Episode 45: Domestic Violence Hides Easily Among Rich Couple: The Disappearance of Jennifer Dulos

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Well, it's been a crap few weeks and, frankly, we don't need your optimism over here. Unless you're Tarana Burke, then bring it on. In this episode, Jenna and Amanda touch on the shitstorm of late and why bragging about not paying attention to the Depp/Heard trial while clamoring for stricter gun control isn't actually a flex—the two issues are intricately related and we need to stop one issue to stop the other. After that, we're jumping into the story of Jennifer Dulos (it's at 32:25 if you want to skip ahead; we don't mind), a Connecticut mom of five who married a dude named Fotis and thought they'd live happily ever after in a big mansion. Despite their seemingly picture-perfect, affluent, power-couple stature, Fotis was a scary-ass guy who didn't want his wife to have a say in her future. And when she left him, shit hit the fan. Why psychotherapist Dr. Susan Weitzman once said, regarding domestic violence and wealthy couples, “no one can hear you scream on a 3-acre lot.”

One correction: In the episode, Amanda states that coercive control is a nonphysical form of abuse. *ERRRR* (That's a buzzer noise.) What Amanda should have said, but her brain didn't catch up in time, is that while coercive control is typically identified as a nonphysical form of abuse in which abusers dominate, isolate, gaslight and otherwise control all aspects of a partner's life in order to keep them trapped, coercive control can also include physical and sexual violence. 

As always, if you believe you are a victim of abuse or domestic violence, please reach out to a trained domestic violence advocate to talk. You can find one near you at DomesticShelters.org or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-SAFE, or text START to 88788.