In this episode of Perfect Prey, I'm joined by Richard Grannon, author of A Cult of One, psychology educator, and internationally recognized voice on narcissistic abuse recovery.

Together, we explore one of the most misunderstood questions surrounding coercive control: Why do victims stay? Richard offers a thought-provoking perspective on trauma, attachment, power, and the psychological mechanisms that keep people trapped in abusive relationships. We also discuss how these same dynamics impact children growing up in coercively controlling family systems and why healing requires far more than simply "walking away."

This conversation challenges traditional ideas about codependency, explores the concept of the "cult of one," and examines how coercive control creates an environment where victims gradually lose trust in themselves while becoming increasingly dependent on the abuser.

What we cover

•The psychology behind coercive control

•Why victims stay in abusive relationships

•The "Cult of One" concept

•Trauma bonding and attachment

•Codependency versus subjugation

•Why children align with abusive parents

•Power dynamics in coercively controlling families

•Ego resilience and recovery

•Betrayal by family court and legal systems

•Why understanding abuse is essential for healing

Why listen

Whether you're a survivor, protective parent, therapist, attorney, or advocate, this episode offers a deeper understanding of why coercive control is so difficult to recognize—and even harder to escape. Richard Grannon provides a fresh perspective on recovery while challenging long-held assumptions about abuse, trauma, and victimization.

Guest Bio

Richard Grannon is the author of A Cult of One, a psychology educator, speaker, and internationally recognized expert on narcissistic abuse recovery and complex trauma. With a background in behavioral psychology and over a decade of educating survivors worldwide, Richard helps people understand coercive control, establish healthy boundaries, and rebuild their lives after psychological abuse.

Connect with Richard Grannon

Website

https://richardgrannon.com/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@RichardGrannon

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/richard.grannon/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/RICHARDGRANNON/

X (Twitter)

https://x.com/RichardGrannon

Connect with Dr. Christine

🩵 Protective Parenting Program

https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/

Official Website

https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videos

TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrol

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/

TEDx Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24s

Books

Framed

https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBook

Every Moment of Every Day

https://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDay

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, share it with someone who may benefit, and leave a review. Your support helps bring trauma-informed conversations about coercive control to more survivors, professionals, and protective parents.

—

Dr. Christine Cocchiola & Richard Grannon

In this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m joined by Professor Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, Professor of Intersectional Justice at University College London (UCL), whose research examines coercive control, legal entrapment, institutional abuse, migration, and human rights.

Together, we explore how coercive control extends beyond intimate relationships and into family court systems, why protective mothers and children often experience institutional betrayal, and how legal systems can unintentionally reinforce abuse rather than prevent it. We also discuss the Hague Convention, children's voices in family court, and why meaningful reform must begin by listening to survivors.

What we cover•Coercive control beyond intimate relationships

•Family court as a form of institutional abuse

•The Hague Convention and international custody cases

•Legal entrapment and human rights

•Why children's voices are often misunderstood

•Joan Meier's research on child abuse allegations

•The misuse of parental alienation allegations

•Why systemic reform is urgently needed

Why listenIf you're a survivor, protective parent, clinician, attorney, researcher, or advocate, this episode offers a powerful human rights perspective on coercive control and family court abuse. Professor Ayeb-Karlsson shares how research can help expose institutional failures and create meaningful change for women and children.

Guest bioProfessor Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson is Professor of Intersectional Justice at University College London (UCL). Her research focuses on legal entrapment, intersectionality, coercive control, migration, human trafficking, exploitation, and mental wellbeing.

She has published more than 100 academic works, including over 50 peer-reviewed articles, with more than 17,000 citations. Professor Ayeb-Karlsson leads the Everyday Disasters and Violences Research Group at UCL and previously served as a Senior Researcher with the United Nations University's Migration Section. She also leads the mental health and intersectionality work for the Lancet Countdown, is a core member of Hague Mothers and the Council of Europe's Network of Specialised Lawyers and NGOs Assisting Women Victims of Violence, and serves on several international editorial boards.

