142. Dave Markel: A Not So Empty Week—The Mission Continues
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
Release Date: 06/17/2025
170. What Stayed With Us: The Conversations From 2025 We Couldn’t Shake
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
As this year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to pause and reflect, not with a countdown or a highlight reel, but with intention. This episode brings together a handful of powerful moments from conversations released in 2025 that truly captured what Sexual Assault Survivor Stories is about: survivor courage, hard truths, clarity around trauma, and the willingness to sit with conversations that don’t offer easy answers. The clips you’ll hear were chosen using a hybrid approach—listener engagement, impact, and significance. They include moments from conversations with Rachel...
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169. Shannon Porter: "What They Don’t Say" Is in The House...and The Social Media Reels People Can’t Ignore
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
I’m happy to announce that I’m joined once again by Shannon Porter, host and co-founder of the What They Don’t Say podcast. Shannon returns to talk about the evolution of her work, her growing presence on social media, and what’s driving her to speak more openly, and more frequently, about the realities of surviving rape and sexual assault. Our conversation centers on the reels and posts Shannon is producing to help shed light on what survivors face every day: how people respond when a survivor shares their story, the misunderstandings that follow trauma, and the emotional labor...
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168. Marina Lacerda: When Epstein Power, Money, and Rape Collided — and She Survived
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
For decades, Marina was known only as “Minor Victim-1” in legal documents — a label that stripped away her humanity while protecting those responsible. In this conversation, Marina reclaims what was taken from her: her voice, her story, and her identity. She speaks not just about what happened, but about what it costs to survive abuse at that scale — the trauma that lingers, the mistrust that settles in the body, and the long road back to agency and truth. This episode is not sensational, and it is not speculative. It is grounded in lived experience and courageous truth-telling....
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167. Erin Williamson: Love146 — Pulling Children Back from the Darkness
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
Erin Williamson joins me for an incredibly important conversation about her work with Love146, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children from human trafficking and walking alongside young survivors on their path to healing. Erin shares what this work truly looks like — not the headlines, but the day-to-day reality of survivor care, long-term recovery, and prevention education — and how essential it is to understand trafficking as a real issue affecting real children in communities across the country. We discuss the profound impact trafficking has on children’s brains,...
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166. Jason Patrick Berry: Secrets Beneath a Perfect Childhood
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
This week on Sexual Assault Survivor Stories, I sit down with Jason Patrick Berry, author of the brave and unflinchingly honest memoir Secrets Beneath. Jason’s story is one that quietly breaks your heart and then slowly helps rebuild it. On the outside, his childhood looked perfectly normal, even picturesque. But behind closed doors lived a painful reality of abuse, secrecy, and survival that no child should ever have to experience. In Secrets Beneath, Jason pulls back that veil and walks us through the lasting impact of trauma, including post trauma stress, anxiety, and emotional...
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165. Anonymous: A Return Guest Shares Some Meaningful Impacts of Being a Guest on SASS
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
This week on Sexual Assault Survivor Stories, I’m joined once again by a guest whose voice made a deep impact the first time she appeared on the show. For this episode, she’s choosing to remain anonymous and will be known as “Ann”—a decision that becomes increasingly meaningful as you hear why she reached out to return. Ann came back to talk about a part of the survivor experience that rarely gets acknowledged: what happens inside a person after they share their story publicly, and how the emotional ripple effects can show up long after the recording ends. In this conversation, Ann...
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164. Rita Smith: The Voice That Changed the National Conversation
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
In this week’s episode of Sexual Assault Survivor Stories, I’m honored to welcome someone whose name has become synonymous with advocacy, leadership, and meaningful systemic change. Rita Smith has spent more than four decades reshaping how this country understands, responds to, and prevents violence against women. From her grassroots beginnings to her national-level impact, Rita has consistently shown up for survivors with a rare blend of humility, strength, and deep psychological insight. Rita’s work reaches across some of the largest platforms in the nation. She has served as Senior...
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163. Anne Marie Hauben: The Truth About Non-consent, Trauma, and Speaking Up
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast with Dave Markel Guest: Anne Marie Hauben I’m honored to share this week’s episode of The SASS Podcast with someone whose courage doesn’t just echo across a microphone—it reverberates across decades of silence, retaliation, and survival: Anne Marie Hauben. Anne Marie isn’t just a guest. She is a truth-teller, an advocate, and a woman who refused to let a lifetime of dismissal define her story. After more than 30 years of carrying the weight of an assault she endured at 18 years old, she decided she would not stay silent any...
