Taylor | Betrayal Weekly

This is an iHeart podcast.

A GLP one helped you lose weight, but why accept the unwanted facial changes that came with it?

Hollowing, sagging skin, wrinkles, when you can do something about it.

Learn more at faceafterweightloss.com.

That's faceafterweightloss.com.

What does Zinn give you?

Not just smoke-free nicotine satisfaction, but real freedom.

Freedom to do what you love and choose your rewards.

With Zin Rewards, you can redeem points for premium tech, outdoor gear, and gift cards to your favorite retailers.

Find your Zin and keep finding rewards that fit your lifestyle at zinn.com slash rewards.

Warning, this product contains nicotine.

Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

Hey guys, it's Aaron Andrews from Calm Down with Erin and Carissa.

So as a sideline reporter, game day is extra busy for me, but I know it can be busy for parents everywhere.

You're juggling snacks, nap time, and everything else.

Well, Gerber can help create a more parent-friendly game day because they have the most clean label project certifications of any baby food brand.

So you can feel good about what you're feeding your little ones.

I mean, Mac loves them.

You can't go wrong with the little crunchies.

You just put him in a little bag or you put him in a little container and he's good to go.

Make sure to pick up your little ones.

favorite Gerber products at a store near you.

This episode is brought to you by Opil, the first over-the-counter daily birth control pill available in the U.S.

Opil is a daily birth control pill that's FDA-approved, full prescription strength, and estrogen-free.

Plus, there's no prescription needed.

Finally, the days of needing a prescription for birth control are over.

This is the moment to take control of your health and reproductive journeys because Opil is birth control in your control.

Opil is available online and at most major retailers.

Use code BETRAIL for 25% off your first month of Opil at opil.com.

Hey, Betrayal fans, I have exciting news to share.

Season three of Betrayal is now a docuseries on Hulu.

It's the gripping story of Stacey Tyler and the doctor who betrayed them.

See the voices you've come to know in Betrayal under his eye, streaming now on Hulu.

Within seconds, I get a Facebook message and he goes, is this about your dad?

And I got like a chill down my back and

I responded with yes, with like a bunch of dots.

And he immediately replied with,

I know this because it happened to me too.

I'm Andrea Gunning, and this is Betrayal, a show about the people we trust the most and the deceptions that change everything.

Recently, a listener we're calling Taylor wrote into us.

She grew up with her two parents and her older brother in a small Midwestern town.

Very small town feel.

Everyone kind of knew each other in some capacity.

Had to drive about an hour to a decent mall.

That mall was a place place Taylor and her mom would go shopping together.

We were kind of attached to the hip at one point.

She would always say that I had to go shopping with her because I was the only one who knew where she parked her car.

Growing up, Taylor's mom was her best friend.

My mom was very demure, if that's the trendy, popular word to use.

She was quieter and she was the stay-at-home mom for most of our lives.

That gave her a lot of time to spend with Taylor.

She was always the one that did pick up drop-off.

She was definitely the default parent.

She was a self-proclaimed bookworm.

We both enjoyed reading together, playing with dolls.

She taught me how to bake.

She taught me how to cook.

We always did things together.

Taylor's dad was the head of the household.

He was beloved in their family and in their community.

Easy-go-lucky, wore a margaritaville t-shirt, always had a smile on his face.

Taylor's parents had been together since they were young.

My mom was pregnant when she was 16.

He was 20.

She dropped out of high school, and he moved her across the country to follow him to the Air Force.

That military background became part of the family culture.

It was a pretty strict household growing up.

We definitely grew up with rules, and one of the rules was

do everything you're asked.

Striving to to be a good daughter was really important to Taylor.

She respected her parents.

She even shared her dad's name.

My dad was Big Taylor and I was Taylor Lynn.

Big Taylor was a big sports guy.

Some of my happiest moments growing up revolve around sports, but I always played a sport ever since I was five.

She started with her dad's sport, soccer.

He was a well-known soccer coach in the area.

My dad coached my brother, he coached me, he coached beyond both of us.

Everyone in their small town adored Taylor's dad.

He had the nickname of GC, which stood for goofy coach, because he kind of took the happy role in the coaching situation, the good cop role.

I did not know a world that did not involve sports, but I loved it.

I got really involved in volleyball, especially travel volleyball.

Quickly, the sport became her entire life.

Being good at volleyball and trying to get a scholarship or trying to get a spot on a college team was my biggest objective in high school.

She wanted to leave her small town and make it to a big state school.

