We were so honored to have a conversation with Rebecca Bender about what she wishes people could just “get” about trafficking, what gives her hope in the movement, and a word of encouragement for survivors seeking to exit this life. Rebecca will also…

Today we’re talking to Ashley Olson, who is the new CEO of – which is a fashion brand that focuses on timeless designs made to end the cycle of poverty and human trafficking through hope, healing and restoration. Ashley shares about the origins of…

Our guest Claudine O’ Leary educates communities on how to effectively respond to youth and adults with life experience in the sex trades through harm reduction. Drawing from her own experience as a trafficked teen and several years of advocacy work,…

Wondering how you can help Fierce Freedom with its mission of ending the cycle of human trafficking? It’s simple really, your birthday! Joyce Orth, Donor Engagement Specialist at Fierce Freedom will share with individuals how easy and fun it can be to…

Our returning guest Rebecca Kotz points to specific moments of our history (e.g. the de-funding of social welfare systems) which have resulted in a system that relies heavily on the prison industrial complex and prostitution industrial complex…

Our returning guest Rebecca Kotz unpacks The Equality model, which aims to partially decriminalize prostitution, “shrinking the sex trade” and a step forward in ending sexual exploitation.  Rebecca says this goes beyond a policy change, but also…

For nearly 40 years, the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association, Inc has provided support and care for incoming Hmong refugees and immigrants as they seek to navigate the obstacles that accompany resettlement. To share more…

In what is being called by the UN the fastest growing refugee population in Europe since WWII, the war on Ukraine is leaving millions of Ukrainian refugees at a huge risk for exploitation. Hosts Cat and Matt will share some facts regarding the…

What is reality even? Recent years have seen an increase in time spent within virtual spheres for both business and recreation. One facet of this more fully embodied internet use has been dubbed metaverse, which allows users a more immersive way to…

In today’s day and age, youth can be tormented round the clock through their devices, and some studies show this form of digital bullying is only on the rise.  What is cyberbullying exactly? To share more we invited UW-Eau Claire Professor of…

Remedy Drive isn’t just your average rock band, their music is interwoven with real stories of the international sex trade. Band front-man and lyricist David Zach speaks of the band’s origins and how his passion was fanned into flame by the actions of…

In the state of Wisconsin sexual assault of a minor is considered a felony, and the blame falls on the adult perpetrator… unless of course money changes hands. Adopting a safe harbor law would change all that in our state. We invited Executive…

Today Podcast Producer and Community Program Specialist for Fierce Freedom Cat Morgan will be on the other side of the… microphone (actually she just moved one chair to sit in the guest spot). Cat will share what she feels have been important…

We arrest 5x the amount of juveniles in the US as any other country in the world. Each year we lock away youth for minor offenses which drain millions in taxes while providing no benefit to public safety. For the youth it is dangerous,…

Every year, scammers use various means to steal millions every year through elder financial exploitation, and romance scams. We invited Tesha Davis, Fierce Freedom Board Member and Branch Manager for Associated Bank to share more about how she uses…

In most cases, the public is shielded from the horrors which police, corrections, EMS and Fire safety experience on a daily basis. First responder at Sandy Hook Elementary and Executive Director of Phyllis DiGioia explains her desire to provide first…

When attempting to understand what perpetuates such crimes as sexual abuse and exploitation, we may only want to think of the individual players involved. But could we be missing a key component? Our guest Rebecca Kotz asserts that if we want to see…

If you’re someone who spends time with kids, you know it comes with its own set of challenges – which may leave you feeling frustrated, ill-equipped, and searching for answers.  Our guest Dana Parisi is a parent coach whose goal is to bring hope…

Could hormone cycle awareness be a tool that helps with trafficking prevention and even promote healing for survivors? To share her thoughts, we invited Abby Maxon, an artist and somatic instructor whose passions lie in creating healthy conversations…

We’re celebrating our 100th episode with special guest Landon Dickeson, a clinical mental health counselor who explains the “magical” exchange that takes place when animals are invited into the healing journey of a sex trafficking survivor. This is a…

When we think of the atrocities of human trafficking – we often ask the question “Where is God in all this?” The documentary seeks to both educate and inspire the faith community to respond to this question by joining the fight against…

When it comes to brushing off haters, international pop singer Madilyn has become somewhat of an expert. In 2021, she famously performed an original song crafted from mean comments on Madilyn shares encouragement for listeners based on overcoming her…

A silent partner is any relative or close family friend who takes the abuser’s side against the victim rather than confronting the abuser or attempting to rescue the victim from the abuser.  (Psychology Today). 1 in 10 children are abused…

In honor of #humantraffickingawarenessmonth we thought it would be fitting to look back on the first ever domestic trafficking case in the US which was first brought to trial back in 2006. We invited our special guest, former Police Captain…

Have you ever noticed the toxicity of social media? So often, it is a tool to feed insecurity and constant comparison with others which may ultimately lead to exploitation of vulnerabilities. So, what if social media became a tool, used to help…

Stories of sexual assaults of college campuses is unfortunately more and more the norm these days – some suggest that every 21 hours, someone is raped on a college campus in the US, and 19 in 20 of these cases go unreported.  What about campus…

Our guest Christopher Ruff has served been Director of the Office for Ministries and Social Concerns for the Catholic Diocese of La Crosse since 2001 and he shares about his belief that at the core of all social justice work – one thing is clear – it…

It is estimated that 19.5 million men and women have served in the U.S. military – the horrific truth is that many come home bearing not only the wounds of combat, but the emotional, physical and psychological effects of sexual assault they’ve…

For today’s episode, we want to share with you some of highlights of the work we’ve done and paint a vision of where we’re going in the year ahead. Fierce Freedom’s ultimate goal is to end the cycle of human trafficking and exploitation through…

Sisters Heather Wittig and Jenni Patnode share with us about the birth of their nonprofit , which has provided love, care, and support of young women through the distribution of sustainable menstrual pads since 2017. Most girls and women in Honduras…

Over the holidays, you may find yourself renting an adorable Airbnb or VRBO during your travels, joining the people worldwide use vacation rentals each year.  The dark underside of this hugely popular industry is that they are also a hot spot to…

This holiday season, check out some of our absolute favorite gift ideas from organizations that strive to value people and planet over profit. 1. – Their collection of soft and livable clothing is all made with love in sewing centers in SE Asia that…

In the U.S. adults are under guardianship or conservatorship. In light of pop icon s recent hearing regarding the status of her conservatorship, we wanted to highlight how this case sheds light on others that deal with exploitation through…

We invited our NEW podcast co-host Matt Kendziera to talk about Fierce Freedom’s upcoming initiative Worth It – a live multi-media presentation designed to help create a culture within schools that teaches about the value of each individual, working…

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…