David Challen
@davidchallen.bsky.social
Domestic Abuse Campaigner | Survivor | Advisor | Speaker | Writer | Freed my mum #SallyChallen in a landmark #CoerciveControl case, #SallysLaw ⚖️
https://linktr.ee/DavidChallen
https://linktr.ee/DavidChallen
I have NEVER said that I am relieved my mum killed my dad.
This is a very clear distortion of my words and it is actual putrid bile.
I have contacted the Daily Mirror.
This is a very clear distortion of my words and it is actual putrid bile.
I have contacted the Daily Mirror.
June 19, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I have NEVER said that I am relieved my mum killed my dad.
This is a very clear distortion of my words and it is actual putrid bile.
I have contacted the Daily Mirror.
This is a very clear distortion of my words and it is actual putrid bile.
I have contacted the Daily Mirror.
The Unthinkable has already reached more people than I ever imagined.
Thank you to every reader who’s messaged, shared and told me this helped them name what they went through.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Out Now ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
Thank you to every reader who’s messaged, shared and told me this helped them name what they went through.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Out Now ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
June 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The Unthinkable has already reached more people than I ever imagined.
Thank you to every reader who’s messaged, shared and told me this helped them name what they went through.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Out Now ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
Thank you to every reader who’s messaged, shared and told me this helped them name what they went through.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Out Now ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
The Unthinkable is journey of a child excavating his own past, and his mother’s before him, to give an understanding to an unthinkable act of violence, so it never happens again.
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
The Unthinkable - OUT NOW
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
The Unthinkable - OUT NOW
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
June 14, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The Unthinkable is journey of a child excavating his own past, and his mother’s before him, to give an understanding to an unthinkable act of violence, so it never happens again.
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
The Unthinkable - OUT NOW
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
The Unthinkable - OUT NOW
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
My mum killed my dad after decades of his abuse. I fought to set her free. But once I did, I realised I needed to free myself too.
I spoke with @mrjamesob.bsky.social about my book #TheUnthinkable + the unseen impact of coercive control on children.
🎧 Listen ➡️ www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbc/...
I spoke with @mrjamesob.bsky.social about my book #TheUnthinkable + the unseen impact of coercive control on children.
🎧 Listen ➡️ www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbc/...
June 14, 2025 at 8:03 AM
My mum killed my dad after decades of his abuse. I fought to set her free. But once I did, I realised I needed to free myself too.
I spoke with @mrjamesob.bsky.social about my book #TheUnthinkable + the unseen impact of coercive control on children.
🎧 Listen ➡️ www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbc/...
I spoke with @mrjamesob.bsky.social about my book #TheUnthinkable + the unseen impact of coercive control on children.
🎧 Listen ➡️ www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbc/...
“I had no idea Mum had a little plastic stool behind the passenger seat and intended to drive to Beachy Head… and throw herself off.”
This week, The Mail serialised my memoir The Unthinkable, the story to free my mother Sally Challen, and then myself.
➡️ archive.ph/2025.06.11-0...
This week, The Mail serialised my memoir The Unthinkable, the story to free my mother Sally Challen, and then myself.
➡️ archive.ph/2025.06.11-0...
June 14, 2025 at 7:04 AM
“I had no idea Mum had a little plastic stool behind the passenger seat and intended to drive to Beachy Head… and throw herself off.”
This week, The Mail serialised my memoir The Unthinkable, the story to free my mother Sally Challen, and then myself.
➡️ archive.ph/2025.06.11-0...
This week, The Mail serialised my memoir The Unthinkable, the story to free my mother Sally Challen, and then myself.
➡️ archive.ph/2025.06.11-0...
Glad more print runs are underway!
Blown away by the messages and responses so far to The Unthinkable, a book that’s fast become meaningful with many who’ve reached out. This is what it’s all about.
