Before there was internet fraud and phone scams, there were always swindlers.

Female swindlers too.

Discover the stories of women from the past who not only survived, but thrived as con-artists and thieves.

How did they use their feminine characteristics to swindle in a world where men made the rules?

Join me, Lucy Worsley, historian and author, and my all-female team in ladies swindlers, wherever you get your podcasts.

Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica.

This month we're talking about women who found themselves at the center of controversy,

whether deserved or not.

Today we're talking about a woman who became one of the loudest voices for women's health

during a period of silence and shame on the subject.

The AIDS message will start with us, but it can stay with us alone.

Let's talk about Prudence Mabella.

Prudence Mabella was born on July 21, 1971, in a township outside of Johannesburg, South Africa.

She was the oldest of four girls. Prudence grew up during

apartheid. Coming of age in an era of racial segregation and oppression, Prudence understood

inequality early on. That understanding would soon be at the center of a deeply stigmatized

personal battle. In 1990, when she was just 18 years old, Prudence tested positive for HIV.

At that time, South Africa was at the crossroads of significant political change.

Nelson Mandela had been released from prison and democracy was on the horizon.

But at the same time, the HIV and AIDS epidemic was ravaging the country.

AIDS, you're my enemy. AIDS, you're the kill. Think about my father, you have taken her. Think about

my mother, you have taken her. Fear, discrimination, and shame surrounded the disease, and people

...