If I would have stayed at home and maybe even played at the community college, that was out of the question.

I didn't even want to talk to the community college coach.

Her dad could be hard on her, pushing pushing her to get better on the court.

My dad looked like he was the most supportive dad in the world because he would come watch my practices.

But if he thought I didn't play well enough, or if he thought I wasn't practicing hard enough, I would get pulled aside to a place where no one could hear, or in the car on the way home, or at home.

And he would say how terrible I was and how I'm half-assing things and just be so mad at me.

He had this dark side where he would just flip a switch where

nothing could get him out of it.

The pressure from her dad could be intense.

By her senior year of high school, Taylor had made it onto one of the best volleyball teams in the area.

We were really good.

There wasn't a lot for my dad to critique, so he kind of had to ease up there.

Taylor's hard work paid off when she was accepted to a liberal arts college on a volleyball scholarship.

The school was an hour away from her parents' house.

So when she started that fall, her dad came to every game.

He was my biggest cheerleader.

He was being so great to me.

He was being the dad that I always wanted.

He came to everything.

He never critiqued how I played, even when I didn't have the best game, which he would have torn me apart when I was younger for some of that.

And volleyball became like a happy space again.

But that pressure to be the best didn't go away.

After every mistake or lost game, she she heard her dad's voice in her head.

I still wanted him to think I was the best, so I still tried hard.

I worked as hard as I could.

Every summer, I would do all of the workouts plus more to try to be the best that I could.

Her relationship with her dad had ups and downs, but her connection with her mom was steady.

We had those little moments where we felt like best friends and people thought we were so fun together.

They even worked together when Taylor was home from college.

We both worked at TJ Maxx, and it would be really funny to page her from the fitting room and say, Mom, you need to come clear out the fitting room.

By the time Taylor graduated, she had developed a real sense of self.

I was finally figuring out who I was, and it took me all four years to do that.

I came out such a stronger, independent, hardworking person who

knew that sports wasn't all that I was worth.

Once Taylor felt more secure in herself, she met a really great guy, someone who truly valued her.

He is a babe, first and foremost.

He's six foot five.

I'm the people person, and he is more of the strong, silent type, but we really balance each other out.

Taylor started a career in marketing and coached girls volleyball on the side.

She and her boyfriend shared the same interests.

Their lifestyles just aligned.

We both worked really hard at our career.

We both coached.

I coached girls volleyball.

He coached girls basketball.

We worked out together.

They got engaged and started planning a wedding.

Our wedding was great.

My mom helped me get ready with my bridesmaids.

My dad helped walk me down the aisle.

Had my father-daughter dance.

Taylor talked to her dad on the phone almost every day, and the family spent long weekends together.

As Taylor's husband started spending more time with the family,

my husband would always mention how thick my dad laid it on with me.

Man, he just gushes over you.

It's kind of weird.

It's kind of gross.

And I would just be like, well, I'm the golden child.

I'm the best.

And kind of justified as that.

And it took a long time for me to understand

my dad was just laying it on thick

because he knew what he did to me.

Time for a sofa upgrade?

Visit washable sofas.com and discover Anibay, where designer style style meets budget-friendly prices with sofas starting at $699.

Anibay brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly.

Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anibay is the only machine-washable sofa inside and out.

Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy.

Liquid Simply slides right off.

Designed for custom comfort, our high-resilience foam lets you choose between a sink-in feel or a supportive memory foam blend.

Plus, our pet-friendly, stain-resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years.

Don't compromise quality for price.

Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns.

Shop now at washablesofas.com.

Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

You're a Cummins diesel owner.

You know your truck is worth more than just any truck.

It's the workhorse that keeps you going.

That's why protecting your Cummins diesel is so important.

Complete Emissions Recall 67A and get a free warranty extension worth thousands.

Plus an exclusive Cummins gift.

It's quick, it's easy, and it's protection that keeps your truck going for miles and miles.

Visit CumminsRecall.com to schedule your appointment today.

That's CumminsRecall.com.

Home security systems are a great tool to keep you and your family safe from intruders.

And now, thanks to SimplySafe, there's a new way to stop someone from entering your home.

Simply Safe's AI-powered cameras detect threats while they're still outside your home and alert real security agents.

From there, the agents confront the intruder, letting them know they're being watched on camera and that the police are on their way.

Simply Safe's monitoring agents have your back and talk to intruders for you.

Simply Safe has a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it and see the difference for yourself.

I use SimplySafe myself and really value the added safety it provides.

