logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
1h 28m

Brave & Free: Escaping Domestic Abuse

CBC
About this episode

What if the path to freedom meant leaving behind everything you've ever known? Anna Lopes, a survivor turned advocate, takes the boys on a rollercoaster ride from the opulent streets of the UAE to the depths of domestic violence and back to the heights of healing. Anna peels back the layers of her past, revealing the invisible chains of manipulation that once bound her and the heart-pounding moment of her escape. She explores how childhood trauma shapes adult relationships and navigates the cultural tightrope of mental health discussions in Dubai. Through her Instagram page, Brave and Free, Anna transforms from survivor to warrior, proving that even in the darkest of deserts, hope can bloom.


Catch the full video version of this episode on YouTube.


Follow Sickboy on Instagram, TikTok and Discord!

Up next
Aug 20
The Craziest F*ing Story We've Ever Heard | The Father Who Built a Gene Therapy
Some people hit walls. Others knock them down, build a lab, raise millions, and call up strangers to make a genetically engineered mouse. When Terry Pirovolakis learned his young son Michael had SPG50 — a rare degenerative disease with no treatment and a grim prognosis — he didn’ ... Show More
58m 34s
Aug 13
He Hasn’t Peed in 17 Years | Kidney Failure
Alex hasn’t peed in 17 years — and he’s been busy. Diagnosed at 11 with a rare kidney disease triggered by a brutal run of childhood illnesses, his life became a blur of seizures, dialysis, and a transplant that didn’t stick. Now, between 7-hour nocturnal dialysis sessions, Alex ... Show More
49m 28s
Aug 6
My Guts Are Nuts | Familial Adenomatous Polyposis
They say laughter is the best medicine - unless you're diagnosed with something that sounds like a meme.Mike lives with FAP, short for Familial Adenomatous Polyposis - a rare genetic disorder that guarantees colon cancer without drastic surgical intervention. In this unfiltered a ... Show More
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
Mel B MBE On Abuse, Recovery & Self-Forgiveness
Trinny is joined by Spice Girls icon and Women’s Aid patron, Mel B MBE to discuss escaping and recovering from abuse. Welcome to Fearless, the empowering podcast that tells the stories of inspirational people who have overcome challenges and fears in their lives in order to thriv ... Show More
41m 57s
Nov 2024
From Yugoslavia to Australia — Jelena Dokic on tennis and the truth
Jelena Dokic overcame adversity, poverty and violence to rise to the top of the tennis world. Years later, her revelations about her father's abuse stunned the world. (CW: discussion of domestic violence and coercive control).This episode of Conversations also talks about sport, ... Show More
52m 48s
Jul 15
EXCLUSIVE Nadiya Hussain Breaks Silence on BBC Exit! The Truth About My Decade On TV
Nadiya Hussain breaks her silence after being axed by the BBC, and how being the “relatable Muslim” on TV came at the cost of her voice, her identity, and her mental health. In this exclusive conversation, the Great British Bake Off winner shares the truth about her decade in TV, ... Show More
1h 51m
Apr 2024
Mel B: From Spice Girl to Survivor
TW: This episode deals with topics of domestic abuse, suicide and coercive control - but there is light at the end of the tunnel. This week, we’re joined by Spice Girl, Actress, Mother, Activist and Author, Melanie Brown as she shares her deeply personal story of surviving an abu ... Show More
53m 48s
Jan 2025
Photograph | Lou's Story Part 2
This episode references domestic violence and other mature themes.[Lou’s Story Part 2/3]Lou is searching for a photograph of John — but it’s not just a picture she’s after. Beneath the surface of one man’s destruction lies a tangled web of resilience and buried truths waiting to ... Show More
31m 9s
Jul 2022
Lady Unchained
At the age of 20, Lady Unchained went to prison. She didn’t believe she was the type of person who would ever do that. She went to church, was about to launch her own business and had no former convictions, but one day everything changed. She spent eleven months behind bars and f ... Show More
51m 2s
Dec 2024
Anastasia Ferriera
Nineteen-year-old Anastasia Ferreira, affectionately known as "Stasia" by those closest to her, was the kind of person who couldn't help but be noticed. Though Anastasia stood just around 4'11", her personality loomed large, making her impossible to overlook. She was a vibrant fo ... Show More
1h 17m
May 8
Aurora Culpo & Adam Lane Smith: Breaking the Cycle of Toxic Love
In this episode, Aurora Culpo returns with a candid and emotionally honest update about her personal life. She opens up about the complexity of dating after heartbreak, the internal battles of self-worth, and how she’s navigating a new relationship under the scrutiny of public at ... Show More
1h 33m
Feb 2025
Amara & Aleeya - S4 | E9
Amara’s mother was vibrant, beautiful, and free-spirited—a woman who spoke with an enviable confidence and carried herself with effortless charm. But behind the poise was a crippling addiction, an absence that shaped Amara’s childhood and forced her to step into shoes far too big ... Show More
1h 48m
Oct 2024
Brutally Anna Trailer
Welcome to Brutally Anna, a podcast about finding love, losing love, and all the things we think about a lot, but don’t talk about enough. I’m your host, Anna Kai aka maybeboth across social media, here to remind you that life can be beautiful, even when it’s freaking brutal. On ... Show More
1m 26s