The Secret Passage Podcast| True Crime & Psychology

Thirteen children. Years of isolation, starvation, and abuse. One desperate escape that exposed a house of horrors. In January 2018, 17-year-old Jordan Turpin climbed out of her family's California home and called 911, setting in motion the rescue of her twelve siblings. What authorities discovered inside was almost unimaginable: children chained to beds, severely malnourished, and deprived of basic hygiene, education, and freedom. Dana Vespoli and GenX Jacky examine the disturbing story of David and Louise Turpin, exploring the psychology of coercive control, childhood trauma, isolation, and the extraordinary power these parents held over their children. But the story doesn't end with the rescue. Some of the Turpin children experienced further abuse and neglect within the very systems meant to protect them. How do you rebuild a life when you've never known freedom? And what happens when the people responsible for protecting vulnerable children fail them all over again? Content warning: Child abuse, neglect, starvation, confinement, and sexual abuse are discussed.

Behind the gates of a sprawling California mansion, 21 children were living in circumstances that would eventually spark a disturbing child abuse investigation. In this episode of The Secret Passage, Dana Vespoli and GenX Jacky examine the shocking case of Guojun and Sylvia Zhang, a wealthy couple accused of involvement in an alleged child abuse scandal involving children born largely through surrogacy. As surrogates began connecting online, they discovered something unsettling: they had been led to believe they were helping a family have a child, only to learn that numerous other women had been recruited for the same purpose. Why would someone want so many children? How did repeated reports to child protective services fail to prevent the alleged abuse? And what happens when an industry built around helping people create families becomes entangled with extraordinary wealth, secrecy, and questionable oversight? Dana and Jacky explore the psychology of control, the responsibilities of intended parents, the ethical complexities of commercial surrogacy, and the uncomfortable question of whether wealth influences how authorities recognize child abuse. It's a disturbing case that raises questions about reproductive freedom, parental responsibility, and who ultimately protects the most vulnerable. The Secret Passage — where true crime meets psychology, and no uncomfortable question is off-limits. The criminal case remains ongoing, and the defendants have pleaded not guilty.

A Note About Our Cornell 7 Coverage Our Cornell 7 episode was recorded before some of the more recent information and developments became public. When covering ongoing cases, we work with the information available at the time of recording. However, investigations evolve, new details emerge, and sometimes significant developments occur before an episode is released. As a result, certain details or discussions may not reflect the most current information. We appreciate listeners who share credible updates and encourage everyone to consider the recording date when evaluating coverage of an ongoing case. — The Secret Passage Podcast According to Cornell's internal Title IX investigation, Matthew Ingalls and Jonathan Newell were found responsible for sexual assault and expelled. This is different than a criminal charge. Ingalls: The university panel found that he had manipulated, exploited, and endangered the complainant. Newell: The university found him responsible for sexual assault. Records also describe a Snapchat invitation to other fraternity members while the complainant was undressed. In this episode of The Secret Passage, Dana Vespoli and GenXJacky examine the controversial Cornell Seven case, involving a Cornell University student who alleges she was sexually assaulted following a fraternity party in October 2024. As the allegations sparked widespread debate, questions emerged about intoxication, the ability to consent, the role of bystanders, and the difference between criminal liability and university disciplinary action. But this conversation goes beyond the case itself. Dana and Jacky explore whether modern hookup culture has blurred the lines between sexual freedom and sexual pressure. Has pornography influenced what young adults consider normal? Are we confusing sexual experimentation with empowerment? And can someone technically agree to an experience while feeling emotionally pressured, uncomfortable, or unable to speak up? Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with. Further Research & Resources: Cornell University — Sexual Harassment and Assault Response & Education: https://share.cornell.edu/ RAINN — Sexual Assault Support and Education: https://rainn.org/ New York State — Enough is Enough Campus Sexual Assault Prevention: https://www.ny.gov/programs/enough-enough-combating-sexual-assault-college-campuses National Sexual Violence Resource Center: https://www.nsvrc.org/ Cornell Seven, Cornell University, Cornell fraternity scandal, Chi Phi fraternity, Sexual consent, Campus sexual assault, Hookup culture, Sexual assault allegations, Alcohol and consent, Ketamine and consent, Sexual psychology, Sexual revolution, Pornography and society, College party culture, The Secret Passage Podcast, Cornell7, Cornell Jane Doe

After nearly two decades behind bars, the West Memphis Three walked free. But freedom came with a catch: their convictions remained intact, and the murders of three eight-year-old boys remained unresolved. In the final installment of our West Memphis Three series, Dana Vespoli and GenXJacky explore the extraordinary aftermath of one of America's most controversial murder cases. We examine how HBO's Paradise Lost documentaries sparked a movement, bringing celebrity advocates, legal resources, and renewed scrutiny to a case many believed was already closed. We break down the controversial 2011 Alford pleas, the ongoing fight for DNA testing, and the troubling reality of being released from prison without being legally exonerated. We also explore alternative theories, the lasting psychological effects of incarceration, and the role that poverty, public pressure, and media attention play in determining who receives justice. And at the center of it all are three boys—Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch—whose killer or killers have never been definitively identified. What does freedom really mean when the world still considers you guilty? And what happens when justice never comes for the victims? Join us for the conclusion of the West Memphis Three on The Secret Passage. Join the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/SecretPassagePodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@secretpassagepodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretpassagepodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SecretPassagePodcast Email: [email protected] Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with.

