Today we say goodbye to podcast host John Pulley and celebrate some incredible moments we’ve had with him as podcast co-host. Have a guest or topic to suggest? Email podcast@fiercefreedom.org

In today’s episode we invited our friend Amy O’Donahue, Domestic and Sexual Assault Officer for Ashland and Bayfield Counties to weigh in on the recent case of Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old female who went missing and whose remains were found after…

Could you be inviting a predator into your child’s life through online gaming? This source of escape and entertainment is so common for kids, in fact 84% of teens say they have a game console at home or have access to one (). But this could also spell…

How does faith equip us to fight against such a great evil as the enslavement of individuals? To share more about this we invited , Director of Faith Initiatives and National Outreach for Jo explains how Shared Hope began on a “miracle” and has since…

Multi-platinum R&B artist R. Kelly has been found guilty of sexual abuse, 8 violations of an anti-sex trafficking law, as well as racketeering, or leading an enterprise to recruit underage girls for sex since his rise to fame as early as the…

To some coming to America, there is an almost mythical quality that it will be akin to “coming to heaven.” Traffickers use this belief to trap foreign nationals who come to this country to work, only to find themselves coerced into debt bondage. …

For today’s rebroadcasted episode we invited Dr. Celia Williamson, named one of the top 30 most influential social workers alive today, with over 25 years of anti-trafficking experience. Celia discusses her exciting new project, The Emancipation…

How can someone begin to recover from the devastating moment when they learn about a partner’s porn use or sexual infidelity? To share more we invited Anne Blythe, Founder of – which seeks to validate a woman’s experience of betrayal trauma by…

, an estimated 12 million girls are married every year before the age of 18 – this is nearly one girl every three seconds. To speak more of her personal experience, we invited guest Samra Zafar, international and award-winning speaker, bestselling…

What does it really mean for a victim when they are called to testify in a Federal Court case against their abuser? To the public following a federal or local trafficking or sex crimes case, it can be both a frustrating and confusing experience. And…

Children under 10 now account for 10 percent of traffic on porn sites, that could mean 4.2 billion visits from kids who haven’t yet hit fifth grade. Everyday, children are stumbling upon horrific portrayals of gang rape, sodomy, and violent…

Where can you find thousands of innovative and award-winning artists, filmmakers, musicians, celebrities, corporations, nonprofits, politicians, citizens, and survivors of human trafficking all featured together? At the FREE, and virtual this…

How can posting fake sex ads help disrupt the sex market? To share real stories of impact we invited Nick Lembo, State Coordinator for Just Men Arizona, which works to train a group of men to disrupt the commercial sex market. Nick explains the…

Can social media tell us if someone is ready to leave “the life” of trafficking and sexual exploitation? This is one example of the research done by The Avery Center, where their work to collect data not only leads to actionable change but equips…

How can watching films help survivors of trafficking heal? To discuss this we invited filmmaker Mark Steenbarger and licensed therapist Emily Taylor-Ginger of , a collaborative project that effortlessly integrates the power of cinema within a…

is an annual two-day Christian music festival held in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and features many of today’s well-known artists on two different stages.  We asked President and Director of OneFest Heather Flashinski to share how…

Fan fiction is a fun way for fans of popular culture to we-write and share adventures of their favorite characters. But as our guest, author Mary Duban shares, it is also vehicle of disseminating violent and graphic sexual themes in the form of…

What is the connection between religious cults and trafficking? To dive more into this connection and to share about breaking free of the cultic mindset, we invited Naomi Wright of . Naomi shares about her experience growing up in a polygamous,…

For today’s podcast we invited Detective Carter Staaf, a friend of Fierce Freedom and this past year’s recipient of the Dave Malone for Service and Excellence award. He is joined by returning guest Amanda Casey, Survivor Advocate for Fierce Freedom….

Trafficking in strip clubs is an all too common tale, and occurs when traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to force them to engage in commercial sex acts. To share an insider’s perspective we invited two owners of a gentlemen’s club to share how…

What is the difference between seeing a peer specialist and a therapist? To chat more about this we invited Rene Sommer, Licensed Peer Specialist and Founder of At the Roots LLC. Rene shares about how her personal experience with counseling led her to…

Is sex work work? Should it be legalized? And would its legalization lead to more STD prevention? Regardless of where you stand on this issue, it is important to hear from multiple perspectives, which is why we invited , survivor of childhood sexual…

Ever wondered how trauma presents differently in adults versus children? We invited Licensed Psychologist Sara Werner to share her expertise of working for over 26 years to facilitate healing from abuse and trauma for kids and adults alike. She…

“If I were a trafficker, I would create OnlyFans.” We are joined by podcast guest Adam Dodge, Founder of EndTAB (Ending Technology-Enabled Abuse). Adam breaks down the massively popular site, which monetizes explicit content through subscriptions to…

We want to introduce podcast listeners to Matt Kendziera, Creative Consultant for Fierce Freedom and our brand-new Justice Race Director this year! Matt shares about his involvement with Fierce Freedom and shares about what to expect at this year’s…

Today’s podcast guests are professionals, friends, and co-authors of the book survivor Jessa Dillow Crisp and psychologist Dr. Becca Johnson. They share about their new book, which is written in a narrative form to engage both survivors of…

Stop. Collaborate and listen.  Today we invited Executive Directors Jenny Almquist and Stephanie Page of Fierce Freedom & Stories Foundation respectively, to the podcast to share about their journey as long-time friends, and collaborators….

