#391: In this episode, the GT Radio team explores how media can help people understand, recognize, and talk about intimate partner violence. Starting with a client’s experience using Interview with the Vampire to explain a past abusive relationship to their partner, the conversation expands into how fiction, fantasy, memoir, television, film, music, and games can make patterns of abuse more visible and easier to discuss. The hosts examine why metaphor and exaggeration (like vampires and supernatural power dynamics) can sometimes feel safer and more accessible than realistic depictions, while also addressing the risks of romanticizing, trivializing, or mis-marketing abuse in media. Along the way, they discuss representation, accountability, marketing ethics, cultural narratives, and why naming abuse matters for survivors and for the people trying to support them.

Characters / Media Mentioned

• Interview with the Vampire (AMC series)
• Louis de Pointe du Lac
• Lestat de Lioncourt
• Claudia
• A Normal Lost Phone (video game)
• Last Call (video game, Nina Freeman)
• So Much for Love (graphic memoir by Sophie Lambda)
• Marbles (graphic memoir)
• Game of Thrones
• White Lotus (Season 1)
• 13 Reasons Why
• It Ends With Us (film and novel)
• Jennifer’s Body
• Silent Hill 2
• Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
• “We Cry Together” (Kendrick Lamar)

Themes / Topics Discussed

• Intimate Partner Violence
• Emotional Abuse
• Psychological Manipulation
• Power and Control
• Gaslighting
• Isolation
• Trauma Representation
• Romanticization of Abuse
• Media Responsibility
• Content Warnings
• Survivor-Centered Storytelling
• Metaphor and Fantasy as Coping Tools

Relatable Experiences Discussed

• Difficulty Leaving an Abusive Relationship
• Explaining Past Trauma to a Partner
• Being Targeted by Abusers
• Re-entering Abusive Dynamics
• Self-Blame and Shame
• Feeling Trapped
• Recognizing Red Flags Too Late
• Finding Validation Through Media

Want to continue the conversation? Join the GT community and share the media that helped you recognize, understand, or talk about abuse—whether personally, professionally, or with someone you care about.
Connect with the Geek Therapy Network:

• Website: https://geektherapy.org
• Community Forums: https://forum.geektherapy.org
• Social Media: @GeekTherapy

What piece of media helped you understand an unhealthy or abusive relationship more clearly?
How do you feel about fantasy or metaphor being used to depict real-world abuse?
Where do you draw the line between starting conversations and trivializing harm in media?