Three murdered children. Three teenagers convicted. And a justice system that may have been more interested in finding someone to blame than finding the truth. In Part 2 of our West Memphis Three series, Dana Vespoli and GenXJacky revisit the trials that shocked America and ask a disturbing question: What happens when a community becomes so convinced of someone's guilt that the evidence no longer matters? We examine Jessie Misskelley's controversial confession, the testimony used against Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin, the influence of the Satanic Panic, and the extraordinary role of HBO's Paradise Lost documentaries in challenging the official narrative. From questionable expert witnesses to juror bias, we explore the psychological forces that can turn suspicion into certainty: confirmation bias, groupthink, fear, social pressure, and the human need for closure. And we wrestle with a difficult distinction: Someone can be troubled, unlikeable, or deeply flawed without being guilty of murder. This isn't just a story about three convicted teenagers. It's about what happens when fear replaces critical thinking—and the devastating consequences when the justice system gets it wrong. Understanding human behavior doesn't mean excusing it. 🎧 Listen to The Secret Passage and decide for yourself. Join the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/SecretPassagePodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@secretpassagepodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretpassagepodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SecretPassagePodcast Email: [email protected] Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with. #TheSecretPassage #WestMemphisThree #WM3 #TrueCrimePodcast #SatanicPanic #ParadiseLost #CriminalJustice #TrueCrimeCommunity West Memphis Three, WM3, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, Jessie Misskelley, West Memphis Three Trial, Satanic Panic, Paradise Lost Documentary, False Confessions, Wrongful Convictions, Criminal Justice System, Confirmation Bias, Groupthink, Jury Bias, Police Interrogations, Coerced Confessions, Reasonable Doubt, True Crime, True Crime Podcast, True Crime Documentary, Unsolved Murders, Robin Hood Hills Murders, Arkansas Murders, 1993 Murders, Criminal Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Psychology of Crime, Trial Controversies, Justice System Failures,

On May 5, 1993, eight-year-old Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore disappeared in West Memphis, Arkansas. The following day, their bodies were discovered in a wooded area known as Robin Hood Hills. What followed was an investigation that would become one of the most controversial murder cases in American history. Three teenagers—Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley—were convicted. But more than three decades later, questions about the investigation, the confession, and the evidence continue to divide the public. In Part 1, Dana and Jacky revisit the murders and the cultural climate of the 1990s, when the Satanic Panic, poverty, and fear of anyone considered different helped shape public perceptions. They examine Damien's troubled background, the psychological vulnerabilities surrounding Jessie's confession, and the role of documentaries and celebrity advocacy in shaping the story we've come to believe. The questions we're asking: Did investigators follow the evidence, or did they become convinced of a theory and look for evidence to support it? Why would someone confess to a crime they didn't commit—and how can we distinguish a reliable confession from a false one? Does poverty influence who becomes a suspect and who can afford an effective defense? Are documentaries revealing the truth, or are they simply telling us a more compelling version of the story? This is a case about far more than three convictions. It's about the psychology of fear, the consequences of assumptions, and the danger of confusing someone's character with evidence of their guilt. Understanding human behavior doesn't mean excusing it. Join us for Part 1 of The West Memphis Three on The Secret Passage. The conversation doesn't end here. Instagram: https://instagram.com/SecretPassagePodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretpassagepodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SecretPassagePodcast Email: [email protected] Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with. Additional Reading & Viewing The West Memphis Three — Part One For listeners who want to explore the case further, we've gathered several resources that examine the investigation, the evidence, the people involved and the different perspectives surrounding the West Memphis Three. 1. The Callahan Archive — Original Case Documents http://callahan.8k.com/ An extensive collection of original case materials, including police interviews, witness statements, trial transcripts and court documents. A valuable resource for anyone who wants to examine the evidence firsthand. 2. Famous Trials — The West Memphis Three https://www.famous-trials.com/westmemphis A comprehensive overview of the case, featuring a timeline, maps, selected transcripts, details about Jessie Misskelley's confession and important court decisions. 