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How a marriage slowly tightened into coercive control. We sit down with Manisha to trace the subtle beginnings of abuse, rules about food and clothes, isolation disguised as tradition and the long arc toward reclaiming safety, dignity and voice. What starts as cultural expectation becomes gaslighting, invisible bruises and sexual coercion designed to leave no evidence. The most searing image arrives when her eight-year-old stands between parents, arms wide and Manisha decides to change the story.

Across this conversation, we unpack how abusers test limits, how communities can unknowingly enable harm and why “why didn’t she just leave?” misses the complexity of risk, finances, visas and the law. Manisha shares the quiet tactics that kept her children safer, the calculated steps to rebuild employability and savings, and the strategic move to a country where protection was possible. Freedom, she explains, wasn’t a finish line. After the move came the crash of CPTSD, depression and the hard work of therapy that shifted shame back to the perpetrator and named sexual violence for what it was.

What emerges is a grounded roadmap for survivors and allies to recognise patterns of narcissistic abuse, document and plan, learn your legal options and build a discreet support web. We talk about raising strong kids after violence, reclaiming identity beyond roles and finding meaning through advocacy. Manisha’s lens is clear and hopeful, if 20 years were taken, the next 20 can be lived at full volume. Listen for practical insight, hard-won wisdom and a reminder that safety, healing and autonomy are possible.

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Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and stories shared on this podcast are personal to the host and guests and are not intended to serve as professional advice or guidance. They reflect individual experiences and perspectives. While we strive to provide valuable insights and support, listeners are encouraged to seek professional advice for their specific situations. The host and production team are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.