The Murder of James Self: When Control Turns Deadly

When we talk about domestic abuse, there’s a narrative people expect. This case doesn’t fit it. In this week’s episode of Seeing Red, we examine the murder of James Self — a man killed by his female partner after what those close to them describe as a volatile and controlling relationship. We look at how abuse can look different when the victim is male. The warning signs that are often dismissed. The cultural blind spots that make it harder for men to be believed — or even to recognise what’s happening to them in the first place. Domestic abuse isn’t defined by gender. It’s defined by control, fear, and escalation.And when we fail to recognise that, people slip through the cracks. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Theme music arranged and composed by Holly-Jane Shears: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can listen to The Murder of James Self: When Control Turns Deadly online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The Murder of James Self: When Control Turns Deadly is an episode from Seeing Red A True Crime Podcast by Mark Randell & Bethan Trueman.

This episode is 52:25 long.

This episode was published on Feb 25, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Seeing Red A True Crime Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.