Survivor Stories

Emma Kay
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Society & Culture

Behind every headline is a story of survival. Hosted by Emma Kay, Founder of WalkSafe and a survivor herself, Survivor Stories celebrates real people doing extraordinary work - transforming trauma into advocacy and pain into purpose. This is a safe space to listen, connect, be a part of a community. We discuss heavy themes, so please prioritise your wellbeing and come back when you're ready. New episodes drop each week, listen wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram: @survivorstoriesltd YouTube: @EmmaKay-SurvivorStories TikTok: @survivor.storiesltd

Episodes

  1. Season 1, Episode 6 Trailer ·  Video

    Farah Naz - I am a voice for victims & their families

    TRAILER: In this episode of Survivor Stories, host Emma Kay is joined by Farah Naz - psychotherapist and campaigner. Since the murder of her niece Zara four years ago, Farah has become one of the UK's most consistent and vocal advocates for justice reform, campaigning on sentencing law, probation failures, victims' rights and the wider culture around violence against women and girls. Recorded on the fourth anniversary of Zara's death, Farah talks about the woman Zara was - a hardworking, funny, animal-loving law graduate on the cusp of qualifying at the Royal Courts of Justice - and the annual "Walk Zara Home" vigil that retraces the walk she never finished. She speaks candidly about the inquest finding that state and systemic failings contributed to Zara's death, the years-long wait for the Angiolini report, and her discovery that there is still no body in place to make sure inquiry recommendations are actually acted on - a gap she likens to the ongoing fight for a Hillsborough Law. They also discuss Farah's proposed Good Samaritan Law - drawn up pro bono with barrister Casey - to give citizens a duty to step in when they witness harm, and her belief that ordinary people have the capacity to help ordinary people, if we're willing to look towards each other instead of away. Farah reflects on grief, hope, and her wish for Zara to be remembered not for how she died, but as a superhero for the change made in her name. Content warning: This episode contains detailed discussion of murder, domestic abuse, sexual harassment, grief and systemic institutional failure. Listener discretion is strongly advised — please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Farah Naz - I am a voice for victims & their families

  2. 6d ago ·  Video

    Juliana Terlizzi - I stopped a serial rapist

    In this episode of Survivor Stories, host Emma Kay is joined by Juliana Terlizzi - former pastry chef and Founder of Food Trip, now a campaigner and advocate for victims of rape and serious sexual assault. Juliana moved from Brazil to London to build the career and life she'd always dreamed of, before her relationship with her then-partner turned into a nightmare of manipulation, control and abuse. Juliana shares what happened: discovering she had been drugged, sexually assaulted and filmed without her knowledge, and reporting it to the police alone. She speaks candidly about the failures that followed - misinformation about his bail, eight months without leaving her flat, and finding around a dozen other women he had also abused - and the two-and-a-half-year wait for a trial that ended in his conviction and an 18-year sentence. Juliana and Emma also discuss what came next: her fight to access her own court transcripts, the campaign for victims' rights that led to a partial amendment to the Victims' Rights bill, and how she found her strength again - with the support of other survivors, her therapist, her dog, and, in time, love again with her now husband. Her message is one of hope - that healing isn't linear, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Content warning: This episode contains detailed, first-hand accounts of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, coercive control and institutional failure. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Juliana Terlizzi - I stopped a serial rapist

