Elizabeth Smart, the survivor of a widely publicized 2002 abduction, has launched a new podcast titled “The Survivor Files With Elizabeth Smart,” which delves into the experiences of violent crime survivors and their ongoing journeys toward recovery. The weekly series, which premiered this week on iHeartPodcasts, features in-depth conversations with survivors, focusing not only on the traumatic events they endured but also on their resilience and healing processes.
Smart, who was kidnapped at age 14 from her Salt Lake City home by Brian David Mitchell and held captive for nine months, said the podcast represents a continuation of her longstanding advocacy work surrounding child safety, sexual assault, and trauma. Now 38 and living near Salt Lake City with her family, she emphasized the importance of allowing survivors to tell their own stories to foster empathy and understanding.
“The determination to continue moving forward, finding that inner strength — that’s the part that just really speaks to me,” Smart said, reflecting on her first guest, Kara Robinson Chamberlain, who escaped a serial killer at age 15. Through a blend of documentary style and intimate interview, the podcast explores what survivors were thinking and feeling during their ordeals, as well as how they have navigated life since.
Smart highlighted the need to challenge common misconceptions about survivor behavior, noting how listeners often question why survivors did not take certain actions, such as running or screaming. “As a survivor myself, I understand how hurtful it can be hearing someone say, ‘Why didn’t you do this?’” she remarked. By hearing survivors’ perspectives directly, she aims to foster greater empathy and dispel judgment.
As an interviewer, Smart prioritizes the emotional safety of her guests. She encourages them to set boundaries and controls the pace to ensure they feel comfortable sharing difficult memories. “If they’re feeling too emotional or this is too hard, I will always tell them, ‘Do we need to step away from this?’” she said.
The series underscores the complex and nonlinear nature of healing. Smart noted that among her guests, some experienced trauma decades ago and still consider healing a work in progress. “There is no timeline on healing,” she said. “We all have to find our own way forward.”
Smart also addressed the notoriety her own case received in contrast to the limited attention given to missing persons from marginalized communities, particularly Indigenous and Black individuals. She acknowledged the phenomenon known as “missing white woman syndrome” and agreed it reflects an unfair disparity in media focus. While grateful for the attention that helped lead to her rescue, she expressed a commitment to elevating stories from a diverse range of survivors.
Regarding the true crime genre’s popularity and its sometimes voyeuristic tendencies, Smart observed the tension between public fascination and the reality of trauma. “There is a line to walk,” she said, noting that many listeners engage with such content at the end of their day. For her, however, being involved in the fight against sexual assault and violence is an everyday reality, which shapes her perspective on the subject.
Through “The Survivor Files,” Elizabeth Smart seeks to provide a platform where survivors’ voices are centered, promoting understanding about the depths of trauma and the remarkable strength required to move beyond it.