Something Was Wrong

Season 25, Episode 3: She Will Do Great Things

Podcast by Broken Cycle Media
Release Date: January 22, 2026

Episode Overview

This powerful episode continues Luna’s story—a survivor navigating the aftermath of trauma following sexual assault at her college. Luna, alongside her parents, recounts her experience reporting her assault, the institutional failures she faced, and her determined pursuit of justice through both campus and legal systems. The episode explores the emotional impact of the process, the burdens placed upon survivors, and the long and ongoing road to personal recovery and resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Aftermath of Assault and Institutional Response

• Reporting and Immediate Action: Luna describes reaching out to the Title IX office and the slow, sometimes chaotic response from college administration and law enforcement. The school repeatedly provided last-minute deadlines for documentation, creating significant stress for Luna and her legal team.

• Quote (Luna, 04:19):
  "The process leading up to it was kind of annoying... they would give us these deadlines... we would have to completely scramble to get all the information."

• Police Communication: Luna was not initially contacted by the investigating detective, but rather by a desk worker, and updates from law enforcement were infrequent and impersonal.

2. The Arrest and Initial Sense of Validation

• Arrest of the Offender: Luna describes the relief of learning her assailant (“Cody”) had been arrested.
• Quote (Luna, 05:20):
  "That was one of the best moments of this entire situation... I was finally listened to for the first time in the entire process."
  (Luna's Parents, 07:12, 07:17):
  "We just did a happy, screaming, celebratory dance... it took so long."

3. The Title IX Hearing Process

• Experience of the Hearing: The Title IX investigator was diligent and empathetic. However, the respondent (Cody) refused to participate or be cross-examined. Luna had to recount her trauma multiple times, including to a defense attorney who questioned her about irrelevant personal details, which Luna found re-traumatizing.
• Quote (Luna, 17:13):
  "His attorney got to cross examine me, but he never had to be cross examined... She had really tried to bring home the point of, what were you wearing? What movie were you guys watching?... I have no idea [what color his bed sheets were]."

Notable Institutional Failures

• Insensitive Social Media Post: The college posted a photo of the offender on official social media after his arrest, compounding Luna's distress.
• Quote (Luna, 09:07):
  "There was another point where my school's media team posted on their Instagram... after he had already been arrested. And I was like, you have to be kidding me. That was horrible."

4. Legal Outcomes and Ongoing Battles

• Winning the Title IX Case: Luna was validated when the investigative report found her allegations credible.

• Quote (Luna, 20:39):
  "I scrolled and I scrolled, and then I found in bold, the fact that she found that it was unconsensual, it was unwanted, and that he was guilty of misconduct... Every ounce of my being was awoken at once, and I felt like I came back to reality for the first time since that had happened to me."

• Civil Suit: The mishandling of her case led Luna’s family to pursue a civil lawsuit against the college, which became a high-profile local news story and resulted in further mishandling, including a sociology professor distributing details of Luna’s (anonymized) case in the classroom.

• Quote (Luna, 24:18):
  "We filed for the lawsuit in October 2024, a whole year later... we're actually still in a settlement lawsuit to this day, and it got a lot more complicated as time went on."

5. Systemic Issues and Emotional Toll

• Ongoing Negligence: Luna and her family detail repeated school failures, from public safety's unresponsiveness to underreporting in mandatory campus crime disclosures (Clery Report).

• Quote (Luna's Mother, 29:01):
  "That Clery report listed that there have been no sexual assaults on their campus in the past three years... We know of at least five."

• Trauma and Healing: Luna discusses delayed PTSD, the eventual decision to prioritize therapy, and the impact of self-blame and negative self-talk.

• Quote (Luna, 29:26):
  "I think I let denial take me a lot farther than I wanted it to... Rather than being helpful and fostering, you know, like a growth mindset... The more I talked about it with a therapist, the more I realized I didn't want that. And so it's not my fault."

