Clark Fredericks sits down with Anne-Marie — a survivor of non-stranger assault who spent decades in silence, then discovered her abuser was running for city council in Melrose, Massachusetts. What she did next took courage. What happened after tested everything. Anne-Marie lost her mother at seven and grew up near Boston in a home ruled by an abusive stepmother. As a high school senior on an unsupervised spring break trip to Bermuda, she was sexually assaulted by a male classmate after a night of drinking — an experience she buried for years under shame, silence, and self-doubt. It wasn't until the Brock Turner case resurfaced her trauma that she reached out to her abuser directly. Then in 2023, a Facebook message from a former roommate revealed he was campaigning for public office. Anne-Marie consulted legal counsel, posted a public statement — and faced denials, smear tactics, and retaliation. Now she's fighting to strengthen Massachusetts anti-SLAPP and defamation protections so survivors who speak out aren't punished for telling their truth. If this episode moved you — subscribe, share, and leave a comment. Someone you know may need to hear this story. 00:00 Welcome and Purpose 00:13 How Blackbird Found Her 01:31 Performing and Q and A 03:12 Growing Up Near Boston 04:12 Loss and Stepmom Chaos 09:54 Impact on Confidence and School 11:08 Teen Drinking Culture 11:53 Bermuda Spring Break Setup 14:04 Night at the Bar 19:40 Assault and Aftermath 21:46 Why She Stayed Silent 23:27 Public Awareness and Seeing Him Again 24:31 Bar Encounter Apology 26:03 Moving to Boston 27:15 Triggers and Consent 28:41 Life After Assault 29:46 Telling Her Husband 31:03 Abuser Runs for Office 40:21 Legal Steps and Statement 45:17 Backlash and Smear Tactics 48:34 Changing Defamation Law 56:33 Healing and Advocacy #FreeLikeMe #ClarkFredericks #AnneMariesStory #SurvivorStory #SpeakingOut #DefamationLaw #AntiSLAPP #SurvivorAdvocacy #NonStrangerAssault #HealingFromTrauma #BreakTheSilence #MassachusettsLaw #SurvivorPodcast #TraumaRecovery #YouAreNotAlone

A roommate's Facebook message changed everything. Anne-Marie had already reached out to her abuser twice — once during the Brock Turner case, once more — hoping to understand the pain he caused. Then she saw him campaigning for city council in Melrose. #FreeLikeMe #ClarkFredericks #SurvivorStory #SpeakingOut #BrockTurner #SurvivorAdvocacy #AccountabilityMatters #TraumaRecovery #BreakTheSilence

Four years after Bermuda, Anne-Marie ran into him at a crowded Boston bar. He said "sorry about Bermuda" — then walked away. She didn't respond in the moment. But the question stayed with her: if it was consensual, what exactly was he apologizing for? #FreeLikeMe #ClarkFredericks #SurvivorStory #NonStrangerAssault #SurvivorVoice #TraumaAwareness #HealingOutLoud #BreakTheSilence #AccountabilityMatters

Anne-Marie grew up in a house where you couldn't walk on the carpet, couldn't have friends over, and never felt at home. Her stepmother made the rules clear — and the kids paid the price. #FreeLikeMe #ClarkFredericks #AnneMariesStory #WalkingOnEggshells #ChildhoodTrauma #ToxicHomeEnvironment #HealingFromChildhood #SurvivorStory #FamilyTrauma

Clark Fredericks sits down with Vanna — a survivor of childhood instability, severe abuse, and a terrifying knife incident — who found her way through faith, poetry, and the decision to break the cycle. | Free Like Me Podcast with Clark Fredericks Vanna grew up in constant chaos. Her mother had her at 13, later battled bipolar disorder and substance abuse, and made stability feel impossible. Her father was incarcerated until she was 13. By high school, Vanna was isolated, depressed, and facing suicidal thoughts with no support system. Then came the night her mother ran at her with a knife — the moment that changed everything. In this episode, Vanna opens up about CPS involvement, being parentified too young, moving out at 18, and the long road through therapy and numbness before real healing could begin. She talks about how faith, reading, and writing poetry became her lifeline — and why she's choosing stability over the cycles she was raised in. 00:00 Welcome From Texas 00:23 Snowstorm Travel Plans 02:03 Trauma And Memory 03:18 Moving Homes No Stability 04:26 Meeting Dad After Prison 08:31 Mom Addiction And Chaos 11:38 Discipline And Abuse 13:49 Food Scarcity And Takeout 15:37 High School Isolation 17:47 Depression And No Support 22:09 Suicidal Thoughts And Faith 24:28 Knife Incident And Survival 28:10 Independence And Parentification 29:43 Faith Amid Sadness 30:27 Mom Forces Job Exit 32:15 Running to Police Help 33:42 CPS Report and Fallout 36:34 Knife Attack Escalation 37:35 Moved to Safer Home 40:53 Restraining Order Struggles 41:33 First Apartment Reality 44:06 Therapy and Numbness 45:32 Recovered Abuse Memory 53:15 Healing Advice and Family 57:31 Poetry and Faith Path 59:19 Choosing Stability Over Addiction 01:04:21 Breaking Cycles Conclusion #FreeLikeMe #ClarkFredericks #SurvivorStory #ChildhoodTrauma #TraumaRecovery #HealingFromAbuse #FaithAndHealing #BreakingTheCycle #AbuseSurvivor #MentalHealthAwareness #SurvivorPodcast #DomesticViolenceAwareness #YouAreNotAlone #TrueStories

The terrifying moment her mother tried to st*b her, and how police reports, drugs in the home, and an unstable environment led to a court case and custody loss. This is a look at surviving an unsafe home and finally being moved into a more stable living situation. #DomesticViolence #ChildAbuseAwareness #SurvivorTestimony #FamilyTrauma #TrueStory #TraumaSurvivor #HealingFromAbuse #FreeLikeMePodcast #PodcastShorts #TraumaRecovery #BreakingGenerationalCycles #MentalHealthMatters #CPS #ProtectKids #Resilience