During the course of a school year more than 300 children and their families in the Eau Claire school district are homeless. Circumstances have only grown more dire in the wake of the pandemic and has allowed exploitation to thrive. We invited Maria…

On today’s episode we invited guest Rwatie Matsika, former diplomat from Zimbabwe and vehement defender of human rights. He now works not only to uphold and defend the rights of victims of human trafficking as the State-wide Labor Trafficking Case…

We are joined by Caragan Hollenbeck, who shares how she took the topic of human trafficking and, along with her Documentary Theatre class – brought it to the stage with an original play she helped co-write and direct called simply “Traffick.” She’ll…

On today’s episode we invited Krista Allgor, Direct Program Services Director for Arrive Ministries whose work addresses specific vulnerabilities within displaced populations such as those of immigrant status, refugees and asylum seekers. …

For this week’s episode, podcast hosts Cat Jacoby and John Pulley have an open and frank conversation about the recent Atlanta-area massage parlor murders and whether or not it is a crime motivated by racial hate or whether there were other factors…

Did you know which products you use everyday are tainted by slavery and which aren’t? In today’s age, 60% of forced labor is associated with supply chains. To shed more light on this, we are joined by Matt Friedman, Founder and CEO of The Mekong Club,…

Marilyn first sang about them in 1949, and in today’s market, 78% of all engagement rings contain them – we’re talking about diamonds, and the industry behind them. Most are familiar with the film and its portrayal of conflict diamonds, which were…

This episode is Rebroadcast of Episode 37 which was both a past look at some of our favorite highlights and moments from the past year, and an exciting look towards some future developments, including sneak peaks of our new weekly video series and a…

We always love to highlight organizations that value people over profit, and there’s no better way to do that than inviting Kristen King, an Organizer for , which has been a leading pioneer in fair-trade productions and ethical production for the past…

For the final chapter of our “Let’s Talk About Sex” series, we are joined by Survivor Advocate Amanda Casey who breaks down core beliefs of shame and how it affects our sexuality. Whether you’re single, married, or a survivor of trauma, Amanda says…

Did you know that studies show 1 in 3 women watch porn at least once a week? But so many women who want to come out of their addiction never get help because they feel so ashamed and outside the “cultural norms.” As part III of our series to take the…

As Part II of our impactful “Let’s Talk About Sex!” series, we invited , a therapist, theologian and author whose personal mission is exchange how sexuality has been taught through external behaviors with deep heart attitudes. Doug unpacks how…

This first episode in our monthly series focusing on taking the shame out of sex. To kick things off we are joined by business partners and spouses Keelie and Austin Reason, whose marriage blog seeks to point couples towards true and lasting intimacy…

A first for our podcast, we’ll hear the incredible story of how , a former pimp, drug dealer and gang leader of the most notorious gang in Minnesota was transformed into a community leader, pastor, speaker and agent for change. John unpacks how…

Today’s episode highlights the importance of building a network of advocacy as an intrinsic part of restorative justice. To answer this we asked Kara Doan, Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer of – an organization that provides trafficked victims…

Today we chat with Adri Neitzke, Founder of Trafficking Justice and now Law Enforcement Officer in Nevada.  Adri tells us the story of how her experiences with trafficking abroad became the origins for Minnesota nonprofit Trafficking Justice. She…

To kick off the New Year we invite James Puckett (LPC, NCC, CSAC, MAC), whose counseling expertise lies in in several areas ranging from trauma and stress-related disorders, addiction, human trafficking , domestic violence, suicide and self harm….

Today we interview Jennifer Lyons, Shelter Coordinator for Bridge to Hope, whose unique background has allowed her to walk through several parts of the trafficking journey.  Listen as Jennifer shares how her own experience as a trafficking…

Traffickers across the nation are cherry picking victims from prisons and jails with incredible ease and often never getting caught. Why? Hosts John Pulley and Cat Jacoby highlight “The Trap” an investigative documentary by The Guardian, which delves…

Today’s episode features Genise Hope, author, foster mom and survivor of childhood sexual abuse. She shares about her book (Prepared, Empowered, Armored, Restored, Loved & Secure Children) and how to best utilize it when talking to your kids…

Today we hear from John & Jennifer McBride who have used their influence in the business world to not only train their employees about human trafficking, but to intentionally foster an atmosphere that generously gives back. The two share about…

This episode is both a past look at some of our favorite highlights and moments from the past year, and an exciting look towards some future developments, including sneak peaks of our new weekly video series and a new toolkit entitled “The Faces of…

Victims of trafficking carry with them a combination of severe psychological and physical health problems. Which is why it is almost certain that a victim will interact with a medical professional during their experience at some point. We invited…