  3. Season 1, Episode 5 Trailer ·  Video

    Juliana Terlizzi - I stopped a serial rapist

    TRAILER: In this episode of Survivor Stories, host Emma Kay is joined by Juliana Terlizzi - former pastry chef and Founder of Food Trip, now a campaigner and advocate for victims of rape and serious sexual assault. Juliana moved from Brazil to London to build the career and life she'd always dreamed of, before her relationship with her then-partner turned into a nightmare of manipulation, control and abuse. Juliana shares what happened: discovering she had been drugged, sexually assaulted and filmed without her knowledge, and reporting it to the police alone. She speaks candidly about the failures that followed - misinformation about his bail, eight months without leaving her flat, and finding around a dozen other women he had also abused - and the two-and-a-half-year wait for a trial that ended in his conviction and an 18-year sentence. Juliana and Emma also discuss what came next: her fight to access her own court transcripts, the campaign for victims' rights that led to a partial amendment to the Victims' Rights bill, and how she found her strength again - with the support of other survivors, her therapist, her dog, and, in time, love again with her now husband. Her message is one of hope - that healing isn't linear, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Content warning: This episode contains detailed, first-hand accounts of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, coercive control and institutional failure. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Juliana Terlizzi - I stopped a serial rapist

  4. Oct 6 ·  Video

    David Challen: I freed my mum from prison

    David Challen a domestic abuse advisor, campaigner and author, who successfully campaigned to free his mother, Sally Challen, in a landmark 2019 appeal that helped define coercive control in UK law. David shares his own story: growing up in a household shaped by his father's coercive control, years of witnessing humiliation and isolation, and the day he learned his mother had killed his father in 2010. He speaks candidly about identifying his father's body, standing by his mother through her conviction for murder, and the years-long fight - alongside his lawyer and the evidence of coercive control - that led to her retrial and eventual release. David and Emma also discuss the media's role in reporting domestic abuse, why so many survivors go unheard, and what intergenerational trauma looks like. They talk about what it means to be a male ally, and about rebuilding a relationship with his mother since her release. David's book, The Unthinkable, is available now. Content warning: This episode contains detailed, first-hand accounts of coercive control, domestic homicide, sexual violence, and childhood trauma, along with references to suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised - please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    David Challen: I freed my mum from prison

  5. Season 1, Episode 4 Trailer ·  Video

    David Challen: I freed my mum from prison

    TRAILER: David Challen a domestic abuse advisor, campaigner and author, who successfully campaigned to free his mother, Sally Challen, in a landmark 2019 appeal that helped define coercive control in UK law. David shares his own story: growing up in a household shaped by his father's coercive control, years of witnessing humiliation and isolation, and the day he learned his mother had killed his father in 2010. He speaks candidly about identifying his father's body, standing by his mother through her conviction for murder, and the years-long fight - alongside his lawyer and the evidence of coercive control - that led to her retrial and eventual release. David and Emma also discuss the media's role in reporting domestic abuse, why so many survivors go unheard, and what intergenerational trauma looks like. They talk about what it means to be a male ally, and about rebuilding a relationship with his mother since her release. David's book, The Unthinkable, is available now. Content warning: This episode contains detailed, first-hand accounts of coercive control, domestic homicide, sexual violence, and childhood trauma, along with references to suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised - please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    David Challen: I freed my mum from prison

  6. Sep 29 ·  Video

    Natasha Saunders: I made threats to share intimate images illegal

    In this episode of Survivor Stories, host Emma Kay is joined by Natasha Saunders — keynote speaker and a leading voice on domestic abuse and trauma-informed leadership. Known to her police colleagues as "Trouble," Natasha has personally trained over 21,000 officers, including at the Metropolitan Police, and sits on independent advisory groups shaping how UK forces respond to domestic abuse. Natasha shares her own story in full: entering a relationship at 17 with a man in his 30s, and the years of isolation, coercive control and escalating abuse that followed - through the birth of her children and constant fear for her life and theirs. She speaks candidly about the moment she finally left, the three-year journey to trial, and the conviction that followed, then what came after: rebuilding her life, working with Refuge, and campaigning for change that helped close a gap in the law around threats to share intimate images. Throughout, Natasha and Emma discuss coercive control, why survivors stay, the pressures on police officers, and how humour, animals and loyal friends have helped Natasha heal. Her message: survive, rise, thrive - and we do it together. Content warning: This episode contains detailed, first-hand accounts of domestic abuse, coercive control, sexual violence and rape, and references to violence towards children and animals. Listener discretion is strongly advised - please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Natasha Saunders: I made threats to share intimate images illegal