3. Innocence Project — What You Should Know About the West Memphis Three https://innocenceproject.org/news/who-are-west-memphis-three-damien-echols/ An examination of the case from the perspective of innocence advocacy, including concerns about the confession, DNA evidence and the legal implications of the Alford pleas. 4. Crooked Tree: A West Memphis 3 Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crooked-tree-a-west-memphis-3-podcast/id1896042612 A detailed, victim-focused examination of the case that explores the lives of Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore, their families and the West Memphis community. 5. Paradise Lost — HBO Documentary Series https://www.hbo.com/documentaries The documentary series that brought international attention to the case and helped shape public perceptions of the West Memphis Three. Particularly relevant to our discussion about the power of documentaries to influence what audiences believe. A note to our listeners: These resources present different perspectives, and some contain graphic descriptions of violence against children. We encourage you to examine the evidence, question the narratives and remember Stevie, Christopher and Michael—the three boys at the heart of this case.   West Memphis Three, West Memphis Three Part 1, The Secret Passage Podcast, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, Jessie Misskelley, Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, West Memphis Arkansas, Robin Hood Hills murders, 1993 murders, Satanic Panic, Jessie Misskelley confession, false confessions, police interrogation, wrongful convictions, criminal psychology, forensic psychology, investigative failures, tunnel vision, confirmation bias, poverty and justice, criminal justice system, Paradise Lost documentary, West of Memphis documentary, celebrity advocacy, Johnny Depp, Eddie Vedder, Peter Jackson, true crime, true crime podcast, unsolved murders, murder investigation, Alford plea, justice for the victims  

Three men were inside the house. Their guest was stabbed to death. And nearly 20 years later, his murder remains unsolved. On August 2, 2006, 32-year-old attorney Robert Wone stayed overnight at the Washington, D.C., home of his longtime friend Joseph Price. Also living in the house were Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward. Within approximately 90 minutes of Robert's arrival, a 911 call reported that he had been stabbed. The three housemates maintained that an unknown intruder had entered their home. Investigators questioned that account, pointing to the unusual crime scene, the apparent lack of defensive wounds and other forensic findings. All three men were eventually charged with offenses related to an alleged cover-up. All three were acquitted. No one has been convicted of Robert Wone's murder. But the mystery doesn't end with the evidence. Dana and Jacky explore the investigation, the competing theories and the psychological questions surrounding a case that has fascinated true-crime audiences for two decades. Could loyalty become stronger than someone's commitment to the truth? What happens when an entire relationship becomes organized around a secret? And how much weight should we give suspicious behavior when the evidence cannot establish what actually happened? We also examine the role of sexuality, assumptions about consensual BDSM, potential investigative bias and the important distinction between suspicion and proof. THE QUESTION: If someone you loved were involved in something terrible, what would it take for you to tell the truth? Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with. ADDITIONAL READING & RESOURCES Want to investigate the Robert Wone case further? We've gathered additional reporting, courtroom coverage and documentary resources for anyone who wants to explore the evidence and competing theories. Want to explore the Robert Wone case further? Here are some articles, investigative resources and documentaries that examine the evidence, trial and unanswered questions. THE CASE & INVESTIGATION Robert Wone: Life, Death, and Love — Washingtonian https://washingtonian.com/2010/04/20/robert-wone-life-death-and-love/ Who Murdered Robert Wone? — Investigative Blog https://whomurderedrobertwone.com/ THE TRIAL & VERDICT Three Men Acquitted in the Robert Wone Case — The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/national/2010/06/30/3-men-acquitted-of-wone-charges/da12d2e4-3bde-4554-b561-a11feaf36fe9/ Good Fences, Bad Neighbors — Washingtonian https://washingtonian.com/2010/06/04/good-fences-bad-neighbors/ ROBERT'S FAMILY & THE AFTERMATH Robert Wone's Family Settles Civil Lawsuit — The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/wone-family-settles-20-million-lawsuit-against-three-former-dc-roommates/2011/08/02/gIQAsDDvsI_story.html Twenty Years Later: New Dispute Emerges — The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/08/30/20-years-later-new-dispute-emerges-over-notorious-dupont-circle-killing/ DOCUMENTARY Who Killed Robert Wone? — Peacock Documentary https://washingtonian.com/2023/03/13/robert-wone-documentary-peacock/   Robert Wone, Robert Wone murder, Who Killed Robert Wone, 1509 Swann Street, Washington DC murder, unsolved murder, true crime, true crime podcast, criminal psychology, forensic psychology, murder mystery, Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky, Dylan Ward, The Secret Passage, 

