Betrayal Season 5: Updates from Ember, Natalie, and Stephanie | BONUS | Saskia’s Story
Podcast: Betrayal
Host: Andrea Gunning (iHeartPodcasts | Glass Podcasts)
Date: March 23, 2026
Episode Overview
This bonus episode provides powerful updates on three survivors previously featured in Season 5, Episode 7: Ember, Natalie, and Stephanie. Each woman’s story echoes the season’s central theme—the hidden trauma of intimate partner violence and the courageous path to healing. Through their voices, the episode explores systemic failures, emotional recovery, and the myth of the “perfect victim.” The updates reveal what has changed for them since first sharing their stories, including setbacks, personal milestones, advocacy, and hope.
Key Discussion Points & Survivor Updates
1. Ember’s Update: Navigating the Legal System and Finding Purpose
(Starts at 03:47)
- Recap: Ember discovered her fiancé John was drugging and raping her; he admitted his crimes to a pastor.
- Therapist’s Confession: John’s therapist broke confidentiality, warning Ember that John was “officially diagnosed as a sociopath” and urging her to leave for her safety (04:45).
- Choosing Not to Press Charges: Ember initially chose not to involve police, conditioning this on John’s commitment to therapy.
- Quote (05:28): “I said, I'm not going to press charges. I'm not going to go to the police as long as you continue getting the help you need to heal so you don't do this to other people.”
- Escalation and Reporting: Learning John had reoffended, Ember went to the police (05:53).
- She describes the experience as “retraumatizing,” struggling with memory gaps due to dissociation (06:07).
- The police dismissed her case for lack of evidentiary proof; only “his words to a pastor in a room” supported her account (06:50).
- Quote (07:29): “That is the most heartbreaking part of our legal system... You have real victims being courageous enough to come forward, and then nothing can be done.”
- Aftermath: John was never prosecuted. Ember found new strength in moving forward:
- Celebrated “20 years since she was raped” (08:00)
- Married a trustworthy partner; has two sons and a fulfilling career.
- Now works directly with survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation, helping create long-term safety plans.
- Quote (08:28): “80% of survivors of either trafficking or exploitation will be revictimized within a year if they don't have restorative help alongside them.”
- On Healing: Witnessing and supporting other survivors has brought her healing, too.
- Quote (09:19): “The instinct is to hide, is to run away from anyone who can observe that pain... In reality you need to lean in... reveal and drag it into the light so it doesn't keep thriving in the darkness.”
2. Natalie’s Update: Breaking the Secret and Setting Boundaries
(Starts at 09:39)
- Recap: Natalie discovered, while pregnant, that her husband Stephen had created and posted graphic material involving her.
- Quote (09:50): “You can see his hands, his wedding ring. And then I realized that I am in these images.”
- Living with Shame and Silence: For years, Natalie kept the secret, weighed down by shame and concerns about her children.
- Quote (10:08): “The shame was really unbearable. Like, who am I going to tell this to?”
- Co-Parenting Challenges: Stephen exploited the situation, blurring boundaries under the guise of visiting their children.
- Quote (10:51): “He would even come to my house and just knock on the door... My son would be like, ‘Oh, hey, dad. Hey, Mom. Can dad come in or can dad eat with us?’ And I'm like, ugh, okay. I would always give in...”
- Learning to Prioritize Herself: With time, Natalie set firmer boundaries.
- Quote (11:31): “He shouldn't be this comfortable. I don't have to let him do that. Eventually I'm like, no, enough. You're not going to do this anymore.”
- Telling Her Story: Opening up to her best friend/ex-sister-in-law (Steven’s sister) was a turning point.
- The friend “chose really victim blaming. That’s another just big blow to me.” (16:51)
- Finding Support and Hope: Therapy, trusted friends, and sisters have been crucial.
- Quote (17:16): “Talking about it and sharing my secret and letting this go and not carrying so much of it really helped.”
- Considering Justice: After 12 years, she’s contemplating reporting Steven, maintaining all evidence.
- Quote (17:58): “I have my son's tablet, I have memory cards and I have old cell phones that I just have saved... I feel like I'm ready to.”
- Consulted a rape crisis center for legal guidance (18:10).
- Quote (18:16): “What I feel matters, my struggles matter, and what I'm going through matters. So I have to stop protecting him and follow through with what I've been wanting to do for years.”