🧍🏼👫🧍🏼♂️🏠
#TheUnthinkable
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
Blown away by the messages and responses so far to The Unthinkable, a book that’s fast become meaningful with many who’ve reached out. This is what it’s all about.
🧍🏼👫🧍🏼♂️🏠
#TheUnthinkable
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
June 9, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Glad more print runs are underway!
Blown away by the messages and responses so far to The Unthinkable, a book that’s fast become meaningful with many who’ve reached out. This is what it’s all about.
🧍🏼👫🧍🏼♂️🏠
#TheUnthinkable
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
Blown away by the messages and responses so far to The Unthinkable, a book that’s fast become meaningful with many who’ve reached out. This is what it’s all about.
🧍🏼👫🧍🏼♂️🏠
#TheUnthinkable
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
I’ve also written a short reflection this morning on what it took to write The Unthinkable. It’s about absence, fear, and finally handing my story over...
On Subtack NOW.
➡️ open.substack.com/pub/davidcha...
On Subtack NOW.
➡️ open.substack.com/pub/davidcha...
June 5, 2025 at 9:13 AM
I’ve also written a short reflection this morning on what it took to write The Unthinkable. It’s about absence, fear, and finally handing my story over...
On Subtack NOW.
➡️ open.substack.com/pub/davidcha...
On Subtack NOW.
➡️ open.substack.com/pub/davidcha...
Happy publication day to…
The Unthinkable!!!
📚 🎉 🥂📚🎉 🥂
My mum killed my dad, I helped free her from prison. This is the story I walked, and what it cost.
I never thought I’d write it and now, it’s out in the world!
🧍🏼👫🧍🏼♂️🏠
🚨 Order NOW!
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
The Unthinkable!!!
📚 🎉 🥂📚🎉 🥂
My mum killed my dad, I helped free her from prison. This is the story I walked, and what it cost.
I never thought I’d write it and now, it’s out in the world!
🧍🏼👫🧍🏼♂️🏠
🚨 Order NOW!
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
June 5, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Happy publication day to…
The Unthinkable!!!
📚 🎉 🥂📚🎉 🥂
My mum killed my dad, I helped free her from prison. This is the story I walked, and what it cost.
I never thought I’d write it and now, it’s out in the world!
🧍🏼👫🧍🏼♂️🏠
🚨 Order NOW!
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
The Unthinkable!!!
📚 🎉 🥂📚🎉 🥂
My mum killed my dad, I helped free her from prison. This is the story I walked, and what it cost.
I never thought I’d write it and now, it’s out in the world!
🧍🏼👫🧍🏼♂️🏠
🚨 Order NOW!
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
#TheUnthinkable is out TOMORROW and just made the top 100 books on Amazon!
🖤🤍🖤🤍
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
🖤🤍🖤🤍
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
June 4, 2025 at 4:33 PM
#TheUnthinkable is out TOMORROW and just made the top 100 books on Amazon!
🖤🤍🖤🤍
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
🖤🤍🖤🤍
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
So lovely to catch up with Ranvir Singh on Lorraine this morning to talk about #TheUnthinkable. Hearing from early readers who’ve been deeply moved by the book means everything. It makes my journey to write it worth it.
📺 Catch-up here ➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Ni...
📺 Catch-up here ➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Ni...
June 2, 2025 at 10:24 PM
So lovely to catch up with Ranvir Singh on Lorraine this morning to talk about #TheUnthinkable. Hearing from early readers who’ve been deeply moved by the book means everything. It makes my journey to write it worth it.
📺 Catch-up here ➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Ni...
📺 Catch-up here ➡️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Ni...
June 1, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Ahead of my interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning, we spoke about my memoir The Unthinkable - about coercive control and why we still aren’t doing enough to confront this violence.
It airs this morning 9am, on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, BBC One.
📚 #TheUnthinkable is out THURSDAY.
It airs this morning 9am, on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, BBC One.
📚 #TheUnthinkable is out THURSDAY.
