So Much Life on the Other Side: Women, Resistance and Reclaiming Power After Abuse
- OML Admin
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Our podcast host and producer, Abi Thomas shares her reflections on our upcoming Own My Life podcast:
“It is like having been in a cage, and coming out into the world. There’s just so much life on the other side.” Naomi
“He convinced us that I would be nothing without him, that I’d be a prostitute, I would have nothing, I wouldn’t be able to live without him, but I’m doing amazing actually!” Lorna
There are some sentences that send a tingle down your spine. These are the words of two of the 8 outstanding women I interviewed for the new Own My Life podcast. When I tell people I’ve been making a podcast with women who have been subjected to abuse, their usual response is sympathy. But meeting the amazing women who have shared their story with me has been one of the most life affirming things I have ever done!
One of the joys I experienced whilst listening to each woman share their story with me, was hearing their stories of resistance. Before I came across Own My Life, that’s not something I would have expected. But each of the women I spoke to shared how they retained some of their self-worth and identity by resisting their partner’s abuse of them, whether by refusing to repair a toilet, or surreptitiously giving him the middle finger inside a pocket! Natalie Collins, my co-host and expert gave another wonderful example of a woman cooking her abusive partner “cat food chilli” every Friday.
I’m proud that each of these interviews challenges the victim stereotype that women passively accept what men do to them - resistance proves that no matter what he is doing to her, women still value themselves, retain some power and are not entirely controlled by the abuser.
But whilst there was a lot of laughter and joy during each interview, of course these are also stories where men have behaved violently, coercively, manipulatively, often deliberately confusing or brain-washing their partners. And I don’t need to remind you that they each women who deserve nothing less than to be loved, valued and supported. Monty shares how her partner abused her for 23 years, Naomi's hurt her for over 15 years. Though Jade’s relationship was much shorter, 11 months, the lasting impact of his violence and coercive behaviour have far outlived this timeframe. The long and arduous attempt to gain legal protection from the abuser, is as Natalie says, nothing less than a “bin-fire”.
But shining through all the stories we hear is strength, power, and freedom. They have each found a sisterhood within the Own My Life course that has uplifted them and reminded them they matter, and that they are not alone.
I hope that sharing each woman’s story of resistance, recovery and new life helps many other precious women find their way to own their life. I’m also anticipating that these episodes help people know how to support their friends or family who are being subjected to abuse. Because women deserve better, and because there is just “so much life on the other side.”
✨ Find out more about the podcast HERE.
✨ You can subscribe now on all podcast platforms by searching for "Own My Life", and there's a short preview of the podcast to listen to! For easy access you can get directly to the podcast on these platforms: