In this deeply moving episode of Unheard, survivor and advocate Elizabeth Smart shares her experience of surviving kidnapping and navigating the long, complex journey of healing after trauma. Elizabeth opens up about how the legal system can retraumatize survivors, why forgiveness is deeply personal, and what recovery really looks like beyond the headlines.

This conversation explores trauma recovery, victim advocacy, consent education, body autonomy, and the critical role of family and support systems. Elizabeth also discusses grief, faith, public scrutiny, and how sharing survivor stories can create awareness, understanding, and change.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses trauma, abuse, and recovery.

Topics include:

trauma recovery, sexual assault survivors, victim advocacy, forgiveness and healing, consent education, legal system challenges, post-traumatic growth, survivor stories, mental health

03:02 – Trauma and the Legal System

05:53 – Faith, Trauma, and Complexity

09:04 – What Forgiveness Really Means

11:56 – Turning Trauma Into Advocacy

15:02 – Why Justice Often Fails Survivors

18:08 – Understanding Victimhood

20:47 – Language, Consent, and Body Autonomy

23:54 – Living Beyond Survival

26:58 – Why Healing Is Not Linear

29:53 – The Power of Support Systems

33:14 – Strength and Resilience After Trauma

36:03 – Setbacks in Recovery

38:48 – Unfairness After Rescue

42:23 – Centering Victims, Not Headlines

43:56 – Family’s Role in Healing

45:00 – Life After Trauma

46:10 – Being a Public Figure After Trauma

47:15 – Returning to “Normal”

51:41 – What the Public Doesn’t See

01:01:45 – The Reality of Long-Term Healing

01:03:30 – Advice for Parents and Educators

01:05:05 – Finding Hope and Joy

01:06:03 – Elizabeth Smart’s Work and Writing

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