Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight against Child Sex Trafficking
Welcome to Invading the Darkness: stories from the fight against child sex trafficking in the United States. This podcast features Linda Smith, the founder of Shared Hope International, sharing stories from her 23 years of fighting the battle of domestic minor sex trafficking.
In 2025, "Invading the Darkness" will introduce a video element to its podcast, featuring hosts Yvonne and Kim, who are survivors of sex trafficking and advocates for the Just Like Me campaign.
Yvonne and Kim will share their life experiences, insights, and narratives from other survivors.
Our desire is that each episode will help you better understand the importance of fighting child sexual exploitation in the United States.
Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight against Child Sex Trafficking
Pt. 1 Courtney & Brent: The Trauma of Victimization, Criminalization, and the Road to Justice S4E9
Courtney and her mother were both trafficked by the same predator—but the system didn’t treat them the same. While Courtney was seen as a victim, her mother was criminalized.
In Part 1 of this gripping two-part series, Courtney opens up about the trauma they endured, and Yvonne and Kim break down how a justice system without trauma-informed understanding can retraumatize survivors and punish those who need protection the most.
This story is heartbreaking—but it's real. And it’s happening far too often.
Courtney’s story underscores how urgently we need change—from how survivors are treated in the courtroom to the policies that shape their futures. You can take action and learn more through the following resources:
Urge Congress to pass the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (TSRA)—a critical step toward clearing the records of survivors who were criminalized for their own exploitation. Contact your representative here: https://act.sharedhope.org/h5NmuZy
See how your state treats survivors in our Just Like Me Report Cards, which expose gaps in legal protections and outline steps for reform. Sign up to receive your report card on October 14th here: https://reportcards.sharedhope.org/just-like-me-report-cards/
Understand how victim-offender intersectionality impacts survivor outcomes through our Victim-Offender Intersectionality (VOI) eLearning course. Take the course here: https://store.sharedhope.org/product/voi/
Join the movement for systemic change and deepen your understanding at the 2025 JuST Conference where Courtney and her mom will be sharing more of their story. Register here: https://scurrystreet.swoogo.com/justtrainingconference2025
Listen now to Part 1 and learn why we must reform the system before more survivors fall through the cracks.
Don’t forget to subscribe @sharedhopeinternational,
follow us on social media, and check out invadingthedarkness.org.
Visit https://invadingthedarkness.org/
Learn more about how you can take action https://sharedhope.org/justlikeme/
SUPPORT THE PODCAST https://sharedhope.org/appealforms/podcastsupport/