Christa Pike was 18 when she participated in the brutal murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. She was 20 when she was sentenced to death. Now, at 50, Christa Pike is scheduled to be executed on September 30, 2026. The murder of Colleen Slemmer was extraordinarily cruel. She was lured into the woods, tortured and killed by a group that included Pike and her boyfriend. Pike later bragged about the killing and kept a piece of Slemmer's skull. But this episode of The Secret Passage asks a harder question: What happened to Christa Pike before she became capable of doing something so horrific? Dana and Jacky examine Pike's childhood of severe abuse, neglect, sexual violence and instability—and what developmental trauma can do to attachment, emotional regulation and a child's understanding of love, violence and relationships. Jacky explains, adverse childhood experiences don't make someone a murderer, and millions of trauma survivors never become violent. However, understanding the development of violent behavior is different from excusing it. They also confront the uncomfortable disparity at the center of the case: Pike was 18 when the murder occurred; her boyfriend and co-defendant was 17. Pike received death. He received life. Thirty years later, another question emerges: If a person changes profoundly in prison, who exactly are we executing—the 18-year-old who committed the crime or the 50-year-old she became? And where does that leave Colleen Slemmer, whose opportunity to grow, change and have a future was taken from her forever? This is not an episode about excusing Christa Pike. It's about whether we can hold two uncomfortable truths at the same time: What happened to Colleen Slemmer was horrific. What happened to Christa Pike before the murder matters too. Can someone deserve both our condemnation and our empathy? Could you sentence the 18-year-old Christa Pike to death knowing everything you know about her childhood—and knowing who she would become 30 years later? Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with. Instagram: The Secret Passage Podcast on Instagram TikTok: The Secret Passage Podcast on TikTok YouTube: The Secret Passage Podcast on YouTube JOIN US ON PATREON The conversation doesn't end here... Join The Secret Passage Patreon community for: ✔️ Early access ✔️ Bonus episodes ✔️ Behind-the-scenes content Join The Secret Passage on Patreon FURTHER READING & RESOURCES Tennessee Department of Correction — Christa Pike Execution Information Official information regarding Pike's scheduled September 30, 2026 execution. Tennessee Department of Correction: Christa Pike Execution Advisory Tennessee Supreme Court — State v. Christa Gail Pike The court record detailing the murder of Colleen Slemmer, Pike's conviction, aggravating and mitigating evidence, and the court's review of her death sentence. Read the Tennessee Supreme Court case materials Christa Pike's Clemency Petition & Current Clemency Case Pike's attorneys are asking Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to commute her death sentence to life without parole. The petition focuses heavily on her age at the time of the crime, extensive childhood trauma, mental-health history and development during incarceration. Death Penalty Information Center: Christa Pike's Clemency Request Adolescent Brain Development & Capital Punishment For listeners interested in our discussion about whether the legal line at 18 reflects what neuroscience tells us about development, this academic review specifically examines capital punishment for people who committed crimes at ages 18–20. Neuroscience and Death as a Penalty for Late Adolescents Tennessee Death Row Facts Current information from Tennessee regarding its death-row population. Pike is currently Tennessee's only female death-row prisoner. Tennessee Death Row Facts Christa Pike, Christa Gail Pike, Colleen Slemmer, Christa Pike execution, Christa Pike death row, Christa Pike case, Christa Pike clemency, Tennessee death row, Tennessee death penalty, September 30 execution, capital punishment, death penalty, women on death row, female death row inmates, juvenile brain development, adolescent brain development, developmental trauma, childhood trauma, adverse childhood experiences, ACEs, trauma psychology, criminal psychology, forensic psychology, rehabilitation, punishment and rehabilitation, clemency, life without parole, Job Corps murder, Knoxville Tennessee murder, Tadaryl Shipp, Shadolla Peterson, true crime, true crime podcast, true crime psychology, psychology podcast, The Secret Passage, The Secret Passage Podcast, 

