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

IG/Facebook: @forensicnursefiles

Tiktok: @forensicnursefilespod

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!

In Part 4 of STILL HERE, Tressa takes us beyond the courtroom and into the troubling realities of sex offender registration and monitoring. What began as a simple question about her attacker's compliance uncovered what she describes as years of inadequate oversight, unanswered questions, and a system that relied heavily on the very individuals it was supposed to monitor.

Tressa shares the devastating emotional toll of these discoveries, including the resurgence of her PTSD, a mental health crisis, and the difficult decision to step away from her career to seek treatment. She also explains how her search for answers evolved into a fight for accountability, taking her from conversations with law enforcement to the news media.

This episode raises difficult questions about public safety, institutional responsibility, and what happens when the protections survivors have been promised aren't what they believed them to be.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, attempted murder, stalking, PTSD, suicidal ideation, and a suicide attempt.

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

IG/Facebook: @forensicnursefiles

Tiktok: @forensicnursefilespod

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!

In part 1 of her series, Tressa Cooper shares the story of the night that changed her life.

In 1999, Tressa was drugged, abducted, and brutally sexually assaulted for hours in Austin, Texas. Her attacker strangled her twice and left her with severe injuries—but Tressa survived.

In her own words, Tressa takes us through what she remembers from that night, the violence she endured, and the moments that ultimately led to her survival. She describes herself not as a survivor, but as an “endurer”—because while the crime ended, the enduring didn’t.

This is Tressa’s story, told by the woman who lived it.

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

IG/Facebook: @forensicnursefiles

Tiktok: @forensicnursefilespod

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!