It was easy to set up and has been incredibly reliable since.

Even when I'm traveling to report on a story for betrayal, the Simply Safe app makes it easy to check on my home from afar.

I use Simply Safe, and if you're looking for a security system, I recommend you do too.

Right now, my listeners can save 50% on a SimplySafe home security system at simplysafe.com/slash betrayal.

That's simplysafe.com/slash betrayal.

There's no safe like SimplySafe.

When I looked in the mirror, I expected to see weight loss from my GLP1.

Not unwanted hollowing in my face, sagging skin, and wrinkles.

My face looking older?

That was never part of my plan.

So I did something about it.

I restored my skin's glow and refreshed my look.

Learn how you can take back your youthful appearance at faceafterweightloss.com.

That's faceafterweightloss.com.

Taylor and her husband were settling into married life and beginning to plan for a family of their own.

In 2016, my husband and I were actively trying to have a baby.

We got a house together and just really getting excited for my professional career to really take off.

And life was pretty great.

At the time, Taylor had just started a new career in social media marketing.

I always had to keep in mind what trending topics were and how the brand could maybe resonate in some of those.

The Me Too movement started trending in 2017, and it wasn't just a one-day trend.

Every single day, there were new trending tweets with the Me Too hashtag that showcase stories of abuse.

Seeing these headlines just really put me in a dark place and put a dark cloud over my life.

Taylor's husband started noticing a change in her.

He thought maybe there was something wrong in our marriage or it's something that he did to make me upset.

But I would go home from work and I just wouldn't want to talk.

I would just

kind of try to block everything out.

After a few months, Taylor's husband encouraged her to start therapy.

And it was through therapy

that really helped me understand

why I was feeling so upset seeing the Me Too movement.

That was a major thing that happened to me that was not normal.

I found a therapist and I first just start talking about my relationship with my husband.

I think halfway into our first session, she asked me about my family life and I just blurted it out that my dad abused me growing up.

It was a truth that she buried for years.

She knew it happened, but she kept those memories locked away to protect herself.

That was until the Me Too movement brought them back into her conscious awareness.

It was so far back in my mind, the memories and reminders would truly only come out every once in a while in very weird situations, whether it be a dream or when I was drinking with my friend or an episode of Law and Order SBU would just hit way too close to what happened.

I actually had to stop watching that show.

With the support of a licensed therapist, she began revisiting the memories she tried so hard to forget.

As a note to listeners, Taylor is about to describe her experiences of sexual abuse.

If it's best for you not to hear this, you can skip ahead two minutes.

The earliest time I can recall is around

like three or four years old.

And I just remember being in the dark with the TV on,

laying next to my dad

and him pleasuring himself next to me.

He referred to it as helping him out.

And so the phrase,

ever since I can remember, was,

hey, I need you to come help me out.

Or how about you help me out?

Or,

well, I could probably convince your mom to unground you if you come help me out it was his code word

i was crying like quietly eyes shut

gritting my teeth silent stiff as a board

as soon as it would be over i would get out of there out of that room as fast as i could and i would lock myself into my room

The sexual abuse was a constant threat she navigated every day.

I I dreaded being home alone with him at any instance, my whole entire childhood.

Anytime I could go to the grocery store with my mom, I would go.

Anytime I could try to get out of the house, I would get out of the house.

I would even bring tons of like food and snacks from the pantry and hide them in my room to try to avoid going in and out of my room because there would be times where I would just walk past his room and that's where I would get the request to help him him out.

I just knew growing up, the faster I could get it over with, the faster I could leave.

He manipulated and threatened her into staying silent.

When she started looking back on her childhood, her fixation with sports started to make more sense.

It wasn't just about getting a scholarship.

Volleyball gave her an escape from her dad and her home.

Sports were also a great way to stay busy and not be in the house.

Like, I always tried to sign up for as much as I could and we had to do a lot of traveling with that.

So the abuse wasn't as often, which was nice.

It was a nice break.

But volleyball wasn't always a reprieve.

The bad moods her dad would get in after she lost a game were used to control her.

If I made a mistake, I was terrified what was going to happen when I went home.

The only way for me to get out of trouble or not grounded was to

help him out.

I would help him out and then everything would reset and we would be completely back to normal.

He would be an overly loving dad for that time period and I was just, I would go back to my room and be relieved.

But at the same time, I would be counting down the days until I had to do this again.

Every time, she hoped it would be the last time, but it went on, right up until she left for college.

I get mad at myself sometimes, which is really hard to deal with.