Connect with Professor Sonja Ayeb-KarlssonUCL Profile: https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/87069-sonja-ayebkarlsson

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=kM8LTfkAAAAJ&hl=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profayebkarlsson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prof-sonja-ayeb-karlsson-67692676/

Facebook ; https://www.facebook.com/profayebkarlsson/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@profayebkarlsson

Blueskyhttps://bsky.app/profile/profayebkarlsson.bsky.social

Most of Professor Sonja's research articles are available free of charge. She regularly shares free article downloads on her Instagram, including papers that cannot otherwise be made open access due to journal restrictions.

Connect with Dr. Christine🩵 Protective Parenting Program:https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/Official Website:https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videosTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrolInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/TEDx Talk:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24sBooks:Framedhttps://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBookEvery Moment of Every Dayhttps://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDayIf this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, share it with someone who may benefit, and leave a review. Your support helps more survivors, professionals, and protective parents find these conversations.

—

Dr. Christine Cocchiola & Professor Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson

DescriptionIn this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m joined by Jeremy Indika, child sexual abuse educator, survivor, speaker, and advocate. Jeremy shares his own experience of childhood sexual abuse and explains why understanding grooming, coercive control, and child exploitation has never been more urgent.Together, we explore how perpetrators identify vulnerable children, the similarities between child sexual predators and coercive controllers, and why abuse is so often hidden in plain sight. Jeremy explains how grooming happens both offline and online, why "stranger danger" misses the mark, and what parents can do to empower children without taking away their innocence. We also discuss the rise of online exploitation, the importance of body autonomy education, role-playing safety skills with children, and why creating confident, educated children makes them far less attractive targets for predators.This conversation is both deeply personal and incredibly practical—offering parents, caregivers, educators, and professionals the tools to better understand how abuse happens and, more importantly, how we can prevent it.What we cover•Jeremy Indika's story as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse•The connection between coercive control and child sexual abuse•The stages of grooming and how predators build trust•Why children are "perfect prey" for abusers•The dangers of online grooming, pornography, and sextortion•Why "stranger danger" is no longer enough•Body autonomy and age-appropriate abuse prevention•Teaching children confidence, boundaries, and safe disclosure•Why role-playing difficult situations helps protect children•Supporting children without creating fear•Why education—not shame—is the key to preventionWhy listenIf you're a parent, educator, clinician, advocate, or simply someone who wants to better understand how child sexual abuse happens, this episode provides practical, trauma-informed guidance that could help protect a child.Jeremy reminds us that abuse is rarely about force in the beginning—it's about grooming, trust, and manipulation. By understanding these tactics, adults can create safer environments where children are empowered to speak up and predators lose their greatest advantage.Guest BioJeremy Indika is a child sexual abuse educator, speaker, survivor, and advocate dedicated to preventing child sexual exploitation through education and awareness.Drawing from both his lived experience and years of advocacy, Jeremy works with schools, parents, law enforcement, and organizations to teach practical strategies for recognizing grooming behaviors, empowering children, and preventing abuse before it occurs. Through workshops, social media, YouTube, and his podcast, Jeremy is helping make conversations about child protection more accessible, practical, and impactful.Connect with JeremyWebsite: https://www.jeremyindika.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyIndikaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyindikaTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyindikaPodcast: https://www.jeremyindika.com/podcastConnect with Dr. Christine:Protective Parenting Program: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/Dr. C's Community: https://go.drcocchiola.com/innercirclecommunityOfficial site: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videosTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrolInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/TEDxTalks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24sBooks:https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBookhttps://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDayIf this episode landed for you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe for more trauma-informed conversations, and consider leaving a review—it helps other survivors find validation and safety.— Dr. Christine Cocchiola & Jeremy Indika

Description

In this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m joined by Ann Burgess, pioneering forensic nurse, researcher, educator, and author of Expert Witness. Ann’s groundbreaking work transformed how professionals understand trauma, victimization, sexual violence, and offender behavior. Her research has influenced criminal investigations, forensic psychology, victim advocacy, and some of the most well-known criminal cases in modern history.

Together, we explore the long-term impact of trauma, why victims are so often disbelieved, and how systems continue to fail those who come forward. Ann shares insights from decades of work studying victims, offenders, serial violence, child abuse, and the psychology of coercion and control. We also discuss institutional betrayal, trauma responses in children and adults, family court failures, pornography, grooming, and what it takes to create meaningful change within systems that were never designed to fully protect victims.

