Elizabeth Smart: Surviving the Kidnapping That Shook the Nation

In June 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart was taken from her bedroom at knifepoint and held captive for nine months, enduring abuse that would have broken most people beyond repair. Against extraordinary odds, she survived, and then she decided to step fully into the public eye; not in spite of what happened to her, but because of it. She has testified before Congress, helped author a Department of Justice handbook for kidnapping survivors, and founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation to dismantle the shame culture that compounds survivors' trauma. In this powerful episode, Elizabeth walks us through the night that changed everything, how she held onto hope during nine months of captivity, what justice looked and felt like after nearly eight years of waiting, and why she believes that being seen is one of the most radical things a survivor can do. Chapters: 00:00 Content Warning 00:10 Welcome to She Pivots 01:32 Elizabeth Smart's Early Life 07:10 The Night Elizabeth was Abducted 12:08 Captivity and Torture 17:57 Elizabeth’s Will To Survive 20:16 A Sign of Hope 22:41 Why Elizabeth Didn't Run 26:17 The Rescue 28:45 The Return Home and Aftermath 35:32 Navigating the Justice System 41:01 Advocating for Change & Raising Her Children 45:22 The Elizabeth Smart Foundation 46:17 Low Point to Launch 49:26 Unasked Questions and Final Thoughts 50:58 Closing Remarks and Resources 51:39 Podcast Credits Learn more about Elizabeth’s work at elizabethsmartfoundation.org If anything in today's episode brought something up for you and you need help, please reach out to someone you trust or visit rainn.org Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration. She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success. Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

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