What They Don't Say: Sexual Assault and Everything in Between

My Rapist is in Prison… Well, Not Anymore

Life update! After taking a little over two months away from the podcast, Shannon is back to talk about something she’s never publicly discussed before: her rapist being sentenced to prison. She opens up about the emotional aftermath of trial, the complicated reality of “getting justice,” and why comments like “you’re lucky you got your day in court” may be doing more harm than people realize. Then she shares how discovering her perpetrator had been released from prison early, unexpectedly landed her in Washington DC advocating for changes to the military sexual assault legal system. Cheers! Check out our merch: WhatTheyDontSay.com/shop Got questions? Have an episode idea? Send us an email: Hello@WhatTheyDontSay.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/ Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@whattheydontsayofficial If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted and needs support: 1-800-656-4573 (National Sexual Assault Hotline)

What Survivors Wish Their Families Knew

Sexual assault does not just impact the survivor. The impacts of it can often ripple through an entire family. In this episode, Shannon walks through the basics of what survivors wish their families understood, including how to respond when someone discloses and why trying to “fix it” can cause more harm. She also talks about family dynamics from the survivor side, including the difference between being active and passive in conversations about sexual assault and why it is okay to choose peace and self-preservation over constant correction. Finally, she answers a listener's question about alcohol and consent: "If both people were drunk, is it still sexual assault?" So, grab your drink and toast to the families who are willing to do better. Cheers! Find a rape crisis center near you: https://www.valor.us/get-help/ [https://www.valor.us/get-help/] Project Callisto: https://www.projectcallisto.org/ [https://www.projectcallisto.org/] Check out our merch: WhatTheyDontSay.com Got questions? Have an episode idea? Send us an email: Hello@WhatTheyDontSay.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/ Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@whattheydontsayofficial If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted and needs support: 1-800-656-4573 (National Sexual Assault Hotline)

Epstein Files: When Institutions Fail, We Show Up [ft Jess Michaels]

The Epstein Files were supposed to bring transparency. Instead, they exposed what survivors already know: institutions protect themselves first. In this episode, Shannon sits down with Epstein survivor, advocate, and Founder, Jess Michaels, to unpack what’s actually happening with the Epstein Files, why the DOJ’s response matters far beyond this case, and what institutional failure looks like. But this conversation isn’t just about what went wrong. It’s about what we do when institutions don’t show up. They talk about how community care fills the gaps systems leave behind, why sexual assault is an injury first, and how the way we respond to harm can change everything. Follow Jess: https://www.instagram.com/jessmichaelsspeaks/ [https://www.instagram.com/jessmichaelsspeaks/] Become a #WithYouToo App Beta Tester: https://withyoutoo.3joannes.com/ [https://withyoutoo.3joannes.com/] Get Educated: www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence [www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence] Send us a message: WhatTheyDontSay.com Got questions? Have an episode idea? Instagram: www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/ [www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/] Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@whattheydontsayofficial [www.tiktok.com/@whattheydontsayofficial] If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted and needs support: 1-800-656-4573 (National Sexual Assault Hotline)

Shame Was My Motivator — A Man Who Didn’t Tell for 18 Years

Shannon sits down with Aaron Stone, a retired Army combat medic and survivor of sexual assault, to talk about what it means to live in silence for 18 years. Aaron was raped at 15 by someone he trusted. In the aftermath, shame became his motivator—shaping how he survived and why telling the truth didn’t feel possible for so long. He talks about freezing during the assault, then spending years pushing forward anyway, carrying what happened long into adulthood. This episode is for you if you’ve ever questioned why a man didn’t fight back, didn’t tell, or kept going like nothing happened. Cheers! Get in touch with Aaron: www.18winters.com [www.18winters.com/] Buy a Consent is Hot™ Hoodie: www.WhatTheyDontSay.com/shop [www.WhatTheyDontSay.com/shop] Got questions? Have an episode idea? Send us an email: WhatTheyDontSayThePodcast@gmail.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/ [www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/] Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@whattheydontsayofficial If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted and needs support: 1-800-656-4573 (National Sexual Assault Hotline)

What Comes After: A Crossover Conversation with Dave Markel

This week’s episode is a crossover conversation with Dave Markel from Sexual Assault Survivor Stories. This conversation centers around what survivors face every day: how people respond when a survivor shares their story, the misunderstandings that follow trauma, and the emotional labor survivors are often expected to carry. Shannon shares insight into the messy, painful, and confusing parts of her own journey, alongside the resilience and clarity that continue to shape her voice and her advocacy. This episode dives into day-to-day survival after trauma, relationships and intimacy, the legal process, and the importance of saying the things that too often go unsaid. Dave's SASS podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/33U3Vn4jGkzNf5weufDnjB?si=c1f725cf41044a06 [https://open.spotify.com/show/33U3Vn4jGkzNf5weufDnjB?si=c1f725cf41044a06] Send Dave an email: dave@sasstories.com Get Educated: www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence [www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence] Send us a message and/or check out our merch: WhatTheyDontSay.com [WhatTheyDontSay.com] Instagram: www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/ [www.instagram.com/whattheydontsayofficial/] Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@whattheydontsayofficial [www.tiktok.com/@whattheydontsayofficial] If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted and needs support: 1-800-656-4573 (National Sexual Assault Hotline) If you value these conversations and want to help us keep them going, one way to support is through Buy Me a Coffee [buymeacoffee.com/whattheydontsayofficial] . Your contribution helps us continue creating these conversations. And if monetary support isn’t accessible, rating the show, sharing an episode, or following along on social helps more than you know <3