I should have just called the police.

I should have just told a teacher.

But who knows if they would have even taken me seriously?

Because he was respected in the community.

As soon as Taylor left for college, she buried the memories of her dad's abuse.

It was a survival mechanism because she depended on her parents.

And despite it all, she still wanted a connection with them.

I relied on my family for a lot of things.

And, you know, they supported me and they helped me buy my first car.

Through years of abuse, she had been taught that love was conditional and that it was her responsibility to make her parents happy with her.

That pattern of thinking stayed with her even after the abuse ended.

So when a memory would come up or when I'd be in college and that definitely wasn't happening to me anymore.

And I would think of something, I'm like, well, like, you know, now they're nice to me.

Now my dad treats me like his best friend.

And

all those great moments in my mind at that time outshadowed some stuff in the past because, hey, that's done.

That's over.

And look at how nice he is to me now.

And again, I would talk to my dad or my mom like every other day.

And

never at a time where we'd be talking would I be thinking about that because I was so focused on how good it was to have a supporting dad or loving dad.

It was definitely everything that I was craving growing up.

And I feel like I was trying to take full advantage of that as an adult.

But as hard as she tried to keep it out of her mind, those memories sometimes came back up.

There would be times all throughout my life where I would remember, like, oh, yeah, I remember that terrible stuff used to happen to you.

I even remember this was probably 2014, living in a different city.

And my friend and I were drinking, you know, just young 20s getting ready for a night on the town.

And I don't know what triggered it, but all of a sudden I just started crying.

And I've never told anyone up to that point.

And I told her what had happened to me.

And she gave me the biggest hug and we kind of just talked about it.

But back then, Taylor wasn't ready to confront the reality of what her father had done to her.

And the next day, she was like, I remember what you told me.

If you ever need to talk to me, let me know.

And I just kind of was embarrassed that I even brought it up.

I didn't want anyone to look at me as a victim or think of me like as gross, you know, for that happening to me as like damaged, even my friends.

Taylor felt like if she came forward, it would destroy her family.

And I would quickly be like, Well, your family's all that you have.

Do you want to blow up your whole life?

And I turned out okay.

So it really must have not been that bad.

And if I'm going to bring it up, then I'm just being a drama queen, or

maybe people aren't even going to believe me.

So why would I even bring it up?

So that's kind of how I would talk myself out of it and kind of push those memories back down.

By 2017, when she saw other survivors coming forward and being believed, something shifted for Taylor.

She couldn't keep the memories at bay anymore.

I would cry on my way to work sometimes out of the blue because I started having those memories that were just unavoidable and I couldn't really push them back like I had been doing all those years.

With the help of her therapist, she integrated those experiences into the story of her life, but she still wasn't ready to confront her parents.

And then

my husband and I were trying to have our first child.

And

the minute I found out I was pregnant, I just wanted to keep this thing safe.

I was getting very protective over my future baby and

really was having a hard time and had to talk to my therapist about, do I wanted to have a relationship with my dad knowing what happened to me?

Finally, my therapist suggested, well, have you ever talked to your mom or told your mom about this?

And that really opened the door to,

I need to bring light to this or I don't know what's going to happen next.

It was the last thing she wanted to do.

But now that she had a baby on the way, she knew she couldn't interact with her parents without addressing her dad's abuse.

She hadn't told anyone except her college friend and now her therapist.

If she was going to confront her parents, she needed to tell her husband first.

My husband and I were driving in a car and I was still

not

mentally in a great place that I said, okay, do you want to know why I am in therapy?

And I said, there was a family member that abused me, sexually abused me growing up.

And then

I was able to tell him that it was my dad.

And

he instantly wanted to drive two hours to to go see him and confront him.

He was supportive a thousand percent of the way.

He is a fierce protector.

He would do anything for me.

But she wanted to do this on her own.

He respected that and supported her as she made a plan.

But in the meantime, she distanced herself.

I definitely became a little bit more distant to them, you know, blamed like, oh, work is really busy, hard, a lot going on.

All my anger was directed at my dad, not my mom.

She knew her mom would be on her side.

She was her best friend.

One time when Taylor was young, her mom even asked her if something was wrong.

I remember I was five or six years old, and she asked me if my dad ever touched me.

And I remember saying to her, just because I was so scared, that I said no and just kind of let it go.

But now as an adult, she was ready to answer that question honestly.

A few months into Taylor's pregnancy, her mom invited her on a shopping trip.

Taylor decided this was the time.

