Elizabeth Smart Speaks In Public
Except for some press she did when she released her book, I don't think I have ever heard Elizabeth Smart speaking publicly about her kidnapping, forced marriage and rape when she was 14. She spoke to a Rotary Club about her experiences and how during her nine months of captivity she was raped everyday and most days was raped three or four times.
It's a tragic story and she has overcome. She went through brutal horrors and appears on the outside at least to be normal and well adjusted. Amazing.
she is amazing. G-d bless her.
ReplyDeleteI wish her the best of luck. She is no famewhore, and has shown to be a very strong individual.
ReplyDeleteI still remember the day she was found. It was shocking that she was alive. She is a beautiful and smart girl. I'll never understand how someone can hurt anyone like that sick ahole and his wife did.
ReplyDeleteYes, the day they announced that she was found was so thrilling for anyone who'd followed her story.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like she has a very good support system. People can recover from truly horrific experiences if they are surrounded by love and support.
Nice to hear this.
It takes a lot of strength to share something so painful. It's amazing to see how she has put together a good life for herself, though it's clear that she's still dealing with the hurt. Good for her. I hope she continues down a good path.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad she's doing well. That case was so strange, it's a miracle that she's alive and functional.
ReplyDeleteI also remember after she was restored to her family that the Mormon church made a point to announce that she was still considered a virgin, or something to that effect.
That is something I'm still trying to understand - that a religion that large would take the trouble to make an announcement that what happened to her wasn't her fault??? Like I said, still trying to understand that.
I'm really proud of her for being able to keep it all together and be able to share her story. I lived in Utah when this happened and although she is not a fame-whore, her parents are. A PR company (in a building I worked in) was working pro-bono for the family, put up and paid for all the advertisements, fliers, billboards, etc. But the moment she was found, the family dropped the PR group, THE REASON SHE WAS FOUND (because this company got her face and her story out there and a stranger eventually noticed her) and picked up a bunch of deals to make a payday without offering any compensation to the company that worked their asses off for free. Sometimes parents are the worst.
ReplyDeleteThat poor child. She *is* amazingly strong and brave isn't she? It's an incredible story.
ReplyDeleteum, what's the purpose of reliving this for a rotary group??
ReplyDeleteBlubberybuns, I am sorry that the PR firm feels their work was not appreciated but I would be interested to hear the Smart family's side of things --there is absolutely nothing I have ever seen or read about them that led me to believe they tried to profit from what happened to Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteIf she did make anything from her book good for her--she went through hell and has done a lot of work for victims--and she deserves anything she got.
That girl is a walking miracle. She has lived through most womens' worst nightware and survived and overcome.
ReplyDeleteShe is the best example for girls and women of all ages. Anything is possible, we can survive and live a normal happy (I hope) life in spite of the most dire circumstances.
Bravo Elizabeth!
She is amazing - every time she talks openly about what happened to her, she's showing that she has nothing to be ashamed of. So many women feel like they are to blame in some way for being raped, this kind of role model is desperately needed!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful to see her face her tragedy and move forward. She seems to be in a fairly healthy emotional place with her past.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with all the sexual abuse she says she endured how did she not become pregnant? Was the man who kidnapped her sterile? I can't imagine birth control was on his sick mind. Elizabeth was in seclusion for a long period after she was recovered, as well as she should have been given her ordeal. My skeptical mind thinks there is a fair chance she may have had a child. If there isn't she was extremely lucky.
@amazonblue
ReplyDeleteShe does have two daughters from the ordeal.
@RenoBlondee- no, she doesn't. That's Jaycee Dugard.
ReplyDelete@RenoBlondee...I think you're confusing Elizabeth Smart with Jaycee Duggard, the other young girl who was kidnapped and sexually assaulted for years. Jaycee was in captivity for 19 years and has two daughters.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth is indeed miraculous. What an incredibly brave and strong young woman.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about her parents and the PR firm. Her mother was the one who brought the kidnapper to the family home to "help out". Clearly she had no idea her daughter would be taken from them by this man, but bringing someone off the streets, who she knew nothing about, into their house and exposing her children to them, was atrocious judgement to say the very least. I don't ever remember hearing the parents say they wish they hadn't done that; as I recall, the were rather proud of having done similar things numerous times. The parents and extended family always came across as very odd to me.
@Fiesty-
ReplyDeleteThe reason the Mormon church came out and said that Elizabeth was still considered a virgin because some assholes on some news channel (I can't think which one and it's pissing me off) were hinting that the poor girl had lost her virginity to a madman. As ridiculous as it was, I think it was a way to slap back at the ignorant person.
^^
ReplyDeleteMy apology post did not go through.
Anyway, yes, you all are right, my brain is mush from my teenage daughters' late BB games the last two weeks. So sleepy all the time I've gone stupid!
Sorry all!
Does pro bono mean something different than I am aware of? Why the fuck would they go searching for compensation when doing something for FREE?
ReplyDeleteNo offence...but fuck that PR company. Shameless to give HELP with their hand out.
^^ yeah, wrong weirdo. what a world we live in that we have to even remember WHICH kidnapped child had the children.
ReplyDeleteafter her ordeal, elizabeth went on her mission. that is amazing to me. after all she went through she still wanted to serve/help others.
Elizabeth may not have had her period yet, which would explain why she didn't get pregnant.
ReplyDeleteShe is a lovely young lady who seems to be trying to get on with her life. I think she is entitled to any type of privacy she needs. What she chooses to share is her own business.
Elizabeth has spoken many times about her ordeal in a public forum, with no press present. She has served as a mentor to girls going through trauma and has shared her story with others as a way to motivate young kids that they are survivors. She is an exceptional young woman and a personal hero. It's weird to have a hero so much younger than I am! But still really powerful
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine what she went through and anything she does is okay with me. If she were getting paid a million dollars per speech...I'd be okay with that.
ReplyDeleteHowever, what is she wearing...her grandmother's clothing?