What we cover

• Ann Burgess’s pioneering work in victimology and forensic nursing

• How trauma impacts behavior across the lifespan

• Why victims are often disbelieved by systems and institutions

• Institutional betrayal and systemic failures

• Coercive control, fear, and psychological abuse

• Trauma responses in children and adolescents

• Child sexual abuse and delayed disclosure

• Family court, victim credibility, and expert testimony

• The role of pornography and grooming in abusive behavior

• The Menendez case and evolving understandings of trauma

• Why trauma-informed education is critical for professionals

• How offender thinking patterns develop and escalate

Why listen

If you are a survivor, clinician, attorney, advocate, educator, or protective parent, this episode offers a rare opportunity to hear from one of the most influential voices in trauma and victim research.

Ann Burgess’s work helped shape how we understand trauma today. Her insights illuminate why victims respond the way they do, why systems often misunderstand those responses, and why meaningful reform requires us to listen more closely to survivors’ experiences.

Guest Bio

Ann Burgess, DNSc, APRN, FAAN is an internationally recognized forensic nurse, researcher, educator, and author. She is a professor at Boston College and has spent decades studying trauma, victimization, sexual violence, serial offenders, and forensic mental health.

Ann's groundbreaking research on rape trauma syndrome helped transform the understanding of victim responses to sexual assault. She has consulted with the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, contributed to offender profiling research, and served as an expert witness in numerous high-profile cases.

She is the author of several books, including Expert Witness, which chronicles her work at the intersection of trauma, criminal behavior, and justice.

Connect with Ann Burgess

Book: Expert Witnesshttps://www.amazon.com/stores/Ann-W.-Burgess/author/B0H13DQXPP?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1780604748&sr=1-3&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=9489809f-1ae4-4998-b8db-a0cbcc536d23

Boston College Faculty Profile: https://www.bc.edu

Connect with Dr. Christine

Protective Parenting Program: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/

Dr. C’s Community: https://go.drcocchiola.com/innercirclecommunity

Official site: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videos

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrol

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/

TEDxTalks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24s

Books:

https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBook

https://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDay

If this episode landed for you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe for more trauma-informed conversations, and consider leaving a review — it helps other survivors find validation and safety.

— Dr. Christine Cocchiola & Ann Burgess

In this solo episode of Perfect Prey, Dr. Christine Cocchiola explores the connection between coercive control, childhood trauma, attachment, and the growing number of children being diagnosed with ADHD and other behavioral disorders.

Dr. Cocchiola challenges listeners to consider a critical question: what if many of the behaviors we label as “problematic” are actually trauma responses? What if children living within coercively controlling family systems are being misunderstood rather than truly seen?

Drawing from the work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Gabor Maté, Dr. Bruce Perry, and betrayal trauma theory, this episode examines how trauma can manifest as fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses in children — and how coercive control fractures attachment, identity, safety, and regulation.

Dr. Cocchiola also discusses how predatory parents weaponize children, how attachment is intentionally disrupted, and why protective parents play such a critical role in healing and rebuilding safety for their children.

What we cover

This episode is essential listening for protective parents, clinicians, educators, advocates, and anyone trying to better understand trauma, child behavior, and coercive control.

• How trauma can mimic ADHD symptoms
• Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn trauma responses in children
• Coercive control within family systems
• How predatory parents fracture attachment intentionally
• Why dysregulated children are often misunderstood
• Attachment, authenticity, and child development
• Trauma, dissociation, and emotional regulation
• The impact of coercive control on school performance and behavior
• Why children exposed to abuse may appear oppositional or disengaged
• Protective parenting and reigniting attachment
• Broken attachment, broken safety, and “broken brain”
• How systems often pathologize traumatized children instead of protecting them

Why listen

If you are raising a child impacted by coercive control, navigating post-separation abuse, or working professionally with children and families, this episode offers a trauma-informed framework for understanding behavior through the lens of attachment and survival.

Dr. Cocchiola invites listeners to shift away from asking “What’s wrong with this child?” and instead ask: “What happened to this child?”

