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.
Episodes
50 episodes
Anne's Advocacy: Working with Indigenous Populations using Culturally Competent Community Resources S4E12
In this powerful episode of Invading the Darkness, Anne opens up about her advocacy within Indigenous communities—where the wounds of trafficking are compounded by generations of systemic injustice. She highlights the urgent need for c...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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26:47
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...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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14:10
Pt. 2 Courtney & Brent: The Trauma of Victimization, Criminalization, and the Road to Justice S4E10
In Part 2 of Courtney’s story, Yvonne and Kim continue the conversation with a deeper look at what happens after the system fails survivors.Courtney’s mother still lives with the weight of a criminal record—one that never should’ve exist...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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18:17
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, Courtn...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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16:46
When Joy Feels Unsafe: Ashley's Story of Trauma, Healing, and the Power of Aftercare S4E8
What if happiness felt terrifying instead of safe?In this powerful episode of Invading the Darkness, Ashley bravely unpacks how early trauma impacts the brain—and how for many trafficking survivors, even joy can feel like a threat.
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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36:55
Breaking the Cycle: Barb's Story of Survivor-Led Healing and the Path to Justice S4E7
In this raw and courageous episode of Invading the Darkness, Barb shares how the system failed to see her as a victim—and instead labeled her a criminal. But her story didn’t end there. With boldness and grace, Barb is now leading the charge to...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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20:47
The Second Chance: Lindsay’s Journey from Exploitation to Advocacy S4E6
Lindsay’s story is one of redemption, resilience, and the power of a second chance. In this inspiring episode of Invading the Darkness, she opens up about her experience with trafficking, the obstacl...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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14:45
Liz's Story: Healing Through Art and Humanizing Restoration S4E5
In this episode of Invading the Darkness, Liz invites us into her journey of healing, where creativity became a lifeline and restoration meant more than survival—it meant reclaiming her identity. Through art, advocacy, and authenticity, Liz is ...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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26:05
Navigating Legal Systems with Trauma-Informed Care: Lacey's Story S4E4
In this deeply moving episode of Invading the Darkness, Lacey shares her experience navigating the legal system as a trafficking survivor—and the lasting impact it had on her healing. From being retraumatized by the very systems meant to protec...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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32:15
Bethany: Addressing the Importance of Community-based Responses S4E3
Welcome back to Shared Hope International’s Invading the Darkness podcast where we are elevating and amplify survivor voices and stories. In this powerful episode, Bethany shares how real change begins at t...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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30:05
Alia’s Story: From Exploitation to Empowerment S4E2
Season 4 Continues! We’re honored to have you join us for another powerful episode of Invading the Darkness where we will hear from Alia.From being exploited at a young age to now standing in boldness and purpose, Alia’s journey is one o...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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36:00
Raising Awareness, Restoring Hope: Rita’s Fight for Her Community
New Season, New Episode!Join us for Season 4 of Invading the Darkness—where survivor voices lead the way to justice, healing, and change.In the Season 4 premiere, host and li...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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19:02
Still Demanding Justice: A Retrospective on Shared Hope Ending Demand
Join us for a special season 4 pre-release episode of Invading the Darkness. Mikayla and Yvonne take a look back at how Shared Hope has been a leader in the fi...
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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17:25
Season 3 Wrap Up - S3E13
Welcome to "Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking." Join our hosts, lived-experience experts Yvonne and Kim, as they discuss the stories of other survivors in the movement and share valuable insights to hel...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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17:31
For the Victims Left Behind - Tiffany Pt.2 S3E12
Welcome to "Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking." Join our hosts, lived-experience experts Yvonne and Kim, as they discuss the stories of other survivors in the movement and share valuable insights to hel...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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31:28
For the Victims Left Behind - Tiffany Pt.1 S3E11
Welcome to "Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking." Join our hosts, lived-experience experts Yvonne and Kim, as they discuss the stories of other survivors in ...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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26:50
Compassion Over Criminalization - Amber S3E10
Welcome to "Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking." Join our hosts, lived-experience experts Yvonne and Kim, as they discuss the stories of other survivors in ...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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18:34
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From Silence to Strength: A Survivor’s Journey John-Michael part 2 S3E9
Welcome to "Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking." Get your free copy of "Chosen," https://go.sharedhope.org/GiftChosen, a film by Shared Hope Internation...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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14:33
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From Silence to Strength: A Survivor’s Journey John-Michael part 1 S3E8
Welcome to "Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking." Get your free copy of "Chosen," https://go.sharedhope.org/GiftChosen, a Shared Hope Inter...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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22:36
Breaking the Silence on Familial Trafficking - Odessa S3E7
Welcome to "Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking," https://act.sharedhope.org/3EIafNY. Join our host, lived-experience expert Yvonne, as she interviews Survivor and Subject Matter Expect Odessa about her h...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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21:38
Breaking the Stigma A Survivor’s Story of Strength and Support-Michell S3E6
Welcome to "Invading the Darkness: Stories from the Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking,". Join our hosts, lived-experience experts Yvonne and Kim, as they discuss the stories of other survivors in the movement and share valuable insights to he...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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18:10
When Sex Trafficking Victims Face Unjust Prosecution - Kim S3E5
When Sex Trafficking Victims Face Unjust Prosecution - Kim S3E5Text Shared Hope to 52886https://act.sharedhope.org/3EIafNYIn this gripping episode, co-host Kim shares h...
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15:17
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Robert part 2 S3E4
Invading the Darkness Podcast Season 3 Episode 4 Hello and welcome to Invading the Darkness: stories from the fight against child sex trafficking featuring Linda Smith, the founder of Shared Hope International. ...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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16:11
