Best Sexualassault Podcasts (2025)

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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 49:46

Play Pause

22h ago49:46

49:46

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 con…

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The Tragic Deaths of Rob Reiner and Wife Michele Singer 23:33

7d ago23:33

23:33

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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168. Marina Lacerda: When Epstein Power, Money, and Rape Collided — and She Survived 1:13:25

8d ago1:13:25

1:13:25

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…

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Why Young People Die Suddenly 29:53

14d ago29:53

29:53

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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167. Erin Williamson: Love146 — Pulling Children Back from the Darkness 59:13

14d ago59:13

59:13

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, …

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The Disappearance of Ana Walshe 28:16

21d ago28:16

28:16

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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166. Jason Patrick Berry: Secrets Beneath a Perfect Childhood 47:48

21d ago47:48

47:48

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…

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Anna Kepner: Vanished at Sea 22:26

28d ago22:26

22:26

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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165. Anonymous: A Return Guest Shares Some Meaningful Impacts of Being a Guest on SASS 29:10

29d ago29:10

29:10

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 …

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Teen Murderer: The Case That Shook Fairfax 25:46

1M ago25:46

25:46

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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164. Rita Smith: The Voice That Changed the National Conversation 39:58

1M ago39:58

39:58

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 …

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Eye Drops and Lies: The Richard Young Story 24:56

1M ago24:56

24:56

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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163. Anne Marie Hauben: The Truth About Non-consent, Trauma, and Speaking Up 54:39

1M ago54:39

54:39

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,…

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When the Camera Stops Rolling: The Murder of Anita Avers 26:17

2M ago26:17

26:17

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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162. Dr. David Lisak, PhD: The Man Who Shaped My Work — Sharing Science, Wisdom, and Hope 1:03:12

2M ago1:03:12

1:03:12

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 day…

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Blood Ties - The Murder of Carrie Zettel 21:01

2M ago21:01

21:01

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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161. Diane: Fighting for Justice for Almost 50 Years…Because It's That Important! 54:04

2M ago54:04

54:04

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 sen…

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Till Death Do Us Part - The Brandon and Rachel Dumovich Story 28:31

2M ago28:31

28:31

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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160. Inside The Epstein Era: An Important Re-airing From The Jan Broberg Show 1:10:58

2M ago1:10:58

1:10:58

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 ti…

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Revisiting Horrifying Halloween Homicides 16:05

2M ago16:05

16:05

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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159. David Wood: Searching for Answers—Finding Courage and Clarity; Part 2 1:05:23

2M ago1:05:23

1:05:23

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 imm…

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In the Head of a Forensic Death Investigator 24:38

3M ago24:38

24:38

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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158. David Wood: Searching for Answers—Finding Courage and Clarity; Part 1 54:30

3M ago54:30

54:30

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 t…

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Justice After 34 Years: The Yogurt Shop Murders 26:42

3M ago26:42

26:42

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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157. Dr. Kirsten Harrison: I, Sean/a and Perspectives That Break the Silence 33:52

3M ago33:52

33:52

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…

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The Mysterious Death of Ellen Greenberg 23:37

3M ago23:37

23:37

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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156. Kennedy Alley: A 100 Mile Journey 6:56

3M ago6:56

6:56

156. Kennedy Alley: A 100 Mile Journey This says it all: gofund.me/af648f46By Dave Markel

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The Killing of Iryna Zarutska 23:00

3M ago23:00

23:00

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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155. Amanda Carrasco: Losing Everything, Finding Strength, and Becoming the Brave One 1:05:07

3M ago1:05:07

1:05:07

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…

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Love, Lies and Embezzlement 24:33

3M ago24:33

24:33

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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154. Caroline Markel: Big Changes Are Coming! What's Next for Safe in Harm's Way 42:32

4M ago42:32

42:32

It's finally happened!!--I'm honored to welcome back Caroline Markel, Founder and CEO of Safe in Harm's Way, for an in-depth conversation that's both exciting and, yes!...exclusive! Over the past two-and-a-half years, Caroline and her organization have been evolving in significant ways, and this episode offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the …

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Back to the Beginning: Julie's Story 8:00

4M ago8:00

8:00

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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153. Pastor Michael Neely: 'Till Death Do Us Part' Almost Killed Him—Now He Fights for Survivors 48:33

4M ago48:33

48:33

This week I had the privilege and pleasure of talking with Pastor Michael Neely, a man whose faith, courage, and resilience were tested in living his own personal marriage; that 15-year marriage nearly cost him his life. Michael now channels his pain into advocacy and works to turn churches into safe spaces and mentoring victims who once felt voice…