June 1, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Ahead of my interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning, we spoke about my memoir The Unthinkable - about coercive control and why we still aren’t doing enough to confront this violence.
It airs this morning 9am, on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, BBC One.
📚 #TheUnthinkable is out THURSDAY.
It airs this morning 9am, on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, BBC One.
📚 #TheUnthinkable is out THURSDAY.
Catch me on Laura Kuenssberg tomorrow where I’ll be talking about my book The Unthinkable, out Thursday.
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
May 31, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Catch me on Laura Kuenssberg tomorrow where I’ll be talking about my book The Unthinkable, out Thursday.
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
Mel’s support has meant so much since we met during my campaign to free my mother. Recognising me in the cloak room of a fundraiser, she called out my name then proceed to sit me down and ask what she could do to change things.
She knew everything about our story, and her empathy blew me away 💜
She knew everything about our story, and her empathy blew me away 💜
May 29, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Mel’s support has meant so much since we met during my campaign to free my mother. Recognising me in the cloak room of a fundraiser, she called out my name then proceed to sit me down and ask what she could do to change things.
She knew everything about our story, and her empathy blew me away 💜
She knew everything about our story, and her empathy blew me away 💜
Honoured to have my first quote from Mel B, whose support has meant so much since we met during my campaign to free my mother. Her courage and solidarity as a fellow survivor continues to inspire me.
THE UNTHINKABKE - Out 5th June
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-Order Now ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
THE UNTHINKABKE - Out 5th June
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-Order Now ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
May 29, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Honoured to have my first quote from Mel B, whose support has meant so much since we met during my campaign to free my mother. Her courage and solidarity as a fellow survivor continues to inspire me.
THE UNTHINKABKE - Out 5th June
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-Order Now ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
THE UNTHINKABKE - Out 5th June
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-Order Now ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
You can pre-order my book, The Unthinkable, out 5 June (NEXT WEEK!)
📖 Here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
📖 Here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
May 28, 2025 at 11:56 AM
You can pre-order my book, The Unthinkable, out 5 June (NEXT WEEK!)
📖 Here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
📖 Here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
Great day at @hayfestival.bsky.social w/Harriet Wistrich + Samira Ahmed talking about my new book The Unthinkable!
Hard to believe how far I’ve come, from the lost man who freed his mum from prison after she killed my dad. We gave voice to the abuse she endured, and countless many still suffer 💜
Hard to believe how far I’ve come, from the lost man who freed his mum from prison after she killed my dad. We gave voice to the abuse she endured, and countless many still suffer 💜
May 28, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Great day at @hayfestival.bsky.social w/Harriet Wistrich + Samira Ahmed talking about my new book The Unthinkable!
Hard to believe how far I’ve come, from the lost man who freed his mum from prison after she killed my dad. We gave voice to the abuse she endured, and countless many still suffer 💜
Hard to believe how far I’ve come, from the lost man who freed his mum from prison after she killed my dad. We gave voice to the abuse she endured, and countless many still suffer 💜
What a moment.
I never imagined holding my own book.
For years I gave voice to others, but this is the first time I’ve told my own.
This is the story of what it took to name abuse and what led to…
The Unthinkable
Out 5 June 2025
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
I never imagined holding my own book.
For years I gave voice to others, but this is the first time I’ve told my own.
This is the story of what it took to name abuse and what led to…
The Unthinkable
Out 5 June 2025
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
May 16, 2025 at 11:00 AM
What a moment.
I never imagined holding my own book.
For years I gave voice to others, but this is the first time I’ve told my own.
This is the story of what it took to name abuse and what led to…
The Unthinkable
Out 5 June 2025
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
I never imagined holding my own book.
For years I gave voice to others, but this is the first time I’ve told my own.
This is the story of what it took to name abuse and what led to…
The Unthinkable
Out 5 June 2025
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
Lucy was 13. Groomed, isolated, coercively controlled. But the law says it’s not domestic abuse, because she was under 16.
