever heard." I believe that is spot on.  Why is that? She knows it beca...

Blair wrote me and said, “The more I listen to your podcast the more I feel compelled to share.” Blair grew up, in her words, “Surrounded and molded by the dysfunction of my parents' volatile dynamic.” She describes that time in her life, and you will feel it. Later, she suffered dating abuse only days after graduating high school. She details what it was like and how it felt. Like most victims, s...

"Sara" is a domestic violence survivor. She is also my cousin. Sara appeared to be in a perfect marriage. A nice home and three healthy boys. But her ex-husband eventually devolved into a serial abuser. She did all she could to coerce him into getting help, but nothing seemed to work. When living with this man became dangerous, she needed to break free.  Listen to a narrative of patience and coura...

On June 3, 2005, Detective Jim McGowan contacted me with knowledge about what happened to my daughter. Earlier that day, he interviewed Kristin's murderer, her ex-boyfriend, Nick. From that time until now, Nick has remained incarcerated.  Over the years, I've gained invaluable insights from Jim on why abusers do what they do and why abused women stay in dangerous relationships. Jim shares this and...

Sheri Kurdakul is a domestic abuse survivor. There is nothing typical about the abuse she suffered. Like many survivors of abuse, her story is challenging to listen to, but there is much to be learned from her. Most survivors I've met tell of frequent times they were on the receiving end of despicable abuse. But they also speak about the inventive ways they endured and eventually overcame those ci...

Karen Widdoss is a courageous survivor of a murderous assault suffered when she was a young teen.  In the summer of 1994, her ex-boyfriend attacked her and nearly took her life. How she managed to hold onto her life is miraculous.  Karen has added her voice to survivors of violent crimes by speaking out about her experiences so no other woman would ever suffer as she has.  In this episode, we talk...

I was urged to run this episode again. IT'S SO POWERFUL! One of our well-informed WHEN DATING HURTS listeners sent me an email with a list of things you must do before leaving your abuser. In this episode, you will hear about the kinds of items a domestic violence counselor will tell you while figuring out an escape plan to safety. This is a short episode but one of our most valuable. You might ha...

This is part two of a two-part story.  Taylor is a 39-year-old survivor from northern New York. She is two years with no contact from her emotionally abusive ex-partner.    The only way she was able to escape was by educating herself about these types of individuals, and she thinks it’s important to reinforce the gut feelings that most of us feel when we first get involved. Taylor felt sorry for h...

This is part one of a two-part story. Taylor is a 39-year-old survivor from northern New York. She is two years with no contact from her emotionally abusive ex-partner. The only way she was able to escape was by educating herself about these types of individuals, and she thinks it’s important to reinforce the gut feelings that most of us feel when we first get involved. Taylor felt sorry for her e...

My three-part interview with Annie reveals a smart, innocent, creative, and fragile young woman giving her best to find a sustainable life. Her desire to share her successes and failures is on full display here. Annie takes us back to her childhood days moving from Wisconsin to Texas to Alaska and back to Wisconsin. Her father’s Air Force career makes the transfers necessary. Her biggest move was...

My three-part interview with Annie reveals a smart, innocent, creative, and fragile young woman giving her best to find a sustainable life. Her desire to share her successes and failures is on full display here. Annie takes us back to her childhood days moving from Wisconsin to Texas to Alaska and back to Wisconsin. Her father’s Air Force career makes the transfers necessary. Her biggest move was...

My three-part interview with Annie reveals a smart, innocent, creative, and fragile young woman giving her best to find a sustainable life. Her desire to share her successes and failures is on full display here. Annie takes us back to her childhood days moving from Wisconsin to Texas to Alaska and back to Wisconsin. Her father’s Air Force career makes the transfers necessary. Her biggest move was...

Few nurses have as many credentials attached to their names as this amazing woman. Let me introduce you to Laura Clary, BSN, RN, FNE-A/P, SANE-A. There is much to be learned from someone who has accumulated such a vast amount of knowledge. Laura has been a registered nurse for 11 years. In 2010, she completed her Forensic Nursing training at Greater Baltimore Medical Center and joined the GBMC tea...

From a very early age, Victorea Luminary and her father were abused by her alcoholic mother. Finally free from decades of abuse, she innocently ran into even more trouble with two different relationships with narcissists. One was her husband; the other a man she thought was going to become her savior. In vivid detail, Victorea tells of the ways she was lured into these insidious relationships. She...

J.D. McCabe maintained a loving relationship with his wife for nearly twenty years before their marriage, family, and world began to crumble. Their foundation had been rooted in "trust is the bedrock of a healthy relationship". Indeed, Erin had always claimed that things wouldn’t — couldn’t — work without trust. But Erin became suspicious of his every move. His phone calls, texts, and work emails...

This is part two of a two-part chat with Mindy. In the middle of 2023, Mindy appeared on the WHEN DATING HURTS podcast as “Becca”. It was a name she created to protect her identity from her abuser. In 2024, she has returned using her real name, Mindy. Mindy wants us to hear how her survivor journey is progressing. It has not been easy, but she wants to share her progress with us.   I think you wil...

This is part one of a two-part chat with Mindy. In the middle of 2023, Mindy appeared on the WHEN DATING HURTS podcast as “Becca”. It was a name she created to protect her identity from her abuser.  In 2024, she has returned using her real name, Mindy. Mindy wants us to hear how her survivor journey is progressing. It has not been easy, but she wants to share her progress with us. I think you will...

Hello, it's Bill.  It's early 2024, and I will give you my thoughts as WHEN DATING HURTS enters our fourth year speaking out to the world about dating abuse and domestic violence. This is from the heart. You will know what I am thinking. Thank you for listening to our WHEN DATING HURTS podcast, Bill Mitchell WhenDatingHurts.com NOTE: If you are a survivor and want to share your story of abuse on t...

Gena contacted me after hearing my interview on another national podcast. She was determined to make her story of abuse survival known so current victims might learn what she didn't know when she was a victim of abuse.    Like every survivor I have interviewed, I found Gena to be strong, determined, and a decent human being. Abusers seek out nice, honest people like Gena because they calculate the...