A quiet voice can carry a lifetime. Shanita Dawson joins us to trace a path from a toddler’s first memory of violence to an adult survivor who turned near-death into purpose, authorship, and advocacy. What begins with hard truths—molestation, decades of domestic abuse, and being shot multiple times—opens into a masterclass on recognizing control, trusting discernment, and building an exit before danger escalates.

We talk about the invisible forms of abuse that rarely get named: financial traps, spiritual manipulation, isolation disguised as care, and the seduction of the familiar. Shanita lays out the forces that keep people stuck—father wounds, shame, myths about “providing,” and family silence—and how writing her chapter in Our Journey From Girls To Women became a release valve and a roadmap. She shares how faith reframed her identity, how she parented with radical honesty, and how her son’s choices show what it looks like to break generational cycles with intention.

You’ll leave with practical tools: early warning signs that matter, what to document, why community must intervene, and how to prepare a safety plan that includes finances, documents, and a network that actually picks up the phone. We also dig into teen dating violence, school outreach, and the stark truth that shelters are often full—making hotlines and local networks critical lifelines. If you or someone you love is asking “Is this abuse?” this conversation offers language, steps, and hope you can act on today.

Listen, share with a friend who needs courage, and help us amplify survivor voices. If this moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: which insight will you carry forward?