LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Elizabeth Smart once said she never wanted to talk about what happened to her. On Friday, she stood before a room full of mental health professionals in Lexington and did exactly that.
Smart, a child safety activist, was kidnapped from her Utah home at age 14 and held captive for nine months. During that time, she was sexually assaulted, tied up, and threatened before being rescued.
Friday afternoon, she spoke as the keynote speaker at The Ridge Behavioral Health System’s annual winter conference, addressing professionals who work with patients experiencing trauma, mental health, and substance use disorders.
From silence to advocacy
Since Smart was a young woman, she has used her story to advocate for survivors of sexual abuse. However, when she was rescued after enduring nine months of torture, she said it was the last thing she wanted to share.
Smart told WKYT that at the time, she felt embarrassed, and nobody openly discussed those kinds of crimes. She said she felt isolated and alone.
She said it was not until she testified at the trial of her abductors that her perspective shifted.
“I remember just thinking, I never wanted to share this to begin with, but now it’s out there, and if it’s out there, then I want it to serve a purpose,” Smart said.
When Smart started speaking about her experience on a large scale, she said that her goal was to reach other survivors. She wanted to address the stigma surrounding sexual violence and remind victims that they are not alone.
The Ridge’s role
Hundreds of Lexington mental health workers, who have dedicated their careers to being the support system for someone struggling with trauma, gathered at The Ridge Behavioral Health System’s annual conference to hear Smart speak.
She said she didn’t fully understand therapy services after her rescue. Now she believes that a support system, which can be found through those services, is a critical part of the healing process.
“Making sure that you find your family, because again, family might not always be those biologically related individuals, is so important and is such a huge part in anyone’s healing,” Smart said.
Kevin Pettit, CEO of The Ridge Behavioral Health System, said Smart’s story demonstrates resilience that can be applied to the work done at the facility.
“A lot of these are wounds that you carry for life, so how do we give them skills to cope with those things in daily life and how do we make sure they have a support system that’s helpful for them,” Pettit said.
Smart said she’s grateful facilities like The Ridge exist and has the deepest respect for people who become a support system for other victims.
The Ridge offers inpatient and outpatient services for people struggling with mental health and substance use disorders.
Smart has also advocated for federal legislation related to sexual violence, started her own foundation, published a book, and is featured in a Netflix documentary about her survival.
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