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Today’s episode carries a trigger warning for serious sexual assault, drugging, and significant traumatic experiences. Given the distressing matter discussed, this content is for adults only. This is an important subject but we urge listener discretion.  In late 2017 Sophie Brown, then 19, was of hundreds of young people regularly partying at the Mama Hooch bar. Naive to the club’s dark underbelly until she was drugged and sexually assaulted in a nearby bathroom by the manager Danny Jaz. Today Brown, the first survivor in the case to lift her automatic name suppression, is finally able to share her story. Sexual harm - do you need help?If it’s an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.If you’ve ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone contact the Safe to Talk confidential crisis helpline on: Text 4334 and they will respond Email [email protected] Visit https://safetotalk.nz/contact-us/ for an online chat Or contact your local police station. If you have been abused, remember it’s not your fault. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend Kellie-jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, arrived in Aotearoa for her Let Women Speak tour.  The British activist widely labelled as anti-transgender and self-described as a women’s rights activist, caused a stir before she even stepped on Kiwi soil. Her talks had already been met with large protests across the ditch, and at her Melbourne rally, more than 20 neo-Nazi's did a Hitler salute on the steps of parliament. Today we sit down with NZ Herald reporter Isaac Davison who covered the Auckland protest.Follow us on Instagram at itlpod :) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modern dating can be a minefield and navigating sex with a new person can make things even more nerve-wrecking. A recent Bumble survey found 39 per cent of Kiwi singles admit to feeling inexperienced in the bedroom which impacts their self-confidence. Today on the Herald’s In the Loop podcast, Bumble’s resident sexologist Chantelle Otten speaks to hosts Cheree Kinnear and Katie Harris about attraction, chemistry and how to gain confidence with sex. Later in the show, 31-year-old Otten said reveals how people in non-monogamous relationships, unexplainable chemistry and exploring how we engage with others in the world.Follow us on Instagram at itlpod :) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A week after Cheree and her partner gifted a little red box containing two tiny booties to her parents, she was lying in a hospital bed learning she had just lost her baby. Today Cheree speaks about her heartbreak after miscarrying late last year, and why she believes we need to be more open about pregnancy loss.  This episode focuses heavily on miscarriage so please take care while listening. Following In the Loop on Instagram at itlpod :) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special (early release!) episode of In the Loop, Katie chats to her sister Laura and her friend Nicky about all things polyamory. Laura is in a long-term relationship with two other women, and Nicky is also polyamorous but is not in a committed relationship right now. The pair share their feelings on monogamy, jealousy, what it's like being in love with more than one person and why they chose polyamory. We loved this ep, especially how open and honest both Nicky and Laura were, and we hope you do too!  Find queer resources, information and support at Rainbow Youth (09) 376 4155. Follow us on Instagram at Itlpod :) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Cheree and Katie sit down with a former Calendar Girls worker Alice* to speak about the collective contract negotiations that they claim resulted in 19 women getting dropped. She also speaks about wider issues in the industry and what they would like to see change.  *Alice's name has been changed to protect her privacy.  Calendar Girls claimed in a statement it had not changed its private dancer cost for 12 years. “In hindsight we should put the cost up a little each year.” The organisation said that while the percentage had changed, the contractor amount went up. However, the former worker disagreed and said a 50 per cent cut was less than 60 per cent. Calendar Girls also said the contracts were written by a specialist lawyer and although there were fines in the contracts “not one” has been issued in Wellington this financial year. “The 19 contractors, some of which who have already moved on or only do a day here and there and, with a limited amount of lockers, we need them for new contractors working weekly. All of which were told they could re-apply online.” A dancer also disputed the claim they were told to re-apply. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lip flips, buccal fat removal, and baby botox are all in a minutes scrolling on social media these days. Whether it’s on your favourite celebrity, colleague, or even your mother, the latest cosmetic procedures have become the topic du jour for many Sunday brunches. Sarah Hart, an Auckland-based cosmetic medicine doctor has seen beauty trends come and go for decades. She speaks to In the Loop about social media trends, what actually works, how she got into cosmetic medicine plus much more.  Follow us on Instagram at itlpod :) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Redundancies, contract disputes and personal grievances are always in the headlines, but what’s it really like for the lawyers at the coal face? Today In the Loop host Katie Harris chats to senior solicitor Lizzie Thomas about contracts, non-compete clauses and the common cases that come across her desk. In the episode the pair discuss the importance of thoroughly reading employment contracts, common mistakes people make when signing the documents and what kind of cases are the most common. Thomas explains non-compete and other post-employment clauses, which are in place across industries, and why they can be enforced. Follow us on Instagram at itlpod :)  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bella Howarth, 22, didn’t exactly fall into social media fame. While TikTok was never a specific ambition, from age 12 Howarth knew she wanted to make videos.“I was trying to be like a vlogger, like Zoella, I think my handle [on YouTube] was Dorkabella.”While her YouTube career wasn’t meant to be, and she has now scraped all evidence from the internet, she’s now found success on the video-sharing app TikTok. Speaking to the Herald’s In the Loop podcast, Howarth details what it’s like sharing so much of her personal life, dealing with trolls and being recognised in public. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s infiltrated your group chat, is filling up your TikTok feed and already being made into a six-part series. No, this not the latest Kardashian reality season, it’s the gritty, gruesome reality of our true crime addiction. On today’s episode of In the Loop, hosts Cheree Kinnear and Katie Harris chat to crime reporter and author Jared Savage about why people are so attracted to stories about others’ darkest moments.  WARNING: This episode covers crimes that may be distressing for some listeners and may not be appropriate for all ears.  Follow us on Instagram at itlpod :) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selling sex, intimacy and acceptance, Wellington sex worker Cleo takes Katie Harris and Cheree Kinnear inside their life as a non-binary high-end Wellington escort. On this deep dive episode, we discuss what Cleo's day to day is like, how they got into sex work and how being non-binary helps them support clients discovering their own identity. We found this chat really insightful and hope you do too! This episode was recorded earlier this year and is being released over summer.  Follow us on Instagram at itlpod :) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once a year since J* was 14 she would try insert a tampon. The Wellington woman, who wants to be known by her initial J, attempted the annual ritual without success for years, hoping that maybe one day it would finally work. What J didn't know at the time was that she has vaginismus, a medical condition where the vagina tightens up when you try insert something into it. Today on the show J chats to Cheree and Katie about the condition, how it's treated and how speaking up has helped both her and others.We really loved having J on the show and hope you learn as much as we did! This episode was recorded earlier this year and is being released over summer.  Warning, this episode discusses features lengthy discussions about sex and bodies so may not be appropriate for all listeners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.