DAY 1 - WHERE WE STOP
READ
In June 2005, Kristin Mitchell was killed by her ex-boyfriend 20 days after her college graduation. Kristin’s family was faced with a huge decision: concentrate on healing themselves, or use their experience to help others who might face a similar situation. Besides detailing the tragedy, this book offers sound advice gained from domestic violence counselors, law enforcement professionals, and actual dating violence survivors. Had the Mitchells read a book like "When Dating Hurts", they are certain Kristin would be alive today. Parents should read it for the sake of their daughters, a son, or a sister, a niece, a friend, or a co-worker.
LISTEN
In this episode of The Rising Beyond podcast, Lis Hoyte talks about her goal to bring education on coercive control and healthy relationships into the school systems in the UK and then across the globe. We talk about the realities of when coercive control starts to show up in the relationships of our teens and tweens and some of the consequences of this. We talk about the challenges of getting schools on board with bringing this into the classroom. We also look at some benefits that might come from adding this curriculum to our schools, including introducing this information to the staff so that families dealing with coercive control and post-separation abuse can get better treatment and allowing children with coercively controlling parents the education to truly see and understand their situations.
FOLLOW
Glasgow Girls Club was set up in 2014 to open doors to opportunities and pathways for girls and young women facing adversity, so they can build brighter futures for themselves and their communities.
With support from the National Lottery, Robertson Trust, and GCVS, we piloted the city’s first Community Connector initiative for young women at risk of crisis. Our vision has always been rooted in the power of connected communities and innovative partnerships.
Today, that vision also means creating spaces where young women co-design projects and campaigns alongside architects, planners, and civic partners - shaping safer, fairer cities and influencing the decisions that matter.
As a social enterprise, we also sustain our work by developing media and digital tools that amplify voices, spark collaboration, and create employability opportunities for young women.
DAY 2 - FUCK THEM ALL
WATCH
THE ACTIVISTS FIGHTING FOR ABORTION ACCESS IN POLAND
"Since 2021, Poland has effectively outlawed abortion, meaning it is now only allowed in cases of rape or incest or if the pregnant woman’s life or health is at risk.
This powerful story shows the human cost of some of the most restrictive abortion rules in Europe. It focuses on the family of a woman who developed sepsis and died after her waters broke at 20 weeks.
The centre guides women navigate their limited legal options for terminating a pregnancy safely. In addition, we gained exclusive access inside a convent that operates a baby hatch - allowing mothers to anonymously leave their unwanted newborns, without fear of legal consequences."
LISTEN
THE INTERNATIONAL RISK PODCAST
The discussion explores the complex situation in Ukraine, with a focus on the risks of sexual violence, the dynamics of the conflict, the challenges in supporting and protecting survivors, and the wider implications for international law and human rights. The episode features Nerida Williams, Senior Humanitarian Communications Advisor for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, who has extensive experience responding to global crises and recently worked directly with Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Ukraine. Through her insights, the conversation aims to highlight the gendered dimensions of the war and the ongoing risks faced by women in Ukraine. The International Risk Podcast welcomes Williams as a knowledgeable guest to provide this perspective.
FOLLOW
Women Help Women is an international activist non-profit organization working on access to abortion. We are feminist activists, trained counselors, medical professionals, and researchers based across 4 continents who have a strong focus on supporting self-managed abortion, especially in places where abortion is restricted by laws, stigma and lack of access. Our projects include (a) a global telehealth service that provides information, support and abortion pills to women around the world and (b) partnerships with local feminist groups around the world to support increased access to abortion pills.
Feminist activism, human rights, reproductive justice and harm reduction are the foundations for our work to improve access and change social norms and the discourse around abortion.
DAY 3 - TINY MOVEMENTS
READ
GOODBY SWEET GIRL: A STORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SURVIVAL
In this brave and beautiful memoir, written with the raw honesty and devastating openness, Kelly Sundberg chronicles how her marriage devolved from a love story into a shocking tale of abuse—examining the tenderness and violence entwined in the relationship, why she endured years of physical and emotional pain, and how she eventually broke free.
WATCH
DRUGGED AND ABUSED: NO MORE SHAME
Caroline Darian, the daughter of Gisele and Dominique Pelicot, emerges as a fearless whistleblower exposing the hidden epidemic of drug-facilitated sexual assault in France. It follows her fight for justice, political action and a shift in shame from the victims to the perpetrators.
LISTEN
CHEMICAL CONTROL: DRUGGED AND RAPED BY MY HUSBAND
A British woman talks to reporter Jane Deith about how she confronted the unthinkable - that the man she thought loved her, had been secretly drugging and sexually assaulting her for years and her fight for justice. We also hear from her children on the devastating impact.
DAY 4 - LEAVING YELLOWSTONE
WATCH
AMERICAN MURDER: THE GABBY PETITO STORY
A young couple's cross-country van journey, documented on social media, ends in tragedy. A Netflix true-crime documentary charting the disappearance and murder of Gabby Petito, exposing how a seemingly picture-perfect relationship concealed patterns of coercive control and intimate partner violence.