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162. Dr. David Lisak, PhD: The Man Who Shaped My Work — Sharing Science, Wisdom, and Hope
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
I’m so honored to share this week’s episode of The SASS Podcast with someone who is far more than a guest—he’s a mentor, a guiding light, and a dear friend: Dr. David Lisak, PhD. I’ve personally known David since 1992, when I met him at a training conference where we were both teaching on rape and sexual assault investigations. From those early days of my journey into trauma-informed investigations, inspired by David, he set the bar for what rigorous, compassionate, science-based work looks like. I’m grateful every day that our paths crossed. Who is David Lisak? David is a...
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161. Diane: Fighting for Justice for Almost 50 Years…Because It’s That Important!
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
I had a SASS listener reach out to me a few months ago via email. It was a short email, but it sure got my attention. The writer, Diane, told me that she had been listening to SASS for a while, and that she was very appreciative of the show, as she is a survivor of military sexual assault (MSA) from almost 50 years ago. She also told me she had sent me a large envelope of important information about her case…certified, return receipt. That’ll peak you’re curiosity! I did get a large envelope a few days later. It was a pretty full, 9x12 , mailing envelope, full of documents—letters, law...
info_outlineIn this solo episode of Sexual Assault Survivor Stories (The SASS Podcast), host Dave Markel takes the mic alone to deliver a powerful, reflective, and informative monologue. While there’s no guest again this week, the episode is anything but empty. Instead, it offers a thoughtful exploration of recent survivor stories making headlines, along with an in-depth look at survivor-led advocacy, cultural change, and resources for healing.
Dave begins by spotlighting three courageous individuals: Alex Cooper, host of Call Her Daddy, who recently spoke out about the harassment she endured as a Division I athlete at Boston University; Tina Johnson, a Roy Moore accuser whose home was destroyed under suspicious circumstances after she came forward; and Nicky Campbell, a UK broadcaster whose disclosure of childhood abuse sparked a wave of similar testimonies from others silenced for decades. Each of these stories reveals the complex layers of trauma—ranging from institutional betrayal to physical triggers—and illustrates how public disclosures can ignite change and connection.
The episode also honors the work of prominent survivor-advocates like Amanda Nguyen, founder of Rise, who authored the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act (passed unanimously by Congress in 2016). Nguyen's legislation has inspired over 67 similar laws across the U.S., while her global What Were You Wearing? exhibits continue to dismantle victim-blaming narratives in powerful and public ways. Also highlighted is Chanel Miller, formerly known as “Emily Doe” in the Brock Turner case, whose viral victim impact statement and bestselling memoir, Know My Name, redefined the survivor’s voice in modern discourse.
This episode closes by offering a collection of vital resources for survivors. If you or someone you know is in need of support, please reach out:
· RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) – 24/7 hotline: 800-656-HOPE
· 1in6 – Support specifically for male survivors
· Stop Street Harassment – Education and national hotline for harassment survivors
· Rise – Survivor-led legislative training and advocacy
· https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/search/know-my-name?q=Know%20My%20Name
Even without a traditional interview, this episode is filled with substance, reflection, and a deep commitment to the healing process. It’s a powerful reminder that survivor stories don’t stop when the mic does—and that advocacy can take many forms, including quiet reflection. This one is for every voice that hasn’t been heard yet—and every listener who’s ready to believe, support, and speak up.
An important side note: if you’re finding value in these episodes, please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating on your podcast platform. AND, please send me a note of support. I can’t tell you how much your emails mean to me—they fuel my passion to keep this podcast going. Here’s my email address: dave@sasstories.com I truly look forward to hearing from you!
On another note: I am a strong advocate and supporter of Survivor School (SS), founded and directed by CEO Arci Grey (another former guest on SASS). In fact, Arci has made me a consultant to SS as she maneuvers the intricacies of directing and managing the content and growth of her amazing organization. I encourage you to strongly consider becoming a member of SS, and as an affiliate would appreciate it, if you do decide to become a member, to use this link: https://www.survivor-school.com/free?ref=SASS
Thanks again for listening! As always, listed below are some additional important and meaningful websites I hope you’ll take a look at and learn more about.
https://www.whattheydontsay.com
https://www.survivor-school.com/?ref=DAVEMARKEL
https://thejanbrobergfoundation.org
My email address:
It’s time to Normalize the Conversation.™ And please remember to Start by Believing…because we all know someone whose life has been impacted by rape or sexual assault.