Episode 13: Jack Briggs

In one of the most profound episodes of Identity First, Stephanie Fleet speaks with Jack Briggs, co-author of Jack and Zena: A True Story, about love, survival and the lifelong impact of forced marriage and honour-based abuse. What began as a young relationship in 1992 quickly escalated into credible death threats, police involvement and a life spent in hiding. Jack and Zena were forced to flee, eventually living under assumed identities for 13 years, moving more than 75 times to escape those determined to find them. At a time when awareness of forced marriage was minimal, systems failed to recognise the severity of the threat, leaving the couple navigating danger with little structured protection. Jack speaks candidly about the trauma that followed — the hypervigilance, breakdown, and diagnosis of complex PTSD — but also about the extraordinary ripple effect of sharing their story. Their book helped inform parliamentary debate, contributed to the development of the UK’s Forced Marriage legislation, and influenced frontline police training across the country. This episode is not only about survival, but about identity under threat: what happens when systems fail, when love defies culture, and when lived experience becomes a catalyst for change. It is a sobering, courageous and ultimately hopeful conversation about conviction, belief and the human capacity to endure.