LISTEN
FEMINIST HORROR - SEVENTH ROW PODCAST
A conversation exploring how modern horror reflects women’s inner worlds and systemic oppression, spotlighting films like Raw, Thelma, and Unsane that blend psychological realism with feminist critique.
FOLLOW
BTSADV (Non-Profit 501 C-3) programs play a crucial role in supporting individuals experiencing domestic violence by offering a lifeline. We provide understanding, resources, and empowerment. In the isolating darkness of abuse, these programs serve as beacons of hope.
DAY 5 - DON’T BE LATE, MYRA
READ
An illustrated children’s book, the first of its kind in Pakistan, that helps children and parents navigate the complex conversations around body boundaries, personal space and safety planning as it pertains to sexual abuse prevention.
LISTEN
Produced by UN Women Pakistan, the podcast “Gender Talks” provides a powerful platform to amplify the voices of individuals promoting dialogue necessary for sustainable change.
The first episode features guests Nilofar Bakhtiar, chairperson of the National Commission for the Status of Women in Pakistan, and Sharmeela Rassool, Country Representative for UN Women in Pakistan.
FOLLOW
Equality Now leads the way in driving the legal and systemic change needed to end violence and discrimination against all women and girls, everywhere in the world, to the benefit of all.
DAY 6 - MEASUREMENTS
WATCH
REAL-LIFE RED FLAGS: COERCIVE CONTROL EXPLAINED BY JESS PHILLIPS & ALICE LIVEING
Influencer and Women’s Aid ambassador Alice Liveing sits down with Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, to talk openly about coercive control - what it looks like, the red flags to watch out for.
LISTEN
In this series, journalist Marisa Bate explores the profound psychological impact of male violence against women, something 1 in 3 European women have experienced with powerful testimonies including from Gino Cecchettin, the father of an Italian femicide victim whose case sparked an outpouring of grief and anger.
FOLLOW
A group of 88 organisations in Italy, which manage 118 anti-violence centres and more than 60 shelters, listening to around 24 thousand women every year. They work closely with national and international institutions, including those drafting legislation on women's rights.
DAY 7 - SHE’S ASKING FOR IT
READ
THE WAY WE SURVIVE: NOTES ON RAPE CULTURE
Activist and journalist Catriona Morton, wants to change the narrative around survivors... this book offers up a cultural critique of rape culture in the UK, along with personal, intimate insights into how survivors live with and cope in the aftermath of such a violation. Exploring consent and education, the mental and physical health of survivors, the cultural shift, the impact of politics and governmental cuts and realities of dating and reclaiming sexuality in the aftermath of sexual violence.
WATCH
Zara McDermott investigates rape culture in schools in the UK, exploring how men and women are socialised differently. We learn how the education system in the UK does not do enough to support survivors of sexual violence in schools. The UK needs to change the way boys and girls are raised and how they see their roles in relationships- behaviour society views as protective and passionate from men, is often coercive and abusive.
LISTEN
MICHELE MEEK ‘CONSENT CULTURE AND TEEN FILMS: ADOLESCENT SEXUALITY IN US MOVIES’
This podcast from New Books Network offers an exploration into how adolescent sexuality is portrayed in American films, focusing on depictions of consent. This discussion is thought provoking, and is an enlightening listen for anybody who is interested in how consent is handled in media about teenagers.
DAY 8 - BIRD WOMAN
WATCH
In this powerful short film by Charlotte Wells depicts a woman on a crowded New York City subway sexually assaulted in plain sight on a a crowded subway train and highlights the inaction of bystanders.
LISTEN
Women who are groped on trains across East Asia face the further threat of their assault being filmed and uploaded for sale online. The investigation goes inside this dark and twisted world to hear from the perpetrators of these horrendous crimes - and meet the women who are fighting back.
BBC World Service's investigative unit, BBC Eye, uncovers a network of websites selling these abuse videos. The websites are run by a shadowy figure known as “Uncle Qi”. He’s hailed as a guru by an online community of perverts. But who is he?
FOLLOW
Safe City is an online resource where people can anonymously share incidents of sexual harassment or violence. By sharing experiences, patterns can be identified and analysed and shared with local governments to find solutions.
DAY 9 - MANGO
READ
In this British Vogue article, Joan Iyiola discusses her own personal experiences with fiborids, and the inspiration for her short film MANGO.
LISTEN
On Womenstrual The Podcast, listen to Screenwriter, Actress, and Producer Joan Iyiola, alongside Consultant Obstetrics / Gynaecologist Dr. Christine Ekechi — two trailblazing women whose collaboration turned a personal health journey into an award-winning film. After Joan’s challenging experience with fibroids, and her diagnosis and treatment by Dr. Christine, she asked herself “what happens when science and art unite?” The result? MANGO — inspired by Joan’s experience with fibroids (one the size of a mango) this powerful short film follows a young freelancer whose life changes drastically as she battles with the discomfort, anxiety and miseducation of fibroids, an invisible disorder that many women silently endure.