She woke up in a hospital with pine needles in her hair, her underwear missing, and no memory of how she got there. In 2015, Chanel Miller attended a fraternity party at Stanford with her younger sister. The next thing she remembered was waking up in a hospital and learning that she had been found unconscious behind a dumpster while Brock Turner sexually assaulted her. Two bystanders intervened, chased Turner down, and held him until police arrived. Turner was later convicted of three felony sexual-assault charges and sentenced to six months in jail, serving only a fraction of that sentence. But this episode of The Secret Passage is not really about Brock Turner. It's about Chanel Miller. Dana and Jacky examine what it means to survive an assault you cannot remember—when other people, medical evidence, photographs, lawyers and eventually a jury have to tell you what happened to your own body. They talk about depersonalization, loss of agency, the assumptions we make about consent, and the strange cultural expectation that victims must clearly say "no" rather than requiring an actual "yes." They also wrestle with one of the most uncomfortable ideas in the episode: people are rarely all good or all bad. Chanel herself resisted reducing Turner to a one-dimensional monster, even while holding him responsible for what he did—a conversation that opens the door to questions about moral complexity, accountability, rehabilitation and whether offenders can ever meaningfully change. Then the conversation turns to Judge Aaron Persky, the controversial sentence, and the outrage that followed. Was the sentence disgracefully lenient? Did the judge still act within the law? And when public anger eventually cost Persky both his judicial career and another job, at what point does accountability become permanent punishment? Finally, Dana and Jacky ask a question that rarely gets discussed in true crime: What are we supposed to do with offenders after we condemn them? Because anger alone does not reduce recidivism. Jacky discusses the importance of treatment, taking responsibility, acknowledging the offense, and the possibility that genuine accountability could involve an offender publicly confronting what he did rather than disappearing into shame and denial. And that leads to perhaps the hardest question of all: Can someone do something unforgivable—and still have an obligation to become better? This is Part Two of our discussion on sexual assault, rape culture and accountability following our episode on Steubenville. Content warning: This episode contains detailed discussion of sexual assault, rape-kit examinations, victim blaming and trauma. Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with. FOLLOW THE SECRET PASSAGE 📸 Instagram: The Secret Passage Podcast on Instagram 🎵 TikTok: The Secret Passage Podcast on TikTok 🎥 YouTube: The Secret Passage Podcast on YouTube 🔐 JOIN US ON PATREON The conversation doesn't end here... Join The Secret Passage Patreon community for: ✔️ Early access ✔️ Exclusive therapist breakdowns ✔️ Bonus episodes ✔️ Behind-the-scenes content ✔️ Research, books & case resources Join The Secret Passage on Patreon GO FURTHER DOWN THE PASSAGE 📖 Know My Name — Chanel Miller This is the most important companion to the episode. Miller writes about the assault, the investigation, trial, media attention, impact statement, and the long process of reclaiming her identity after being known publicly as "Emily Doe."  Know My Name — Penguin Random House 🧠 Trauma After Sexual Violence — RAINN A useful overview of how sexual violence can affect memory, emotions, the body, and a survivor's sense of safety and identity. It also discusses experiences such as feeling disconnected from your body or emotions.  Understanding Trauma After Sexual Violence — RAINN 💬 Supporting Survivors Without Blaming Them — RAINN Why questions such as "Why didn't you fight back?" or focusing on how much a survivor drank can unintentionally shift responsibility away from the person who committed the assault. RAINN offers practical guidance on responding to disclosures with validation, choice, and support. How to TALK With Survivors of Sexual Violence — RAINN 🚲 Bystander Intervention — RAINN The Brock Turner case might have ended very differently had two passing cyclists not recognized that something was wrong, intervened, pursued Turner, and stayed until police arrived. The episode contrasts their actions with the failure of bystanders in the Steubenville case. Show Up, Speak Out, Step In — RAINN ⚖️ Treatment and Rehabilitation of People Who Commit Sexual Offenses — ATSA Our conversation eventually asks a harder question than simply, "How long should someone go to prison?": What actually reduces the chance that someone sexually offends again? The Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse provides research-based information on risk assessment, treatment, accountability, community safety, and rehabilitation. Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse 📊 Does Treatment Reduce Sexual Reoffending? — Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis This review examined thousands of individuals across multiple studies and found that psychosocial treatment—particularly cognitive-behavioral approaches—was associated on average with lower sexual recidivism, although outcomes varied considerably by program and population. Do we really want offenders returning to society having received no meaningful treatment at all? Sexual Offender Treatment for Reducing Recidivism — Campbell Systematic Review 🆘 Survivor Support If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers confidential, 24/7 support. Call: 800-656-HOPE (4673) Text: HOPE to 64673 RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline

