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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Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words is a groundbreaking true-crime podcast that hands the microphone back to those who were silenced. Hosted by investigative storyteller Justin Shepherd, Unheard goes beyond headlines and court transcripts to reveal raw, firsthand accounts from victims, survivors, and voices long overlooked by the justice system.

This trailer offers a powerful introduction to the heart of the series—stories told without filters, agendas, or sensationalism. These are not retellings. These are lived experiences, shared by the people who carry them.

🔎 What to Expect from Unheard:

🗣️ Stories Told Firsthand

Every episode centers the voices of those directly impacted—speaking in their own words, on their own terms.

🖤 Beyond the Headlines

Unheard explores the emotional aftermath, unanswered questions, and human cost that rarely make the news.

⚖️ Truth Without Sensationalism

This series prioritizes authenticity and respect over shock value, creating space for honesty and nuance.

🔦 Cases That Deserve Attention

From overlooked victims to stories buried by time, Unheard shines a light where silence once lived.

🎧 A New Kind of True Crime

Less narration. More truth. This is true crime stripped down to its most human form.

🔥 A Call to Listen Differently

Unheard challenges listeners to move beyond curiosity and toward understanding, empathy, and awareness.

If you think you know true crime—listen again.

Because some stories were never meant to stay silent.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.