  7. Season 1, Episode 3 Trailer ·  Video

    Natasha Saunders: I made threats to share intimate images illegal

    TRAILER: In this episode of Survivor Stories, host Emma Kay is joined by Natasha Saunders - keynote speaker and a leading voice on domestic abuse and trauma-informed leadership. Known to her police colleagues as "Trouble," Natasha has personally trained over 21,000 officers, including at the Metropolitan Police, and sits on independent advisory groups shaping how UK forces respond to domestic abuse. Natasha shares her own story in full: entering a relationship at 17 with a man in his 30s, and the years of isolation, coercive control and escalating abuse that followed - through the birth of her children and constant fear for her life and theirs. She speaks candidly about the moment she finally left, the three-year journey to trial, and the conviction that followed, then what came after: rebuilding her life, working with Refuge, and campaigning for change that helped close a gap in the law around threats to share intimate images. Throughout, Natasha and Emma discuss coercive control, why survivors stay, the pressures on police officers, and how humour, animals and loyal friends have helped Natasha heal. Her message: survive, rise, thrive - and we do it together. Content warning: This episode contains detailed, first-hand accounts of domestic abuse, coercive control, sexual violence and rape, and references to violence towards children and animals. Listener discretion is strongly advised - please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Natasha Saunders: I made threats to share intimate images illegal

  8. Sep 22 ·  Video

    Figen Murray OBE: I forgave the terrorist - after losing my son at the Manchester Arena bombing

    In this episode, Emma sits down with Figen Murray OBE - multi-award-winning motivational speaker, psychotherapist and campaigner - whose life changed forever when she lost her son Martyn in the Manchester Arena terror attack. With no background in politics, security or lobbying, Figen set out to close a critical gap in UK law: the absence of legal requirements for basic security in public venues. What she believed would be a six-month campaign became a seven-year journey through five prime ministers, government departments and a global pandemic - including a 200-mile, 16-day protest walk to Downing Street. That journey led to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 receiving Royal Assent, now widely known as Martyn's Law. In this conversation, Figen speaks candidly about campaigning as "Martyn's mum," the personal cost of public life, the online abuse she faced, and why she made the decision - just three and a half weeks after Martyn's death - to publicly forgive his killer. She also shares who Martyn really was: his humour, his love of Coronation Street, and the memorials she's created in his memory. Along the way, she reflects on grief, resilience, and what still needs to happen before Martyn's Law is fully implemented. Content Warning: This episode includes first-hand accounts of a terrorist attack, bereavement and grief. Listener discretion is strongly advised - please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Figen Murray OBE: I forgave the terrorist - after losing my son at the Manchester Arena bombing

  9. Sep 14 ·  Video

    Nour Norris OBE: I changed the 999 response - after my sister and niece were murdered

    Welcome to Episode 1 of Survivor Stories, hosted by Emma Kay, Founder of WalkSafe. In this first episode, Emma is joined by Nour Norris OBE - psychotherapist and creator of Raneem's Law. In 2018, Nour's sister Khaola and niece Raneem were stabbed to death by Raneem's ex-partner, after Raneem had called 999 fourteen times to report threats to kill her - calls that police repeatedly failed to log, follow up or assess correctly. Nour shares what came after: pursuing justice through the courts, then the years-long inquest that took 33 police officers to account and found that police failings materially contributed to Khaola and Raneem's deaths. Findings so serious the coroner issued the government two Prevention of Future Deaths notices, something she said she'd never had to do in 30 years. She speaks candidly about the point she nearly broke completely, and how that loss led her to retrain as a psychotherapist specialising in trauma and domestic abuse. Nour and Emma also discuss Raneem's Law, which is putting specialist domestic abuse training into every 999 control room in the country, and the culture of victim-blaming Nour has spent nearly eight years campaigning to change - what it means to lead with love instead of anger, meeting the King, and her hope for a future free from fear. Content warning: This episode contains detailed, first-hand accounts of domestic homicide, coercive control, institutional and police failure, and references to suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised - please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Nour Norris OBE: I changed the 999 response - after my sister and niece were murdered