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The Death of Blessence Pearl 26:52

4M ago26:52

26:52

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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152. Johnny Braun: What the World Refuses to See About Male Survivors 33:34

4M ago33:34

33:34

It was an amazing day for me when Johnny Braun sent me a DM on Instagram. It was short, it was succinct, and it made me want to talk to him. Here's what he said: "Hey there Dave, if you're looking for another person to be on your podcast, I'd like to be on an episode. I experienced childhood sexual abuse." That was it…that's what started an amazing…

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Survivor: The Mary Vincent Case 30:21

4M ago30:21

30:21

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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151. C Kimberly Toms: From Victimization to Voice—Changing the System 1:17:02

4M ago1:17:02

1:17:02

151. C Kimberly Toms: From Victimization to Voice—Changing the System C Kimberly Toms. She's a survivor of rape and attempted murder, a filmmaker, writer, and business consultant. In 2013, a hopeful job move to Milwaukee turned into a harrowing ordeal when she was raped and stalked by a U.S. Department of State special agent who eventually also att…

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Two Deaths-One Apartment: The Valerie Bonner Case 26:19

4M ago26:19

26:19

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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150. Whitney Vergés: Breaking Barriers in the Sex Industry 39:38

4M ago39:38

39:38

The importance of this podcast includes the critical component of continuing to amplify the voices of those who've survived the unimaginable. This week, the show marks a significant milestone—Episode 150—and it's only fitting that I have a truly monumental guest, Whitney Vergés. Whitney's story is one of incredible courage as she bravely shares her…

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Trail of Tragedy: The Devil's Den Murders 25:30

5M ago25:30

25:30

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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149. Ariel Sorensen: Surviving Sexual Assault and Navigating Justice Abroad 59:18

5M ago59:18

59:18

Ariel Sorensen reached deep inside herself to muster the strength and fortitude to reach out to me to find out if she could share her gripping and harrowing tale of her rape and sexual assault during what was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime to South Africa. Ariel and her male companion, strangers in a foreign land, were offered nightly accomm…

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Fan Favorite Replay: How to Avoid an Autopsy 18:15

5M ago18:15

18:15

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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148. Dave Markel: Reflections and Impacts 9:41

5M ago9:41

9:41

148. Dave Markel: Reflections and Impacts This week, since there's not guest again, I want to take a moment to reflect on the growth and impact of the podcast. I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support from all my listeners, whose commitment has fueled the show's success and exponential growth. Whether long-time listeners or relatively new to…

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Deadly Waters: Cruise Ship Deaths 32:17

5M ago32:17

32:17

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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147. A Repeat of Episode 43: Cashaye Barrera—An Episode Worth Hearing Again! 31:04

5M ago31:04

31:04

147. A Repeat of Episode 43: Cashaye Barrera—An Episode Worth Hearing Again! Sometimes life throws us a curve ball when we least expect it, and it changes the trajectory of the path we were on. That's what happened this week when a guest who was scheduled to record with me had some unexpected events thwart our scheduled appointment and we weren't a…

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People's Choice Replay: From Bullying to Tragedy – The Heartbreaking Case of Aubreigh Wyatt 27:20

5M ago27:20

27:20

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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146. Jessica Pride & Verna Griffin-Tabor: Co-Founders of Sirona Healing Center 38:03

5M ago38:03

38:03

Welcome to Episode 146. It's an honor and pleasure to introduce you to Sirona Healing Center of San Diego, CA. This episode features the two co-founders of Sirona, Jessica (Jess) Pride and Verna (Vee) Griffin-Tabor. Jess's name may sound familiar to some of you who've been long-time listeners to SASS…she was my guest on Episode 44, in August, 2023.…

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Suzanne Morphew: Vanished Mom and Wildlife Drugs 24:19

6M ago24:19

24:19

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson

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145. Summer Heat: A Strength Compilation 20:20

6M ago20:20

20:20

Welcome to Episode 145 of Sexual Assault Survivor Stories. It's hard to believe, but the year is already half gone!...WoW! By way of celebrating this half-way point of this year's shows, I wanted to provide a compilation of a few of the powerful, brave, survivors who have guested on this show. I picked out some of the more gripping and impressionab…

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Mary Notarangelo - The Decomposed Connecticut Detective 24:25

6M ago24:25

24:25

CONNECT WITH JULIE MATTSON: • Website: https://pushinguplilies.com • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pushingupliliesBy Julie Mattson