199. Hannah King (Part 1): The Long Road Begins Here

Some stories simply can't be told in a single conversation. This week begins a special three-part series with Hannah King, whose life changed forever after she was drugged and violently sexually assaulted while traveling outside the United States. In the months that followed, she found herself unable to return to the work she loved while focusing instead on surviving the emotional, psychological, and physical effects of trauma. Supported by her family, she began the difficult process of rebuilding a life that had been unexpectedly interrupted. In Part One, Hannah shares the beginning of that journey. Rather than rushing through the details, she takes us into the reality of what happened and the immediate aftermath that followed. Her willingness to speak openly about those first days and weeks provides an honest look at how profoundly trauma can affect every aspect of a survivor's life. This conversation lays the foundation for the deeper discussions that will continue in Parts Two and Three. One of the things I hope you'll hear throughout this series is that healing is rarely a straight line. Recovery isn't measured by how quickly someone "gets over it." Instead, it's often found in the quiet decision to keep moving forward one day at a time. Hannah's courage in sharing her experience is a gift to survivors everywhere, and I believe each episode in this series builds upon the one before it. If Hannah's story resonates with you, I hope you'll not only share this episode, but also return next week as her journey continues in Part Two. An important side note: if you're finding value in this show and these amazing episodes, please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating on your podcast platform. AND, follow SexualAssaultSurvivorStories on Instagram, then, please send me a note of support. I can't tell you how much your emails mean to me—they fuel my passion to keep this podcast going. And if you're a victim or survivor and are ready to tell your story in order to help yourself or someone else heal, let me know, and we can start a conversation about the possibility of you being on the show. Here's my email address: dave@sasstories.com Thank you to all of you who have reached out to me already. Just provide me with a phone number where I can reach back out to you…because I like to talk to people who are interested in guesting. And please keep those emails and texts coming…I truly look forward to hearing from you! Here are some critically important links that I hope you'll take the time to explore, and where a contribution is requested, please consider doing so! https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-my-daughter-rebuild-her-life-after-assault?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn42fXw4WgcITWIo_CZ5J14iLwQV2ry6GbodnzD0Zm6Vg0oP5ohPyGusU-aYI https://www.instagram.com/thehannahbking/?hl=en https://1in6.org/ https://soulwisesolutions.com https://safeinharmsway.org https://sironahealing.com/ https://www.whattheydontsay.com www.arcigrey.com https://startbybelieving.org https://evawintl.org/ As mentioned, and emphasized, it's time to Normalize the Conversation.™ And please remember to Start by Believing…because we all know someone whose life has been impacted by rape or sexual assault. Thank you for tuning in. -Dave