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
Sequoia’s Story: From Misjudged to Empowered — A Fight for Justice and the Power of Being Seen S4E11
In this episode, you’ll meet Sequoia—a young girl placed in a DJJ facility, despite never being charged with a crime. She didn’t need punishment; she needed help. But instead of being seen as a child in need, the system labeled her as a problem.
Luckily, her story did not end there. Sequoia’s story reveals what happens when survivors are seen, heard, and treated with dignity. With the support of Joel—a trauma-informed attorney—everything began to change. Advocacy, faith, and survivor leadership helped Sequoia step into freedom, purpose, and her calling to speak out for others.
Today, Sequoia is using her voice so the next generation won’t experience the injustice she faced. And you can use yours, too. Take our free eLearning course on trauma-informed practice: https://store.sharedhope.org/product/voi/, and join the fight to end the wrongful criminalization of survivors: https://act.sharedhope.org/4OFwREl
This is a story that challenges the system, changes minds, and inspires movements.
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/
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