Connect with Dr. Christine:

Protective Parenting Program: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/

Dr. C’s Community: https://go.drcocchiola.com/innercirclecommunity

Official site: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videos

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrol

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/

TEDxTalks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24s

Books:
https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBook

https://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDay

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who may need this conversation, subscribe to Perfect Prey, and leave a review — it helps other survivors and protective parents find support and validation.

🩵

— Dr. Christine Cocchiola

In this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m honored to be joined by Judith Herman, one of the world’s foremost pioneers in trauma research and recovery.

Dr. Herman is the author of the groundbreaking books Father-Daughter Incest, Trauma and Recovery, and Truth and Repair—works that fundamentally changed how we understand trauma, complex trauma, institutional betrayal, and survivor healing.

Together, we discuss the origins of trauma theory, the women’s movement that brought survivor voices into public consciousness, the devastating lifelong impact of childhood abuse and coercive control, and why children living in unsafe family systems are so deeply affected—even when the abuse is not overtly physical.

We also explore the ACEs study, attachment, institutional failures, protective parenting, intergenerational trauma, and the critical role of safe relationships in healing.

This is an essential conversation for survivors, clinicians, advocates, educators, attorneys, judges, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of trauma and recovery.

What we cover

• The origins of trauma and complex trauma theory

• How the women’s movement changed the understanding of abuse

• Dr. Herman’s groundbreaking work on incest and child sexual abuse

• The lifelong mental and physical health impacts of childhood trauma

• The ACEs study and adverse childhood experiences

• Coercive control, family violence, and child development

• Isolation as a tactic of abuse and coercive control

• Why children exposed to family violence are profoundly harmed

• Protective factors that help children heal from trauma

• Attachment, belonging, and the importance of safe relationships

• Institutional betrayal and why survivors must be heard

• Protective parenting and rebuilding connection with children

Why listen

If you are a survivor, protective parent, clinician, advocate, educator, researcher, or legal professional, this episode offers foundational insight into trauma, coercive control, attachment, and recovery.

Dr. Herman’s work helped shape the modern understanding of trauma and continues to guide how we think about healing, institutional accountability, and the long-term impact of childhood abuse.

Guest bio (short)

Judith Herman, MD, is a psychiatrist, researcher, professor, and internationally recognized pioneer in the study of psychological trauma. She is the author of Father-Daughter Incest, Trauma and Recovery, and Truth and Repair, groundbreaking works that transformed the understanding of trauma, complex PTSD, and survivor recovery.

About Dr. Judith Lewis Herman

• Guilford Press: https://www.guilford.com/author/Judith-Lewis-Herman?srsltid=AfmBOopF18dr2S7Z0VoukbbZiSSvNFY7XqwmoLAmoT2OykKgsoR2T4fY

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Lewis_Herman

• Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/judith-l-herman-md

Connect with Dr. Christine:

Protective Parenting Program: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/

Official site: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videos

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrol

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/

TEDxTalks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24s

Books: https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBook

https://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDay

If this episode landed for you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe for more trauma-informed conversations, and consider leaving a review — it helps other survivors find validation and safety.

🩵

— Dr. Christine Cocchiola & guest Dr. Judith Herman

Description

In this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m joined by Ali Kessler, founder of Greyson’s Choice, child safety advocate, and a powerful voice for prevention, awareness, and systemic change.

Ali shares her deeply personal story of loss, resilience, and purpose—and how unimaginable grief became a mission to protect other children. Through Greyson’s Choice, Ali has transformed pain into advocacy, using her son Greyson’s legacy to create education, awareness, and meaningful change for families everywhere.

This conversation is both heartbreaking and inspiring, highlighting what it means to carry love forward through action, courage, and protection.

What we cover

• The story behind Greyson’s Choice

• Honoring Greyson’s legacy through advocacy

• Turning grief into purpose and prevention

• Why child safety awareness matters

• Systemic gaps that leave children vulnerable

• Supporting families after trauma and loss

• Creating change through courage and community

Why listen

If you are a parent, survivor, advocate, clinician, or someone navigating grief after trauma, this episode offers compassion, courage, and hope.

Ali’s story is a reminder that even after devastating loss, love can still become action—and protection for others.