I took my mom to just a little cafe and I said, I have something to tell you.

It's really hard for me.

Growing up,

dad sexually abused me.

I'm now pregnant

and I'm terrified that something's going to happen to this kid.

And I just need you to know.

And she immediately started crying and I started crying.

And she said, you know, I, I really, there was this one time that he was holding you weird that I really thought maybe, but you told me it wasn't happening.

Why didn't you ever tell me?

Like, she just kept like crying and asking me that.

And I just kept telling her dad told me not to.

Like he said, I would get in trouble if I told you.

She was just super upset, gave me all the hugs, told me how sorry she was that that happened.

And

I went home to where I lived at the time.

And she went home with the plan to confront my dad.

It was a huge relief, but she knew that confrontation would change her parents' relationship forever.

I was in hopes that she was going to leave him.

I offered her a place to live with us.

We would would help support her financially.

Taylor didn't hear anything from her parents for a few days.

The whole time, she was bracing for her dad's reaction.

She and her husband prepared for her mom to move in.

But Taylor was surprised when a few days later, she received a call from her dad.

My dad then called me and asked me to meet him.

at a halfway point in like a Walmart parking lot.

He said he wanted to talk and apologize.

So it wasn't even like an angry call.

It was a, we need to talk.

I'm just so sorry.

Can we please meet somewhere?

Will you ever forgive me?

Taylor was hopeful that her dad would apologize, acknowledge the impact of what he'd done and get help.

I thought maybe this could turn around into a story that had

some sort of reconciliation or some sort of alternate ending.

So I wanted to be a little bit bit open there because I did love him.

With that in mind, she agreed to meet him.

So we meet at the Walmart parking lot.

For her own protection, she decided to document the conversation.

I actually started recording with my phone

and he just starts going off on how sorry he is.

And he doesn't get those thoughts anymore.

And how good I turned out.

And could I ever forgive him?

I didn't have an answer for him if I could forgive him.

I said, I don't know.

And he goes, Do you still love me?

I said, yes, because that's my dad.

They sat in her car for an hour, crying.

His apology felt genuine.

It was the first time he ever acknowledged what he'd done.

Once they parted ways, I immediately called my mom and said,

hey, I just met up with dad.

He said he was so sorry.

Like, how did your conversation go?

And this is when she told me that he denied it, denied everything, said I was crazy, said I was making it up for attention.

And she didn't know what to believe anymore.

And I said, mom, I have a recording of him apologizing.

And she goes, hold on, your father's calling me.

And so hangs up, calls me back.

Yeah, he just said you admitted that you were lying.

The minute I got home, I sent her all the recording.

It was like an hour long.

And he never once in the recording said,

I'm sorry for sexually abusing you as a child, but he said, I am sorry.

Can you forgive me?

I don't get these thoughts.

And she said, well, he could have been apologizing about anything.

She just flipped the switch completely to not believing me.

There's nothing like sinking into luxury.

At washable sofas.com, you'll find the Anibay sofa, which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price.

And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom, starting at only $699.

The stain-resistant performance fabric slip covers and cloud-like frame duvet can go straight into your wash.

Perfect for anyone with kids, pets, or anyone who loves an easy-to-clean, spotless sofa.

With a modular design and changeable slip covers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style.

Whether you need a single chair, love seat, or a luxuriously large sectional, Anibay has you covered.

Visit washable sofas.com to upgrade your home.

Right now, you can shop up to 60% off store-wide with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Shop now at washable sofas.com.

Add a little

to your life.

Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

When I looked in the mirror, I expected to see weight loss for my GLP-1.

Not unwanted hollowing in my face, sagging skin, and wrinkles.

My face looking older?

That was never part of my plan.

So I did something about it.

I restored my skin's glow and refreshed my look.

Learn how you can take back your youthful appearance at faceafterweightloss.com.

That's faceafterweightloss.com.

You live for plot twists and never take the boring route.

Sound familiar?

Then it's time to board a cruise that feels like an adventure novel you can't put down.

Virgin Voyages is redefining getaways with all-in-voyage pricing.

Over $1,000 in value.

Wi-Fi, 20 plus dining spots.

group fitness and entertainment.

The always included luxury you deserve without extra charges you don't.

Simple, transparent, fair, no hidden charges, just smooth sailing with a side of thrill.

Escape to the Caribbean, think Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, with seven-day cruises that let you dig deeper into every destination.

Or plan ahead for 2025, 2026 with new routes to Aruba, St.

