Trigger warning: this article deals with the topic of domestic violence and may be distressing for some readers.
Earlier in 2021, investigative journalist Jess Hill explored the prevalence of domestic violence and coercive control in the SBS docuseries See What You Made Me Do — which was inspired by her book of the same name.
Now, Hill will tackle this important topic further in a ground-breaking new podcast series The Trap.
Told through dozens of interviews and first-person accounts, the ten-part podcast reveals how domestic abuse and coercive control impacts millions of Australians, and how these same dynamics are perpetuated by the systems — and people — that govern us.
Created by the Victorian Women’s Trust, The Trap is a series about love, abuse and power, which looks at how victims, perpetrators and society, in general, become trapped in dangerous systems and patterns that allow the issue of domestic violence to persist.
Said Hill in a press release, “This is the show I’ve dreamt of making: one that will take listeners deep into the domestic abuse crisis raging in our homes and across our systems.
“Yes, this subject matter is dark, but it is also endlessly fascinating. The story of domestic abuse and coercive control in Australia is not a niche problem that happens to other people. Every single one of us is affected by domestic abuse and violence in some way, whether it’s something we’ve witnessed or lived through, it’s affected people we love, or it’s hidden within our family histories.
To truly change society, we need to understand how abuse, coercion and control play out in private and public life, and how we can play a part in changing this: both in our systems, and ourselves.”
Over the course of the podcast, Hill will interview victim-survivors and perpetrators of domestic abuse, police officers, whistleblowers, trauma specialists, counsellors, academics and historians. Through their experiences she will unpack how the abuse starts, the many forms it can take, what coercive control looks like, and what victims face when they try to seek help.
The podcast will also explore how abusive behaviour, coercion and control are part of our daily lives, and will wrestle with the questions that confound us: Why does domestic abuse persist? Why do people become abusive? And what can we do to prevent it?
“Domestic abuse is the number one threat to people’s safety in this country. The Trap makes clear that we won’t change this fact until we redesign our systems to respond to it,” says Jess. “In every episode, we will present not just problems, but the ways we can solve them.”
The first two episodes of The Trap will be available on 5 August 2021 with new episodes becoming available weekly on all major podcast platforms.
The Latch encourages anyone who is struggling and needs support to call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Both of these services provide trained counsellors you can talk with 24/7. You can also talk to someone from 1800RESPECT via online chat. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
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