Guest bio (short)

Ali Kessler is the founder of Greyson’s Choice, a child safety advocacy organization created in honor of her son, Greyson. Through education, awareness, and reform efforts, she works to protect children, support families, and create lasting change in Greyson’s memory.

Connect with Ali Kessler:

Website: https://greysonschoice.org

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/greysonschoice/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreysonsChoice

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greysons-choice/posts/?feedView=all

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjQd87p3UbsHmUWxVkxJlUw

Connect with Dr. Christine Cocchiola:

Protective Parenting Program: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/

Official site: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videos

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrol

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/

TEDxTalks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24s

Books:https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBook

https://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDay

If this episode landed for you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe for more trauma-informed conversations, and consider leaving a review — it helps other survivors find validation and safety.

🩵

— Dr. Christine Cocchiola & guest Ali Kessler

Description

In this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m joined by Emma Katz, criminologist and author of Coercive Control in Children’s and Mothers’ Lives. Emma is one of the leading researchers in the world examining how coercive control impacts children—not just as witnesses, but as direct victims navigating survival, attachment, and identity.

Together, we explore how children experience coercive control in deeply complex ways, how abusers strategically target the mother-child bond, and why so many systems continue to misunderstand—or completely overlook—the perpetrator’s role.

This conversation offers both profound validation and hope, highlighting the resilience of children and the critical role of protective parents in healing and recovery.

What we cover

• Why children are not “witnesses” but direct victims of coercive control

• How perpetrators strategically target and damage the mother-child relationship

• The three ways children experience abusive fathers: dangerous, “admirable,” and omnipresent

• How manipulation, intermittent reinforcement, and fear shape children’s attachment

• Why children may align with the abusive parent—and why that is not a choice

• The psychological impact of coercive control on children’s identity, safety, and development

• The resilience of children and the power of attachment with a protective parent

• What recovery can look like for families after coercive control

Why listen

If you are a protective parent, survivor, clinician, or professional working with families, this episode offers essential insight into how coercive control shapes children’s experiences—and why traditional frameworks often get it wrong.

Emma’s research brings clarity to what many families are living through, while also offering hope: children can heal, attachment can be rebuilt, and protective parenting matters more than anything.

Guest bio (short)

Emma Katz is a criminologist, researcher, and author specializing in coercive control and its impact on women and children. She is the author of Coercive Control in Children’s and Mothers’ Lives and writes extensively about domestic abuse, family dynamics, and systemic responses. Her work has been instrumental in shifting the understanding of children as active victims of coercive control rather than passive witnesses.

Learn more about Dr. Emma Katz

Substack:

https://substack.com/@dremmakatz

Official Site:

https://dremmakatz.com/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/emmakatz_phd

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-emma-katz-5b911865/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx1f7_MhfCmVufMQS0ZPRjQ

X(twitter):

https://x.com/DrEmmaKatzBook (Coercive Control in Children’s and Mothers’ Lives): 

https://www.amazon.com/Coercive-Control-Childrens-INTERPERSONAL-VIOLENCE/dp/0190922214/

Connect with Dr. Christine

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-christine-marie-cocchiola-443a58204/

Protective Parenting Program:https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/

Official site:https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videos

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrol

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/

TEDxTalk:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24s

Books:https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBookhttps://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDay

If this episode landed for you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe for more trauma-informed conversations, and consider leaving a review — it helps other survivors find validation and safety.

🩵

— Dr. Christine Cocchiola & guest Emma Katz

Description

In this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m joined by Donna Palomba, founder of Jane Doe No More and survivor of a violent home invasion and sexual assault that led to years of institutional betrayal.

Donna shares her harrowing story—from surviving a brutal attack in her own home to being disbelieved, interrogated, and re-traumatized by the very system meant to protect her. What followed was a seven-year legal battle against law enforcement, uncovering systemic failures, bias, and the devastating impact of not believing victims.

This conversation explores not only the trauma of the assault itself, but the profound harm caused by institutional betrayal—and the strength it takes to fight back, seek justice, and create change.

