Biografia
Actor-turned-advocate Vanessa Cloke (Dimitropoulos) (legal and maiden name) stepped into a major life role as the founder of The Escaped Goat, a campaign with the mission to reform psychological & emotional abuse laws. Her aspirations are to support survivors of narcissistic abuse as they navigate the journey of healing and recovery, and to contribute to ending the vicious cycle of trauma and abuse.
Her advocacy began after the immensely traumatic experience of narcissistic abuse at the hands of her abuser, his family, and the local police department, left her without support, and with a laundry list of symptoms directed related including PTSD.
Vanessa dedicates a great deal of her time facilitating support groups, studying generational trauma and the effects of narcissistic abuse. She believes that psychological abuse laws need to be treated with the same criminal prosecution as physical and sexual abuse, and that The United States needs to catch up to the progressive psychological abuse reforms implemented by the UK, France, Ireland, and Scotland.
Vanessa grew up in Paramount, CA and received her BA in Communications from Chapman University. She then owned and operated a children's dance company in San Diego with a student base of 300. While still actively involved in her company, and after a short stint as the bartender on San Clemente Island located 80 miles off the coast of Southern California, Vanessa moved to Rota, Spain, where she frequently traveled, and worked as a Library Technician.
Her next adventure brought her to New Orleans, just a few days after the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. At the time, NOLA was a major Film & TV hub, giving Vanessa the opportunity to follow her heart and finally pursue the career she had wanted since a child.
She simultaneously worked at Cineworks post production facility, started a successful video audition taping service and demo reel company- Shoot My Reel.
Before leaving New Orleans for Los Angeles during The Big Short's Oscar nomination and ultimate win, Vanessa produced two web-series and a short film, the latter of which won Best Drama at the Louisiana International Film Festival.
Vanessa has not completely left the Film and TV industry; he is the producing a documentary and developing a media company which will showcase interviews, PSA's, and video books revolving around the subject of narcissistic abuse. When she is not producing, writing, advocating, or studying the martial arts form Krav Maga, Vanessa spends her time dancing, traveling, creating entrepreneurial concepts, and continuing her spiritual journey.
