Nyala: Part 1 – Then

Explicit content warning

09/05/19 • 17 min

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Catriona talks to Nyala Moon about being raped by a man she was dating, who attempted to force her into sex work. Nyala is a trans woman and she started transitioning when she was a teenager. She talks about how the prejudice that trans people often face stopped her from reporting the incident to the authorities, or even telling friends what had happened. She also talks about a separate incident, when she was assaulted by an intimate partner, and why she used this narrative to produce a film about sexual abuse. This first part contains details that many listeners may find distressing, so if you’re not in a place to listen to something like that right now, you can go to part two where Catriona talks to Nyala about how she’s doing now. If you've been affected by sexual abuse or violence, you can find details of organisations in the UK who offer help and support at bbc.co.uk/actionline. Presented by Catriona Morton, After is a 10-part series, featuring discussions between survivors of sexual abuse and assault about what happened to them and how they cope now. Produced by Danielle Stephens. The Executive Producers are Clare Chadburn and Nick Minter. It is a Wisebuddah production for BBC Sounds.

Previous Episode

Winnie: Part 2 – Now

Winnie M Li tells Catriona about how writing a novel helped her cope with her trauma.

Called Dark Chapter, Winnie’s novel retells what happened when she was raped in 2008. It also takes the unique perspective of both the survivor and the perpetrator and explores how the assault affects the lives of both.

Winnie talks about how she struggled to reclaim the things she loves doing, like travelling and hiking. But she found that playing the piano helped her when she was at her lowest.

She has since founded the organisation Clear Lines, which uses the arts as a discussion to address sexual assault and consent. Find out more at www.clearlines.org.uk and www.winniemli.com

If you've been affected by sexual abuse or violence, you can find details of organisations in the UK who offer help and support at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Presented by Catriona Morton, After is a 10-part series, featuring discussions between survivors of sexual abuse and assault about what happened to them and how they cope now.

Produced by Danielle Stephens. The Executive Producers are Clare Chadburn and Nick Minter. It is a Wisebuddah production for BBC Sounds.

Next Episode

Nyala: Part 2 – Now

Nyala tells Catriona about how she struggled to understand her new body after fully transitioning, and the impact that had on coming to terms with her trauma. She talks about what it was like to write a letter to her vagina for a book, titled Written on the Body: Letters from Trans and Non-Binary Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence. She also talks about how staying inside, eating bad food and watching anime series helps her feel better on those tougher days. If you've been affected by sexual abuse or violence, you can find details of organisations in the UK who offer help and support at bbc.co.uk/actionline. Presented by Catriona Morton, After is a 10-part series, featuring discussions between survivors of sexual abuse and assault about what happened to them and how they cope now. Produced by Danielle Stephens. The Executive Producers are Clare Chadburn and Nick Minter. It is a Wisebuddah production for BBC Sounds.