We the Sunlight: Truth illuminates. Stories heal.

What happens when you risk everything to tell the truth? In this powerful episode of We the Sunlight, Jill Stoddard speaks with Dr. John A. King, an author, poet, longtime activist, and founder of the Give Them A Voice Foundation. John shares his story of surviving prolonged childhood sexual abuse and exploitation—and the complicated, often painful journey of speaking publicly about what happened to him. Separated from his Indigenous birth family as a child in Australia, John grew up in circumstances that left him questioning his identity, his safety, and his understanding of relationships and sexuality. He was sexually abused beginning in early childhood and later exploited in pornography and trafficking. For decades, he carried the consequences largely in silence. John also speaks candidly about an experience that is still rarely discussed: male sexual abuse and the unique shame, confusion, and social expectations that can make it difficult for men to recognize, disclose, and recover from sexual trauma. He…

What happens when you survive a brutal sexual assault—and the people who are supposed to help you simply don’t? Michelle Bowdler was 24 years old when two men broke into her Boston-area apartment, blindfolded her, restrained her, and raped her. She survived the attack, reported it to police, underwent a rape kit examination, and did everything she could to help investigators identify her attackers. But the police never investigated her case. Years later, Michelle discovered that her rape kit had never even been submitted for investigation. Her experience with a broken criminal justice system—and the devastating impact of sexual violence—ultimately led her to become an advocate for rape survivors and for addressing the backlog of untested rape kits. In this episode of We the Sunlight, Michelle shares her powerful story of surviving sexual assault, navigating PTSD and trauma recovery, confronting institutional failure, and finding her voice again through advocacy and writing. Her award-winning memoir, Is Rape…

What happens when the person you believe is the love of your life turns out to be a professional con artist? In this episode of We the Sunlight, Jill Stoddard talks with Heather Rovet., a successful real estate agent and designer whose relationship with Jace Perretti unraveled into a shocking story of romance fraud, deception, identity fraud, financial abuse, and betrayal. Heather thought she had finally met “the one.” But as their relationship progressed, small inconsistencies began to surface: stories about his education and career that didn't quite add up, unexplained financial problems, a dating profile that appeared while they were living together, and increasingly elaborate explanations for why things weren't what they seemed. Eventually, Heather discovered that Jace Perretti wasn't even his real name. His true identity was Jason Porter, a convicted fraudster who had previously served time in federal prison for defrauding women he met online. What followed was a painstaking investigation into the man…

Brandon Wolf shines a light on the Pulse nightclub shooting, gun violence, LGBTQ+ rights, and the power of speaking up after unimaginable loss. On June 12, 2016, Brandon Wolf went to Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, with his best friend Drew and Drew’s partner, Juan. What began as an ordinary night out at a place where Brandon felt safe to be fully himself became one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. Brandon survived. Drew and Juan did not. In the years since the Pulse nightclub shooting, Brandon has transformed his grief into activism. Today, he is a nationally recognized civil rights and gun safety advocate, the National Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, and the author of A Place for Us, a memoir about finding belonging, chosen family, and a place in the world. In this deeply moving conversation, Brandon shares what it was like to survive the Pulse shooting, lose two of the people he loved most, and find a way forward without allowing violence to take away his joy. We talk…

What happens when you risk everything to tell the truth? We, The Sunlight is a true-crime podcast about the brave act of coming forward. From whistleblowers to victims, to those intimately connected to people who’ve caused harm, our guests share raw, personal stories of speaking up and speaking out—why they came forward, what it cost them, and how radical transparency became part of their healing. Hosted by psychologist and author Dr. Jill Stoddard