Escape the Paradox
Welcome to Escape the Paradox, where I expose the hidden reality of coercive control and domestic violence including psychological, emotional and physical abuse.
I’m Helena, a survivor of childhood abuse. I'm a mental health nursing student and advocate, here to support you in breaking free from the confusion, fear, and isolation that abuse creates.
Home should be the safest place, but for many, it becomes the most dangerous.
In each episode, I share my personal story and dive into my own experiences, as well as survivor experiences, trauma-informed insights, and expert research to help you understand the mechanisms of abuse and begin your healing journey.
We’ll explore tactics such as gaslighting, and how abusers wield and seek power and control, not to diagnose, but because naming abuse is the first step in reclaiming your reality.
If you're ready to reconnect with your truth and rebuild your self-worth through clarity and understanding, you’re in the right place.
Follow Escape the Paradox on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok: @escapetheparadox.
Escape the Paradox
Intimidation in Relationships: Understanding Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Coercive Control
In this episode, I delve into the element of intimidation in abusive relationships and how it oppresses the target, making escape incredibly challenging. I also share my personal experience with the very real tactics abusers use to discredit their targets, adding even more layers of difficulty to leaving.
Sources
Please see this study regarding PTSD, and the associations between experiencing trauma and threats, as in DV/IPV/Child Abuse:
Kredlow, A., Fenster, R. J., Laurent, E. S., et al. (2022). Prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and threat processing: Implications for PTSD. Neuropsychopharmacology, 47(1), pp.247–259. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-021-01155-7
Please see the study which I drew on to show the similarities between threats and intimidation. This article was used more in Episode 2.
Wood, K., Giesbrecht, C. J., Brooks, C., & Arisman, K. (2024). "I couldn't leave the farm: Rural women's experiences of intimate partner violence and coercive control." Violence Against Women. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012241279117
Together, we’ll explore the complexities of coercive control, learn how to speak our truth, and find strength in knowing we’re not alone. This is a space where we can come together, share our struggles, and rebuild our lives, one word at a time.
If you’d like to connect, share your story, or even be part of the podcast, you can email me at escapetheparadox@outlook.com. Follow the podcast on TikTok and Instagram—just search for @escapetheparadox.
Listen in on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. I’m here to walk this path with you.
Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and join me as we break the silence together. In upcoming episodes, we’ll dive deeper into the realities of coercive control, hear from survivors, and explore ways to reclaim our voices and our power.