Lucia, Iceland, and even the British Isles.

The twist?

It's adult only, so the vibe stays immersive, exciting, and all about you.

Private beach clubs, themed sailings, onboard parties, and luxury cabins built for deep relaxation.

You bring the curiosity.

They'll supply the unforgettable.

Learn more at virginvoyages.com or contact your travel advisor.

If you haven't heard me talk about groons before, here's what makes it different.

This isn't just a multivitamin.

It's not just a greens gummy.

It's not just a prebiotic.

Groons is all of those combined into one comprehensive formula.

It's a daily snack pack because you simply can't fit this level of nutrition into one gummy.

Inside, six grams of prebiotic fiber, 20 plus essential vitamins and minerals, and 60 ingredients, which include nutrient-dense and whole foods to support gut health, immunity, energy, and more.

Groons is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-sugar, or sugar-free.

And the ingredients are backed by over 35,000 research publications.

It's nutrition that's actually enjoyable and actually works.

Whether the goal is better digestion, more energy, or just keeping up with a routine that feels easy, Groons makes it simple.

Get up to 52% off with the code betrayal at groons.co.

That's code betrayal at gruns.co.

After confiding in her mom about the abuse she experienced as a child, Taylor's dad reached out.

He said he wanted to apologize, so she met him in person.

To her surprise, he took accountability and was apologetic.

She recorded the conversation on her phone, but when Taylor sent that audio to her mom, she thought I manipulated the recording.

She just flipped the switch completely to not believing me.

This began a painful back and forth.

Taylor was desperate to prove the truth to her mom.

I had multiple phone calls at lunch break at work trying to convince her that, yes, this happened to me, sharing very specific instances or phrases that he would use like, how do you not believe me?

This went on for months.

Throughout my whole pregnancy, my mom was going back and forth of believing me or not, which was extremely stressful for me because I wanted her in my life.

I wanted her to be my son's grandma.

As she got closer to her due date, she tried to have one final conversation with her parents together.

Probably halfway through my pregnancy, I did show up at their house and they were both home.

She stepped out of the room and she's like, I need a minute.

As soon as her mom left the room.

My dad was acting so weird and definitely scared.

He went from remorseful to angry and said, I don't understand.

You turned out great.

This wasn't a problem when we bought you clothes.

This wasn't a problem when we bought you a car.

And I freak out and start crying and going, so that was supposed to make it okay.

My mom turns the corner.

She goes, what's going on?

I'm like, he's just justifying it with all of of these reasons.

And I left.

And at that point, I quit trying.

That was the moment she decided to cut her dad off.

I have not talked to him, looked at him since that moment when I fully understood that he does not love me the way that he says he did.

The stress took a toll on her health and her pregnancy.

I was 37 weeks and my OB was like, hey, you don't really have a lot of fluid.

You might want to go to the hospital because they might want to deliver the baby early.

And this is my first kid.

And I was like, what?

My first instinct was to go to my work and get my laptop for some reason.

And I just started like crying on the stairs at work and people at work were so nice.

And I was like, I'm not ready to be a mom.

And they're like, you're going to be great.

She called her husband who met her at the hospital.

They didn't even even have their hospital bag packed.

A few hours later, their son was born.

He was born perfect with blonde, curly hair and just adorable and so loved.

I had friends visit me in the hospital, my in-laws.

Her mom showed up too, but she was distant.

The minute the baby was born, she gave my son a kiss on the forehead and said that she was leaving.

Just extremely extremely weird.

Taylor and her mom barely spoke for months.

That was until Taylor's grandma passed away.

I went to my grandmother's house to pick up some things and help them move some stuff around.

My mom was bringing up like happy memories and trying to talk to me about the baby and just trying to pretend like everything was normal.

That's when I had the conversation with my mom, like stop skirting around this.

I gave her the ultimatum.

I said, you either believe me and stand by me and you are in this child's life, or I cannot have a relationship with you anymore.

She just finally, straight up, her reaction was, I don't believe you.

And I go, okay.

And I left.

And that was the last time we've ever spoke,

which was probably the hardest thing,

hardest conversation her and I ever had.

For Taylor, this was the ultimate betrayal.

I truly believed after we talked in that cafe that she believed me.

It was also an incredible loss.

It was very devastating to think of a world where I just don't have a mom.

But Taylor had to protect her child, even if that meant cutting off her mom.

And I feel so sorry for her because to this day, she's financially, emotionally,

she's just everything is under the rule of my dad.

She has always been so controlled by my father.