While boys are radicalised by violent misogyny online, girls are left unprotected.
This is state failure.
➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
While boys are radicalised by violent misogyny online, girls are left unprotected.
This is state failure.
➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
May 15, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Lucy was 13. Groomed, isolated, coercively controlled. But the law says it’s not domestic abuse, because she was under 16.
While boys are radicalised by violent misogyny online, girls are left unprotected.
This is state failure.
➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
While boys are radicalised by violent misogyny online, girls are left unprotected.
This is state failure.
➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
My mother killed my father.
The justice system saw a murder.
I saw years of abuse and stood by her to lead a campaign that freed her from prison.
Now I’ve written the book about what that took. And what it cost.
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Out 5 June
Pre-order here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
The justice system saw a murder.
I saw years of abuse and stood by her to lead a campaign that freed her from prison.
Now I’ve written the book about what that took. And what it cost.
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Out 5 June
Pre-order here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
April 27, 2025 at 12:17 PM
My mother killed my father.
The justice system saw a murder.
I saw years of abuse and stood by her to lead a campaign that freed her from prison.
Now I’ve written the book about what that took. And what it cost.
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Out 5 June
Pre-order here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
The justice system saw a murder.
I saw years of abuse and stood by her to lead a campaign that freed her from prison.
Now I’ve written the book about what that took. And what it cost.
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Out 5 June
Pre-order here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
Is this what female empowerment looks like? An 11-min jolly to wash the image of a male billionaire wrecking the planet, while women, who suffer most in poverty, war, and environmental disaster, are left behind.
April 15, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Is this what female empowerment looks like? An 11-min jolly to wash the image of a male billionaire wrecking the planet, while women, who suffer most in poverty, war, and environmental disaster, are left behind.
I grew up in a picture-perfect home, but something was unspoken, unseen, and quietly shaping everything.
This is the story of what it took to name it, and what led to…
THE UNTHINKABLE
Out 5 June 2025
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
This is the story of what it took to name it, and what led to…
THE UNTHINKABLE
Out 5 June 2025
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
April 9, 2025 at 1:34 PM
I grew up in a picture-perfect home, but something was unspoken, unseen, and quietly shaping everything.
This is the story of what it took to name it, and what led to…
THE UNTHINKABLE
Out 5 June 2025
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
This is the story of what it took to name it, and what led to…
THE UNTHINKABLE
Out 5 June 2025
🧍🏼👩🏼🤝👨🏻🧍🏼♂️🏠
Pre-order here ➡️ www.hachette.co.uk/titles/david...
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰.
🧍🏼👫🏼🧍🏻♂️🏠
🧍🏼👫🏼🧍🏻♂️🏠
April 8, 2025 at 12:27 PM
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰.
🧍🏼👫🏼🧍🏻♂️🏠
🧍🏼👫🏼🧍🏻♂️🏠
Dr James Rowlands’ new book, out 28 March, explores domestic abuse-related deaths and how reviews can drive change. It’s the first full-length study of Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews in England and Wales.
An urgent and vital contribution.
➡️ www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
An urgent and vital contribution.
➡️ www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
March 24, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Dr James Rowlands’ new book, out 28 March, explores domestic abuse-related deaths and how reviews can drive change. It’s the first full-length study of Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews in England and Wales.
An urgent and vital contribution.
➡️ www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
An urgent and vital contribution.
➡️ www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...
Kyle Clifford sentenced to a whole-life order.
Mr Justice Bennathan said "Clifford will never be released from prison for his callous offending."
➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5...
Mr Justice Bennathan said "Clifford will never be released from prison for his callous offending."
➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5...
March 11, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Kyle Clifford sentenced to a whole-life order.
Mr Justice Bennathan said "Clifford will never be released from prison for his callous offending."
➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5...
Mr Justice Bennathan said "Clifford will never be released from prison for his callous offending."
➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5...