Genesis The Podcast

In this final episode of Season 5, we expose the warning signs of domestic violence-related murder-suicide with Danielle Edwards, Victim Services Coordinator for Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, and Kylee Elliott, Senior Program Coordinator for Training and Engagement at the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. Using a Georgia case study as a point of reference, we explore events leading up to the final act of violence, the ripple effects on surviving families and communities, and a practical approach to postvention that helps people heal and reduces future harm.
This episode discusses homicide and suicide.
We also dig into what the data can tell us and what it still misses. National figures point to roughly 1,200 deaths a year in murder-suicide incidents, with intimate partner violence making up most cases, and firearms playing an outsized role. Beyond the statistics, lie instances of coercive control, suicide threats, and financial abuse long before any physical violence is visible. We take an honest look at why survivors may not label their experience as abuse, how systems can unintentionally shut doors when shelters are full or safety planning is skipped, and why “just leave” ignores the realities of money, housing, isolation, and fear.

We also focus on what happens after the unthinkable. Murder-suicide can leave a wide circle of survivors including children, extended family, coworkers, and witnesses who face traumatic grief, stigma, and overwhelming practical needs. Danielle and Kylee explain postvention and why they treat postvention as prevention, including Georgia’s survivor-driven Support for Survivors of Murder Suicide Project, clinician networks, support groups, and a freely shared response protocol communities can adapt now.

According to SPARC, stalking is a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or the safety of others, or suffer substantial emotional distress. In this episode, we sit down with stalking survivor and advocate Nicole Bialko to name what stalking really looks like and why it so often gets romanticized or minimized. Using Nicole's personal experience as a backdrop, we walk through warning signs, documentation, and what it takes to keep pushing for safety when the system feels hard to navigate.
We also get practical about respecting our own intuition and about what matters most when you’re trying to stay safe: understanding stalking as a pattern of behavior that causes fear or substantial emotional distress, and building documentation that clearly shows that pattern. Nicole shares tips for creating a simple timeline, saving texts and emails, capturing time-stamped photos or video, and gathering witnesses when possible. We also talk about the reality of reporting stalking, including moments of support from law enforcement and the frustration that can hit once a case moves into the court system, where communication gaps and plea deals can leave survivors feeling minimized.

In this episode author and survivor Jessi Bixler shares the story behind her memoir, The Story We Share: How One Sexual Assault Rippled Through a Family and Their Fight for Healing, recounting the assault that occurred in her home in 2013, the immediate aftermath, the failures of the criminal justice system, and her family’s decision to pursue civil accountability.
The conversation explores how trauma can fracture memory, disrupt relationships, and leave loved ones unsure of how to help. Jessi reflects on the role her husband, parents, brother, and friends played in her recovery, and how writing the book opened long-overdue conversations that ultimately strengthened many of those relationships. She also discusses her advocacy work with MOCSA, the importance of believing survivors, and why silence can deepen isolation. Jessi’s message to survivors is clear and compassionate: find your person, seek support, and know that there are people and organizations ready to believe you.

What if fear isn’t weakness… but wisdom?
In this powerful episode of Genesis the Podcast, Maria MacMullin sits down with Genesis CEO Jan Langbein to unpack a truth we don’t talk about enough:
for women experiencing abuse, fear is not an overreaction—it’s a signal.
A signal that something isn’t safe.
A signal that control is taking hold.
A signal that it’s time to listen.
Together, they explore how fear shows up long before physical violence, why it’s so often dismissed by others, and how that dismissal can deepen isolation and self-doubt. But this conversation doesn’t stop there.
It also reveals something extraordinary:
fear can be the beginning of courage.
Through real stories from Genesis, you’ll hear how women—while still afraid—take brave, life-changing steps toward safety, healing, and hope. Because bravery isn’t the absence of fear… it’s what we do in spite of it.
💜 If you’ve ever questioned your instincts, this episode is for you.
💜 If you want to better support someone who may be afraid, this episode is for you.
💜 And if you believe we must do better at listening, believing, and responding to domestic violence—this episode is for all of us.

Fear is one of the most powerful personal safety tools we have, because it’s often the first hint that something is off. In this episode, we sit down with expert and author Laura Frombach to talk about fear as useful data, not drama. We break down the difference between being afraid and being aware, and we share a simple, practical approach to situational awareness using the military-style color codes (green, yellow, orange, red). The goal is not to live in panic, but to stay calm, notice sooner, and act earlier when something feels wrong. From Laura we also learn:
How offenders test boundaries.
How women are socialized to “keep the peace,” and why that conditioning can be dangerous in real time. 
How intuition is your nervous system's “hardware,” and how social rules can act like “software malware” that teaches you to talk yourself out of your own instincts. 
Practical safety planning ideas, boundary-setting scripts, and a reminder to look out for others when we can.
We also name a truth we never want to lose sight of: people can do everything right and still be harmed, and responsibility always belongs to the perpetrator, not the victim.