She could never have her own opinion.

I never saw her hang out with friends unless they were wives of my dad's friends while my dad was hanging out with his friends.

I truly think that there were times where I was her only friend, and I definitely missed that friendship, but I also have to do what's right for my family.

Sorry, that one, that one hit me kind of hard.

It's funny, I'm angry about my mom, but I'm just, I'm like mourning the loss of my mom, and she's not even dead.

And I get so upset still when I see my friends, and their moms are so involved with their kids.

It's just not fair.

For a while, this was something Taylor handled privately.

But over time, Taylor felt more empowered to share what happened to her.

One day, I

was on Facebook, and there was just a post, and it was kind of like a meme style where it said reason number like 300 and blah, blah, blah, why abuse victims don't come forward.

And all I did was hit share.

I didn't say, like, yep, this happened to me.

It was just like resharing a post.

Within seconds, i get a facebook message and it is from my older cousin he's about 10 years older than me

he goes hey what's this about

it was a cousin she would see once or twice a year at family events we'll call him henry she kept it vague told him it was something she was working through and he responds with is this about your dad

i got like a chill down my back

and I responded with yes, with like a bunch of dots.

And he immediately replied with,

I know this because it happened to me too.

It was like 11 o'clock at night.

I'm in my bedroom.

I just start crying.

And he proceeds to tell me that

when he was young, around five years old,

My dad sexually abused him

and the exact same things that he used to say to me, he said to my cousin Henry of helping him out.

My cousin said he never told anyone because he was so afraid.

We started talking like every other day on the phone and just sharing experiences and like support for one another.

It was the first time she felt seen.

As unfortunate as it was that it happened to both of us, it felt like I had someone who fully understood what I went through, believed me, and was equally as angry as I was in the sense of how much innocence that this person stole, and that I just wasn't alone.

My cousin Henry told his kids who are in their 20s, and before he could even say what family member did something to him, his daughter asked if it was Uncle Taylor because I apparently at a family event, he had groped her and told her not to tell anyone.

And so this clearly isn't an instance where it was a one-off with one kid or another kid.

There could be multiple victims out there.

Even though Taylor wasn't speaking to her mom, Henry took it upon himself to message her.

He Facebook messaged her probably a little over a year ago saying, when we were living in the Midwest,

it was happening to me by Uncle Taylor.

I thought it stopped once we moved away and he wouldn't do it to any other kid.

But Taylor Lynn is not lying and I know this goes beyond just us.

Never read it, never responded to him.

So

there's definitely been attempts even after that moment to try to snap her out of it and nothing has worked and I don't think anything will work.

Henry and Taylor took their information to authorities.

He contacted the state where he lives because the groping of his daughter happened in that state.

And unfortunately, they haven't really paid much attention.

So

at first, she was told the abuse she suffered would be classified as second-degree criminal sexual misconduct.

And in her state, there's a statute of limitations for that.

And it's extremely frustrating, but I'm choosing to

accept that.

Taylor and her cousin decided to do something together to symbolize what they went through.

Henry and I got Medusa tattoos recently.

So Medusa, the lore is she was seduced by Poseidon and raped by Poseidon in Athena's temple.

And Athena didn't believe her and chose to make her a monster.

And that definitely spoke to both of us of just fear of not being believed.

And we're both in each other's corner still, being there for each other when there are some dark days or

just reassurance that it wasn't our fault.

Just recently, the district attorney has decided to re-examine the case.

They are reclassifying her abuse as first-degree criminal sexual misconduct.

And there are no statute of limitations.

Taylor and Henry hope they might see justice.

In the meantime, she's focused on moving forward and raising her kids in a safe, happy environment.

I have a career that I'm chasing.

I don't have time nor like the desire at this moment to potentially chase down a case that has anyone say that they don't believe me when I know the truth.

I also have three beautiful boys that need all of my attention, all of my love right now.

I have the best kids in the world.

They are fun, they are smart, they're goofy, and I know I'm their mom, so I have to say all of those things.

She's sad that her mom doesn't get to see her boys grow up.

I feel sorry for her in the sense that she's never gonna know them and know how amazing they are.

Last week, I got a message from my oldest son's teacher.

He's in first grade.

It was interesting fact day.

And my son, all he knows about my parents is that they are i just say you know they're not very good people and so that's why they're not in our lives and i haven't elaborated and my oldest son told his entire class that my parents are bank robbers and they stole money from a bank and that's why he doesn't know them so i think it's kind of hilarious that little kids minds just are so imaginative

So one day I'll be able to tell them the real reason, but for now, they just know that the people who are in their lives are people who generally love them and will protect them.