  10. Season 1, Episode 1 Trailer ·  Video

    Nour Norris OBE: I changed the 999 response - after my sister and niece were murdered

    TRAILER: Welcome to Episode 1 of Survivor Stories, hosted by Emma Kay, Founder of WalkSafe. In this first episode, Emma is joined by Nour Norris OBE - psychotherapist and creator of Raneem's Law. In 2018, Nour's sister Khaola and niece Raneem were stabbed to death by Raneem's ex-partner, after Raneem had called 999 fourteen times to report threats to kill her - calls that police repeatedly failed to log, follow up or assess correctly. Nour shares what came after: pursuing justice through the courts, then the years-long inquest that took 33 police officers to account and found that police failings materially contributed to Khaola and Raneem's deaths. Findings so serious the coroner issued the government two Prevention of Future Deaths notices, something she said she'd never had to do in 30 years. She speaks candidly about the point she nearly broke completely, and how that loss led her to retrain as a psychotherapist specialising in trauma and domestic abuse. Nour and Emma also discuss Raneem's Law, which is putting specialist domestic abuse training into every 999 control room in the country, and the culture of victim-blaming Nour has spent nearly eight years campaigning to change - what it means to lead with love instead of anger, meeting the King, and her hope for a future free from fear. Content warning: This episode contains detailed, first-hand accounts of domestic homicide, coercive control, institutional and police failure, and references to suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised - please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Nour Norris OBE: I changed the 999 response - after my sister and niece were murdered

  11. Season 1, Episode 2 Trailer ·  Video

    Figen Murray OBE: I forgave the terrorist - after losing my son at the Manchester Arena bombing

    TRAILER: In this episode, Emma sits down with Figen Murray OBE - multi-award-winning motivational speaker, psychotherapist and campaigner - whose life changed forever when she lost her son Martyn in the Manchester Arena terror attack. With no background in politics, security or lobbying, Figen set out to close a critical gap in UK law: the absence of legal requirements for basic security in public venues. What she believed would be a six-month campaign became a seven-year journey through five prime ministers, government departments and a global pandemic - including a 200-mile, 16-day protest walk to Downing Street. That journey led to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 receiving Royal Assent, now widely known as Martyn's Law. In this conversation, Figen speaks candidly about campaigning as "Martyn's mum," the personal cost of public life, the online abuse she faced, and why she made the decision - just three and a half weeks after Martyn's death - to publicly forgive his killer. She also shares who Martyn really was: his humour, his love of Coronation Street, and the memorials she's created in his memory. Along the way, she reflects on grief, resilience, and what still needs to happen before Martyn's Law is fully implemented. Content Warning: This episode includes first-hand accounts of a terrorist attack, bereavement and grief. Listener discretion is strongly advised - please prioritise your wellbeing and pause or come back when you're ready.

    Figen Murray OBE: I forgave the terrorist - after losing my son at the Manchester Arena bombing
  • 6 Trailers
    5 Episodes

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About

Behind every headline is a story of survival. Hosted by Emma Kay, Founder of WalkSafe and a survivor herself, Survivor Stories celebrates real people doing extraordinary work - transforming trauma into advocacy and pain into purpose. This is a safe space to listen, connect, be a part of a community. We discuss heavy themes, so please prioritise your wellbeing and come back when you're ready. New episodes drop each week, listen wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram: @survivorstoriesltd YouTube: @EmmaKay-SurvivorStories TikTok: @survivor.storiesltd

Information

  • Creator
    Emma Kay
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Emma Kay
  • Show Website
    Survivor Stories

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