In Part 3 of Tressa’s story, she takes us inside what happened as her case moved into the legal system. She shares the emotional toll of navigating the court process while trying to rebuild her life—and the terrifying reality that the man who sexually assaulted and nearly killed her continued to stalk her.

Tressa reflects on what it was like to seek justice while still living in fear, the moments that made her question whether the system could truly keep her safe, and the lasting impact of being forced to face the person who had already taken so much from her.

This episode is a powerful look at a part of survival we don’t talk about enough: what happens when the crime is over, but the fear isn’t.

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of drug-facilitated sexual assault, abduction, strangulation, attempted murder, physical violence, and trauma.

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:

Call or text 988 from any phone in the United States

Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention:

https://www.strangulationtraininginstitute.com/

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

https://afsp.org/

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN):

https://www.rainn.org/

National Center for Victims of Crime:

https://victimsofcrime.org

Victim Connect Resource Center:

https://victimconnect.org

National Crime Victim Bar Association:

https://victimbar.org

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA):

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):

https://www.nami.org/help

HOW TO REACH US:

Email: forensicnursefilespod@gmail.com

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Are you a nurse or healthcare provider in the forensics field? Are you a victim of assault? Reach out to us! We would love to feature you or your story anonymously on an episode!