A teenage girl was sexually assaulted at a party. People knew it was happening. They took photos. They made videos. They joked about it. They posted about it online. And almost no one stepped in. In 2012, a 16-year-old girl in Steubenville, Ohio, was sexually assaulted by high-school football players Trent Mays and Ma'Lik Richmond while she was severely intoxicated and unable to consent. But what made the case especially disturbing was how many other teenagers knew what was happening—and how openly some of them documented, mocked and discussed it afterward. The social-media evidence would eventually become crucial to the case. Dana and Jacky go beyond the question of what happened to ask something much harder: Why didn't anybody stop it? They examine the psychology of the bystander effect, pluralistic ignorance, social status, conformity and group behavior—including the possibility that one high-status teenager speaking up might have changed the behavior of everyone else in the room. They also look at the strange double-edged role of social media. The same technology used to humiliate and further victimize the girl also created a digital trail that helped expose what happened. And then comes an uncomfortable question: What happens when the people around you seem to treat something horrific as normal? Could the group's reaction actually change an individual's perception of right and wrong? Would these teenagers have behaved differently if there had only been three people in the room instead of a crowd? And could one respected person saying "This is wrong" have broken the spell? This episode also asks whether teenagers who participated in or celebrated something horrific can genuinely change as they become adults—and whether remorse years later should change the way we see who they were at 16. Dana and Jacky wrestle with that question directly. This is Part One of our discussion. Next, The Secret Passage turns to the Brock Turner/Chanel Miller case—and the uncomfortable similarities between what happened at a high-school party in Ohio and what happened three years later on Stanford's campus. What do you think: If ONE popular person at that party had stood up and said, "This is wrong," would everyone else have followed? Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with. Content warning: This episode discusses sexual assault involving a minor, victim blaming and disturbing descriptions of sexual violence. Send this episode to someone you want to debate it with. FOLLOW THE SECRET PASSAGE 📸 Instagram: The Secret Passage Podcast on Instagram 🎵 TikTok: The Secret Passage Podcast on TikTok 🎥 YouTube: The Secret Passage Podcast on YouTube 🔐 JOIN US ON PATREON The conversation doesn't end here... Join The Secret Passage Patreon community for: ✔️ Early access ✔️ Exclusive therapist breakdowns ✔️ Bonus episodes ✔️ Behind-the-scenes content ✔️ Research, books & case resources Join The Secret Passage on Patreon GO FURTHER DOWN THE PASSAGE Roll Red Roll — PBS/POV The documentary examines the Steubenville assault, the football culture surrounding it, the role of social media and the behavior of the bystanders. PBS also provides discussion guides, reading lists and educational resources.  Watch and learn more about Roll Red Roll on PBS  Bystander Intervention — RAINN RAINN: Stop Sexual Violence — Step In With CARE Pluralistic Ignorance & the Bystander Effect — Research Pluralistic ignorance can occur when people privately think something is wrong but observe everyone else's inaction and mistakenly conclude that they may be the one overreacting. Researchers also describe diffusion of responsibility and fear of evaluation as barriers to intervention. Read the research on pluralistic ignorance and bystander intervention Rape Myths, Social Media & Steubenville — Peer-Reviewed Research This study specifically analyzed the Steubenville case and examined how social media and news coverage both reinforced and challenged rape myths surrounding the victim, perpetrators and assault.  The Presence of Rape Myths in the Virtual World: The Steubenville Sexual Assault Case Social Media and the Steubenville Narrative — Digital Journalism Researchers analyzed hundreds of local and national articles about Steubenville to examine how social-media sources shaped portrayals of the victim and perpetrators. Victimized on Plain Sites: Social and Alternative Media's Impact on the Steubenville Rape Case Roll Red Roll Educational Clips & Discussion Materials This is actually a fantastic link for listeners who want to go deeper without necessarily watching the entire documentary. American Documentary provides clips addressing the students, digital activism, social media and people who spoke up. Roll Red Roll Educational Resources & Film Clips