161. Diane: Fighting for Justice for Almost 50 Years…Because It’s That Important!
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
Release Date: 10/28/2025
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...
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160. Inside The Epstein Era: An Important Re-airing From The Jan Broberg Show
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
This week’s episode of Sexual Assault Survivor Stories is a powerful replay of Episode 223 from The Jan Broberg Show — an episode that I was honored to join alongside Beth Magnetic, host of the Mormon True Crime Podcast. In this deeply important conversation, Jan, Beth, and I confront one of the most disturbing and misunderstood realities of our time: how a trafficking operation like Jeffrey Epstein’s could remain functional, protected, and operational for more than four decades — despite countless victims, despite obvious warning signs, despite so many people “knowing” something...
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159. David Wood: Searching for Answers—Finding Courage and Clarity; Part 2
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
This is the concluding episode of David Wood’s horrific story and search for answers to his life-long confusion and turmoil. David is an Australian journalist and copywriter now based in Darwin, Northern Territory. He reached out to me by email after listening to several SASS episodes and recognizing his own story in the voices of others. I was immediately captivated by David’s email…which turned into several emails through our ongoing efforts to make this episode happen. The bumps in the road as we struggled to put this together were well worth it for me. And I think you’ll also...
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158. David Wood: Searching for Answers—Finding Courage and Clarity; Part 1
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
David Wood—an Australian journalist and copywriter now based in Darwin—reached out to me after listening to SASS and recognizing his own story in the voices of others. I was immediately captivated by David’s email…which turned into several emails through our ongoing efforts to make this episode happen. The bumps in the road as we struggled to put this together were well worth it for me. And, I think you’ll also find it well worth it to listen to David’s episodes. As you’ll hear, David, with his ample talent articulating his experiences (which I attribute this to his...
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157. Dr. Kirsten Harrison: I, Sean/a and Perspectives That Break the Silence
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
I had an instant connection with Kirsten Harrison…we had a “vetting” phone call several weeks before we recorded her episode, and I truly wish I had recorded that conversation and made it a part of this weeks’ episode so that you could actually hear that connection! Kirsten and her work are truly inspiring and captivating. Read on, if you would: Dr. Kirsten Harrison has dedicated her career to understanding trauma and guiding survivors through some of life’s most difficult psychological and spiritual transitions. With research experience at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and...
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156. Kennedy Alley: A 100 Mile Journey
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
156. Kennedy Alley: A 100 Mile Journey This says it all:
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155. Amanda Carrasco: Losing Everything, Finding Strength, and Becoming the Brave One
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories Podcast - SASS
This captivating episode features Amanda Carrasco, also known as Amanda The Brave One, author of Becoming the Brave One; My Journey to Justice. Amanda’s story is one of unimaginable trauma and extraordinary resilience. She endured horrific sexual assaults and, while out of her home, suffered the devastating loss of her immediate family at the hands of another family member. Yet rather than allowing her trauma to define her, Amanda transformed her experiences into a platform for healing, education, and advocacy—helping survivors and professionals alike understand the realities of trauma...
info_outlineI 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 enforcement reports, a narrative of Diane’s story—enough to keep me reading for about an hour. And what I read was both horrific and miserable information, but frustrating and compelling at the same time. It was a compilation of most of the work that Diane had been compiling for the past almost 50 years in order to try to get the Army to bring a retired physician back into active duty for the purpose of having him court-martialed. Can you imagine how frustrating it must feel to have your case investigated by one of this country’s foremost criminal investigation agencies, have the investigation result in being substantiated, sue the perpetrator civilly, and win, and then to have the Army’s prosecutors refuse to prosecute your case…for no particular reason other than to save face for the Army because to court-martial a retired colonel, doctor, from the Army would be embarrassing. Yeah…that’s what happened. It’s asinine; you’re gonna want to hear the story from Diane herself. So listen to this episode. Then, share it with everyone you know. Because it’s that important!
An important side note: if you’re finding value in this show and these amazing episodes, please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating on your podcast platform. AND, follow SexualAssaultSurvivorStories on Instagram, then, 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. And if you’re a victim or survivor and are ready to tell your story in order to help yourself or someone else heal, let me know, and we can start a conversation about the possibility of you being on the show. Here’s my email address: dave@sasstories.com Thank you to all of you who have reached out to me already. Just provide me with a phone number where I can reach back out to you…because I like to talk to people who are interested in guesting. And please keep those emails and texts coming…I truly look forward to hearing from you!
Here are some critically important links that I hope you’ll take the time to explore, and where a contribution is requested, please consider doing so!—Thank you!!
https://www.whattheydontsay.com
https://www.survivor-school.com/?ref=DAVEMARKEL
As mentioned, and emphasized, 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.
Thank you for tuning in.