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Episode Description
One in three women will experience domestic violence. But what happens when the survivor wears a badge?
In this episode of 1 in 3, Ingrid speaks with Mia, a law enforcement officer who entered policing at 21 and was groomed, isolated, and assaulted by a senior officer who framed abuse as “consent” and control as “lifestyle.” Her story exposes how coercive control works behind closed doors and inside institutions meant to protect.
We break down the dangerous overlap between domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, and why survivors are so often failed when systems treat these crimes as separate issues. Mia explains how compliance is rewarded, resistance is punished, and identity is slowly erased until survival is mistaken for choice.
This conversation explores:
- Coercive control and grooming in intimate partner violence
- Why “she could have left” is a myth rooted in misunderstanding trauma
- How trafficking doesn’t always involve money—status, access, and dominance are “things of value”
- Evidence beyond DNA: strangulation markers, threats to career, financial abuse, digital trails, and witness grooming
- Probable cause vs. proof beyond a reasonable doubt and why totality of circumstances matters
Mia also introduces the Valkyrie Warrior Movement, a training initiative focused on trauma-informed investigations, lethality assessments, and survivor-centered practices for law enforcement, healthcare providers, and allied professionals.
For survivors inside and outside the system, this episode delivers a powerful reminder: shame belongs to abusers, not survivors—and help is worth pursuing until you find it.
If this episode resonates, please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Your voice helps others find safety—and accountability.
Mia’s Links:
https://www.1in3podcast.com/guests/mia-shagena/
https://www.valkyriemovement.org/
https://www.instagram.com/valkyriewarriormovement/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-shagena-116ab4233/
1 in 3 is intended for mature audiences. Episodes contain explicit content and may be triggering to some.
If you are in the United States and need help right now, call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text the word “start” to 88788.
Contact 1 in 3:
- Send your emails to 1in3podcast@gmail.com
- Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @1in3podcast
- Check out the website https://www.1in3podcast.com/
Thank you for listening!
Cover art by Laura Swift Dahlke
Music by Tim Crowe