6. The Criminal Sentencing

• Outcome of Criminal Case: Cody received a sentence of two years probation, with mandatory counseling, but was not required to register as a sex offender. Luna advocated to keep the probation in place for the duration of her college tenure.
• Quote (Luna, 34:12):
  "He was wearing the same cologne that he was wearing the night that he assaulted me... I walked into the courtroom and I was like, holy crap. I could just smell it. So that was kind of triggering..."
  (Luna's Father, 36:22):
  "It was absurd... The only saving grace was that Luna... wanted him to at least be on probation through the rest of her college."

7. Looking Back: Institutional Accountability and Parental Guidance

• Reflections on What Should Have Been Done: Immediate removal of the accused from campus, responsive campus safety, and accurate, transparent reporting could have prevented more harm.
• Parental Advice: Deeply investigate campus safety records, support your children unconditionally, and "fight back—don’t sit in silence."
• Quote (Luna's Mother, 38:22):
  "Be there to support for sure. Encourage them to talk and process... Make sure people are aware you're a victim. This happens and you can come out of this and you can be stronger."

8. Luna’s Present-Day Growth and Future

• Post-Trauma Recovery: Luna shares that she’s thriving: maintaining supportive relationships, continuing therapy, and pursuing her goals in nursing, inspired to potentially support other survivors as a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurse.
• Quote (Luna, 41:49):
  "I'm in the best place that I've been in in my adult life. I'm in therapy regularly. I've learned so much about not letting what happened to me make me who I am as a person, but rather using it as kind of a tool ... I've used it ... as a screening tool ... to keep myself out of danger."
• Parental Perspective:
  (Luna's Father, 40:54):
  "This horrible event happened to her, but it doesn't define her... she's going to be amazing. She will do great things."

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• "That was one of the best moments of this entire situation... I was finally listened to for the first time in the entire process."
  – Luna (05:20)

• "She just kept saying, well, what were you wearing? What movie were you guys watching? ... I have no idea [what color his bed sheets were]... I was scared ... you can't make rational decisions when you're in fight or flight mode..."
  – Luna (17:13)

• "Every ounce of my being was awoken at once, and I felt like I came back to reality for the first time since that had happened to me."
  – Luna (20:39)

• "Had they done their job the first time, my daughter would not have been assaulted because he would have been gone. But they didn't. They did nothing. They took part in it."
  – Luna's Father (37:06)

• "I feel like I've lived 20 different lives since that happened to me... The work is hard. And I'm still struggling to be totally honest. But... I've done everything I could to survive, to protect myself..."
  – Luna (32:11)

• "This horrible event happened to her, but it doesn't define her. She's still the same wonderful human being that she was before all of this. If anything, it just made her a stronger person and she's going to be amazing. She will do great things."
  – Luna's Father (40:54)

Timeline of Key Events

• October 2023: Luna is assaulted; reports to Title IX, begins process for restraining order.
• November – December 2023: Title IX investigation interviews; Cody arrested just before Thanksgiving (05:20); Cody refuses to participate further.
• February 2024: Investigation report finalized; chaotic, last-minute paperwork demands continue (15:06).
• March 14, 2024: Title IX hearing via Zoom; Luna prevails (17:13–19:56).
• Spring–Fall 2024: Civil suit filed, media attention and additional institutional mishandling.
• January 2025: Luna enters regular therapy after struggle with anxiety/PTSD.
• May 2025: Criminal sentencing of Cody—two years probation.
• Present Day: Luna is thriving, pursuing education and healing, determined to help others.

Conclusion

This episode serves as a deep, personal illustration of the failings too often experienced by survivors in academic and legal systems. Through Luna’s candid retelling, listeners witness both her vulnerability and her profound resilience, underscored by the unwavering support of her family. The episode closes with hope: Luna has moved forward, channeling her strength into helping others, determined that her story will lead to change and support for future survivors.

For those needing support or information, please refer to the official episode notes for full resources.