- Letting Go of the Secret: Natalie powerfully describes her healing:
- Quote (18:52): “I remember thinking about it like this huge elephant that I was trying to hide behind me... Now it's like the elephant is just further and further and further away from me.”
3. Stephanie’s Update: Reclaiming the Self and Advocacy
(Starts at 19:12)
- Recap: Stephanie found hundreds of nude photos of herself on her husband’s private Flickr account.
- Quote (19:18): “He had a Flickr account that was filled with nude photos of me. Hundreds of pictures.”
- Body Image and Trauma: Her discovery led to a complete transformation in her appearance and self-care as a form of protection.
- Quote (19:41): “When I was married... I cut off all my hair and I wore very plain, baggy, nondescript clothing.”
- Therapy and Recovery: Years later, and through therapy and yoga, Stephanie has begun to reclaim her identity.
- Quote (20:15): “My trauma was very rooted in the sight of my face and my body... By not taking care of myself... I could keep myself safe from seeing myself. And since the podcast and as I have continued with therapy and yoga, I have been able to reclaim myself again.”
- Quote (21:30): “When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, it's like, oh, that's actually me. I look like me again.”
- Advocacy for Other Victims: Stephanie wants her story to help others:
- Quote (21:41): “I strongly believe this is happening to lots of other women out there and they just don't know it yet... I want them to have a softer landing than I had, to have some resources so they don't feel like they are screaming into the void...”
- Rediscovering Hope:
- Quote (22:18): “For a long time, I thought the dirtiest, most foul word in the human language was hope.”
- Host Andrea responds: “F*** hope.” (22:26)
- Stephanie reflects: “There was no hope. And now, yeah, I can be hopeful.” (22:28)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Legal Barriers: “The most heartbreaking part of our legal system as it stands. You have real victims being courageous enough to come forward, and then nothing can be done.” – Ember (07:32)
- The Instinct to Hide: “The instinct is to hide, is to run away from anyone who can observe that pain. And in reality you need to lean in and... drag it into the light so it doesn't keep thriving in the darkness.” – Ember (09:19)
- Letting Go of Shame: “The shame was really unbearable. Like, who am I going to tell this to?” – Natalie (10:08)
- On Reclaiming Self: “By not taking care of myself... I could keep myself safe from seeing myself. And since the podcast and as I have continued with therapy and yoga, I have been able to reclaim myself again.” – Stephanie (20:15)
- On Hope: “For the longest time, I thought the dirtiest... word in the human language was hope. F*** hope. There was no hope. And now, yeah, I can be hopeful.” – Stephanie and Andrea (22:18–22:28)
Major Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------| | 03:47 | Ember’s update begins | | 04:45 | Therapist warning and Ember’s turning point | | 05:28 | Her condition to not press charges | | 06:07 | Reporting to police and retraumatization | | 07:32 | Legal system “heartbreak” & aftermath | | 08:00 | “20 year anniversary” and new beginnings | | 09:39 | Natalie’s update begins | | 10:08 | Grappling with shame and silence | | 10:51 | Co-parenting and blurred boundaries | | 11:31 | Setting boundaries and self-prioritization | | 16:51 | Disclosing to best friend and facing disbelief | | 17:16 | Finding support and beginning to heal | | 17:58 | Contemplating reporting after 12 years | | 18:52 | Elephant metaphor for secret’s weight | | 19:12 | Stephanie’s update begins | | 19:41 | Trauma and transformation of appearance | | 20:15 | Reclaiming self through therapy and yoga | | 21:41 | Advocacy for newer victims | | 22:18 | Coming to terms with hope |
Tone and Takeaways
The tone is raw, candid, and ultimately encouraging. The host and guests don’t shy from the complicated, lengthy, and nonlinear nature of healing from trauma. Each survivor’s story underscores that vindication rarely comes swiftly or easily, and meaningful recovery often happens despite systemic inaction. The episode champions solidarity, self-advocacy, and the importance of breaking the silence—no matter how much time has passed.
Resources:
If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual violence, visit RAINN or call/text their National Sexual Assault Hotline.
Contact:
Email: betrayalpod@gmail.com
Instagram: @betrayalpod | @glasspodcasts
Substack for community and exclusive content: https://betrayal.substack.com/