Everyone is Talking About This: the true story of a rape case audiobook
Trigger warnings: this podcast mentions rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, mental health conditions and eating disorders.
On an ordinary day in the summer of 2021, Lisa Lennox's eldest daughter, 17-year old Beatrice, or Bea for short, becomes the victim of one of the most horrendous crimes that can befall anyone. Nothing will ever be the same for Lisa and her family after this terrible event. What follows is the story of their experience with the police and the criminal justice system - the good parts, the bad parts, and the truly appalling parts. It's honest, unflinching and often gobsmacking. Occasionally, it's funny - but most of all it is true.
You can contact Lisa on: everyoneistalkingaboutthis@gmail.com
Twitter: @63136_survivors
If you need to speak to someone about your own experience, here are some places where you can get help in the UK:
Rape Crisis: 0808 802 9999
Victim Support: 0808 16 89 111
This webpage lists many other support organisations:
Episodes
33 episodes
After the trial, the sentencing [31]
We've finally reached the end of the road: the sentencing hearing. Of course it doesn't go smoothly, having to be postponed once and then running out of time on the first afternoon. But at least this means it is over. The whole awful ordeal ...
The trial: the verdict [30]
In this episode, after seven agonising months and nine agonising days, the trial finally comes to an end and the verdict is pronounced. The jury's decision will have a profound and on-going effect on the lives on everyone in my family, most ...
The trial: the jury is out [29]
Finally, the trial grinds to a halt and the jury beings their deliberations. After everything we've been through, everything Bea has suffered, this is the moment it all comes down to. The moment when the verdict is revealed......
The trial: hoping to be believed [28]
It's the prosecution's turn to cross-examine the defendant, Mr Y. And also the moment when the evidence from the conspiracy to pervert the course of justice is presented to the jury. Surely the fact that this reveals Mr Y as an inveterate li...
The trial: struggling to make sense of it all [27]
As the trial trundles on, it's becoming harder and harder to understand the sequence of events, especially when the evidence in court is not heard in any particular order - and certainly not in the order things actually happened. Mr Y's deci...
The trial: the defendant takes the stand [26]
It's the day that the defendant, Mr Y, is cross-examined. As he takes the stand, the entire courtroom is agog. What is he going to say? What lies is he going to tell in order to try to prove his innocence?
The trial: the many, many phone calls [25]
First of all, apologies for the delay in uploading the latest episode - II was exhausted and had to pause for a few weeks before feeling able to continue. This latest episode covers the afternoon of day three of the trial, when the DC in cha...
The trial: men's rules for a man's world [24]
The trial continues - day three now and, before we set off for the court, we get some extremely good news. However, once we arrive at the inhospitable building, our spirits soon flag once more. The defendant, Mr Y, seems to have done so many...
The trial: he said, she said [23]
The second day of the trial continues with the evidence of the young woman who, having found Bea crying hysterically by the roadside, scooped her up and took her to safety. Nicky gets riled by the defence barrister's line of questioning - an...
The trial: From bad to worse [22]
On the second day of the trial, all my optimism deserts me. The court is played Bea's VRI and her pre-recorded cross-examination, in which the defence sets out to annihilate her. It's bad enough when she's being victim-blamed for being drunk...
The trial: Wrong time, wrong place [21]
It is still the first day of the trial and for the first time, Phil and I are hearing the details about what happened that dreadful night over seven months ago. The prosecution barrister reads the defendant's prepared statement which will ha...
The trial: not saying 'no' means 'yes', right? [20]
The trial has begun and the jury has been sworn in. Now the judge addresses rape myths and stereotypes, and the issue of memory in the traumatised. So far so good. But then some CCTV footage is played that completely contradicts information we'...
The trial begins [19]
Lisa Lennox returns with the next episode of her audiobook podcast in which the trial of the man who raped her 17-year old daughter Bea begins. The jury is sworn in and Lisa is forced to face the horrifying reality that these twelve random stra...
A message from Lisa [18]
In this short episode, I update listeners on what's going on now. I haven't finished writing the sequel - Everyone is Talking About This: the true story of a rape trial - because I've been finding it too difficult. A court case is always str...
Let the reckoning begin [17]
In this final episode of 'Everyone is Talking About This: the true story of a rape case', we fight to get a new trial date after the first one is cancelled due to the defendant allegedly catching Covid. The entire country seems to be t...
No room at the Nightingale Court for the victim's family [16]
In this episode, Bea has to undergo her cross-examination - but I'm not allowed to be with her. Tension is rising in our household due to the fast-approaching trial, due to start on Monday 24th January. We're all struggling to hold it togeth...
An unruly night [15]
In this episode, my family and I try to focus on Christmas rather than crime. But that's made difficult by continuing contradictory communications from the police. Constant rain brings down everyone's spirits - and then a phone call from an uni...
Bribery and corruption [14]
In this episode, I get a terrifying phone call about Bea. At the same time, Mr Y and Ms X make their pleas to the charge against them of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. We get some more information from the police about wh...
Carrying the monkey [13]
In this episode, shocking revelations about how Bea is trying to cope with the terrible thing that has happened to her shake me to the core. Day by day, it's getting harder and harder for the whole family to deal with the aftermath of the at...
Stormy weather [12]
In this episode, Bea meets a memory expert - who tells her an astonishing fact about the rapist's claims. I applaud a possible change in the law around sexual harassment - and continue to despair of the broken justice system the whole family...
Partners in crime [11]
In this episode, Phil and I find out something shocking about the crime when we are asked to attend a meeting at the Crown Prosecution Service HQ in central London. The police request Bea's school records and Bea's suffering goes on.... ...
Conspiracy! [10]
In this episode, we become the proud new owners of a kitten called Colin. And we get a piece of unexpected, but for once welcome, news from the police. Has my persistence that the police investigate the appearance of the rapist's fiancée out...
All that glitters is not gold [9]
In this episode, I find that the rain in Spain falls mainly in Majorca as I negotiate pitch dark island roads and a torrential downpour in my quest to find Bea and Olivia and bring them safely home. Ever since Bea was attacked we have lurche...