And I refuse to have it any other way.

Throughout this whole experience, she's had the support of her husband.

I know I have such a great life partner.

He stood by me this entire time and his family has stood by me the entire time.

And that just has meant the whole world to me.

And he's such a good dad.

He is so fully involved.

And

we are building this little family from scratch and starting this new legacy.

We end every weekly episode with the same question.

Why do you want to share your story?

The first reason is I think this is a part of my healing journey, first and foremost, and provide myself some additional closure.

A second reason is when I found out that my cousin Henry, this had happened to him, there was this sense of I'm not alone.

And if I can give someone else this sense of them not feeling alone,

then I want to be able to do that.

And that's why I chosen to say something.

On the next episode of Betrayal Weekly.

So we sat down and he was like, he doesn't believe in NDA, so he's not going to ask for one of them.

And I was just like,

what the hell is going on here?

Like, what is happening?

And it was like, oh, do you know what?

I think I need to tell you a little bit about

my family history.

Before we end the episode, I have some exciting news.

Betrayal will be doing our first ever live show as part of the Virgin Voyages true crime cruise.

We'll be answering listener questions and discussing them live on stage with Stacey and Tyler from Betrayal Season 3, as well as Caroline from season 4.

So if you have a question for us, please email us at betrayalpod at gmail.com with the subject line listener question.

And if you want to join us on the Caribbean cruise, there are still spots available.

Search virginvoyages.com slash true crime.

If you would like to reach out to the betrayal team or want to tell us your betrayal story, email us at betrayalpod at gmail.com.

That's betrayalpod at gmail.com.

Or follow us on Instagram at betrayalpod.

You can also connect with me on Instagram at it's Andrea Gunning.

To access our newsletter, view additional content, and connect with the betrayal community, join our substack at betrayal.substack.com.

We're grateful for your support.

One way to show support is by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts.

And don't forget to rate and review Betrayal.

Five-star reviews go a long way.

A big thank you to all of our listeners.

Betrayal is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group in partnership with iHeart Podcasts.

The show is executive produced by Nancy Glass and Jennifer Faison.

Hosted and produced by me, Andrea Gunning.

Written and produced by Monique Laborde.

Also produced by Ben Fetterman.

Associate producers are Caitlin Golden, Olivia Hewitt, and Kristen Melcuri.

Casting support from Curry Richmond.

Our iHeart team is Allie Perry and Jessica Kreinchek.

Audio editing and mixing by Matt Delvecchio.

Additional audio editing by Tanner Robbins.

Betrayals theme composed by Oliver Baines.

Music library provided by MIBE Music.

And for more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey guys, it's Aaron Andrews from Calm Down with Erin and Carissa.

So as a sideline reporter, game day is extra busy for me, but I know it can be busy for parents everywhere.

You're juggling snacks, nap time, and everything else.

Well, Gerber can help create a more parent-friendly game day because they have the most clean label project certifications of any baby food brand.

So you can feel good about what you're feeding your little ones.

I mean, Mac loves them.

You can't go wrong with the little crunchies.

You just put him in a little bag or you put him in a little container and he's good to go.

Make sure to pick up your little one's favorite Gerber products at a store near you.

Noticed unwanted facial volume loss after GLP1 weight loss?

The weight came off, but volume loss and dull, sagging skin are making you look older.

Now you can reclaim your youthful looking appearance.

Learn more at faceafterweightloss.com.

That's faceafterweightloss.com.

You know what every betrayal story has in common?

There are always signs that something isn't right.

Just like when your own body turns against you, sluggish digestion, constant fatigue, and trouble losing weight, they're all signs of a disrupted gut.

Introducing Bioma, a novel supplement that contains everything you need for a healthy gut.

Enjoy comfortable digestion, boundless energy, and even smoother weight management when following a healthy lifestyle.

Just take two Bioma capsules each morning before breakfast and start feeling your best.

Visit bioma.health and use code betrayal to get 15% off your first order.

What does Zinn offer you?

Not just hands-free nicotine satisfaction, the freedom to do things your way.

When is the right time for Zin?

Anytime you need smoke-free, device-free time for you.

Why bring Zinn into your life?

Because America's number one nicotine pouch opens up the endless possibilities of right now.

Find your Zin.

Learn more at Zin.com.

Warning: this product contains nicotine.

Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

This is an iHeart podcast.