FOLLOW
Co-producer of MANGO, Consultant Gynaecologist and leading advocate for equitable fibroid care. With fibroids disproportionately impacting Black women, and too often met with silence, stigma, or medical dismissal, her work has pushed for better pathways, earlier diagnosis, and compassionate, culturally informed care.
DAY 10 - CONTRACTIONS
READ
NO CHOICE: THE FALL OF ROE V WADE AND THE FIGHT TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO ABORTION
NO CHOICE introduces the origin of abortion and its practice in global cultures, before focusing its gaze on the battle that has been waged for the past century across America, shining a light on the eerie ways in which life before Roe will be mirrored in life after. The wealthy and privileged will still have access, low-income people will suffer disproportionately, and pregnancy will be heavily policed.
Taking us to the frontlines - to clinics, courtrooms, local communities, charities - Andrews tells the deeply moving stories of those who have had abortions, and those who have fought - and are fighting - for the right to abortion. There is a glimmer of faint hope, though. As the battle moves to state legislatures around the country, the book profiles the people who are doing ground-breaking, inspiring work to ensure safe, legal access to this fundamental part of healthcare.
LISTEN
THE NOCTURNISTS: POST-ROE AMERICA
Award-winning medical storytelling podcast, this series opens at a reproductive health conference - we follow a few of them home, as they scramble in the aftermath to figure out what the ruling means for their practices, their patients, and themselves.
FOLLOW
PLANNED PARENTHOOD: TENNESSEE AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI
One of Tennessee's oldest and largest private, non-profit health care agencies. For over 75 years, PPTNM has remained committed to providing high-quality, affordable reproductive services and education throughout Tennessee and North Mississippi.
DAY 11 - THE AWAKENING
READ
WINDSWEPT
‘Windswept’ is a self-proclaimed feminist exploration of walking in wild landscapes. Annabel Abbs explores different stories of extraordinary women through walking their remote paths. She challenges the idea that the wilds are male territory both physically and literary, and carves out walking in the wilds a as a fundamental human need.
WATCH
RURAL RAPE VICTIMS STRUGGLE TO GET JUSTICE
Major Indian cities have seen mass protests against sexual violence. In rural India, justice for the rape or sexual abuse of young girls is hard to come by. This documentary explores the stories of girls living with the trauma of victim-blaming. But some social activists are trying to change the status quo.
FOLLOW
SAKHI
A feminist, non-governmental, not for profit, right based organisation based in Trivandrum, Kerala, India. It was conceived as a ‘space’ for women and aims to see the world through women’s eye and experiences, advocating for change within institutions and structures to create gender just practices and programme.
DAY 12 - HOPE IS LOST
READ
WORK BAN FORCING 10% OF UK ASYLUM SEEKERS INTO SEX WORK
This Guardian article reports on a study, highlighting how poverty, dependency and policy barriers intertwine to trap vulnerable women in dangerous situations.
LISTEN
JUSTICE FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS SEEKING ASYULM AND REFUGE - GIRL*S LISTEN UP
In this episode Freya is joined by two inspiring women working towards justice for refugees and people seeking asylum. Fae Mira Gerlach is co-chair of Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle and has 15 years experience in her career working in research, policy, human rights advocacy and now community based charity work supporting refugees and people seeking asylum. Zozan Yasar is a journalist, filmmaker and researcher with lived experience of the asylum system in the UK. She is now completing her PhD at the University of Edinburgh. We discuss the struggles faced by women seeking asylum in the UK, and how the system can fail to adequately protect people. We delve deep into re-traumatisation, unsuitable living conditions, restrictions on agency, racism, stigmatisation and mental health issues.
FOLLOW
WOMEN FOR REFUGEE WOMEN
A charity supporting asylum-seeking women facing gender-based violence, homelessness, detention, and exploitation. Their research and testimonies highlight how refugee women are driven into unsafe and exploitative situations due to systemic barriers.
DAY 13 - THE TRUCK
READ
JUST PILLS: THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF A REVOLUTION IN ABORTION CARE
As women's rights are increasingly under attack, journalist Rebecca Kelliher dives into the gripping history of abortion pills, weaving together the many people who, across decades and continents, have sought to ensure access to these medications.
WATCH
This documentary by Tracy Droz Tragos follows a secret grassroots organization fights to expand access to abortion pills across the United States, keeping hope alive during a global pandemic and the fall of Roe vs. Wade.
FOLLOW
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
ASEC is a U.S. organisation dedicated to expanding access to emergency contraception through research, advocacy and public education. They work to dismantle policy barriers, promote accurate information, and support nationwide reproductive freedom initiatives.