What we cover

• Donna’s story of surviving a violent home invasion and sexual assault
• The immediate aftermath and failures in the investigative process
• Institutional betrayal and being treated as a suspect instead of a victim
• The long legal battle against law enforcement and systemic resistance
• The role of DNA evidence and delayed justice
• How perpetrators often live “double lives” and evade suspicion
• The impact of statute of limitations laws on survivors
• Donna’s advocacy work and the founding of Jane Doe No More
• Prevention, education, and empowering communities to protect others

Why listen

If you are a survivor, advocate, clinician, attorney, or protective parent, this episode offers a powerful and deeply emotional look at what happens when systems fail victims—and what it takes to hold those systems accountable. Donna’s story is both heartbreaking and hopeful, showing that even in the face of profound injustice, change is possible.

Guest bio (short)

Donna Palomba is the founder of Jane Doe No More, an organization dedicated to improving the way society responds to survivors of sexual crimes and advancing prevention education. After surviving a violent sexual assault and years of institutional betrayal, Donna became a leading advocate for victims’ rights, helping change laws and educate communities on safety, accountability, and survivor support.

Learn more about Donna Palomba & Jane Doe No More:

Website: ⁠https://janedoenomore.org/⁠Book (Jane Doe No More): ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Doe-No-More/dp/1642939709⁠Podcast (Jane Doe No More Podcast): ⁠https://janedoenomore.org/podcast/⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/janedoenomore/⁠Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/janedoenomore⁠LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/jane-doe-no-more/⁠

Connect with Dr. Christine

Protective Parenting Program:⁠https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/⁠

Official site:⁠https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/⁠

YouTube:⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videos⁠

TikTok:⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrol⁠

Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/⁠

Books:⁠https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBook⁠⁠https://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDay⁠

If this episode landed for you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe for more trauma-informed conversations, and consider leaving a review — it helps other survivors find validation and safety.

— Dr. Christine Cocchiola & guest Donna Palomba

Description

In this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m joined by Dr. Elizabeth Dalgarno, founder and director of the SHERA Research Group and lecturer in public health at the University of Manchester. Dr. Dalgarno’s work focuses on the global harms caused by family court systems and the institutional abuse experienced by women and children navigating these legal processes.

Through SHERA’s groundbreaking research, Dr. Dalgarno and her international team have documented how family court engagement can produce profound health consequences for protective parents and children. Their studies reveal a disturbing pattern: when abuse is reported, mothers are frequently accused of “parental alienation,” their credibility is questioned, and the legal system often becomes an extension of the abuse rather than a source of protection.

Together, we explore how coercive control continues after separation, how courts can become tools of post-separation abuse, and why the health impacts of family court trauma are still largely ignored by institutions responsible for protecting families.

What we cover

• The mission and global research of the SHERA Research Group

• How family court systems create institutional betrayal for survivors

• The health consequences of family court trauma for women and children

• The “blueprint” pattern many protective parents experience after reporting abuse

• Why parental alienation frameworks often silence abuse disclosures

• The concept of malicious fracturing of attachment

• How coercive control continues through legal systems after separation

• Why systemic reform is necessary to protect children and survivors

  
  

Why listen

If you are a survivor, protective parent, clinician, researcher, attorney, or advocate, this episode offers crucial insight into how family court systems can perpetuate harm rather than stop it. Dr. Dalgarno’s research provides evidence-based documentation of what protective parents have been saying for decades—and highlights why systemic reform is urgently needed.

Guest bio (short)

Dr. Elizabeth Dalgarno is the founder and director of the SHERA Research Group, a global collective studying the health impacts of institutional abuse within family court systems. She is a lecturer in public health at the University of Manchester, where she teaches global women’s public health and health system challenges. Her research focuses on the intersection of coercive control, institutional harm, and the health consequences experienced by women and children navigating family courts worldwide.

Learn more about SHERA Research

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherafamily_
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/sherafamily
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sherafamily
Substack: Still Not Safe – Dr. Dalgarno

Connect with Dr. Christine

Protective Parenting Program:
https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/

Official site:
https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videos

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrol

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/

Books:
https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBook
https://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDay

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe to Perfect Prey, and consider leaving a review. Your support helps other survivors and protective parents find validation and clarity.

— Dr. Christine Cocchiola & guest Dr. Elizabeth Dalgarno