The Fierce Freedom Podcast

The renewed attention surrounding Michael Jackson through film and media portrayals including the recent Netflix docuseries Michael Jackson: The Verdict, provides an important opportunity to discuss how fame, power, and public admiration can influence the way we respond to allegations of abuse.  As we examine key takeaways of this case and questions to ask, our hope is that this conversation leads...

As many of us plan for summer getaways, we may never contemplate the reality that our plans could intersect with human trafficking. In this episode, we sit down with  Mike Kaether , Executive Director for Domestic Freedom , to discuss an often-overlooked area of trafficking identification: campgrounds and RV parks. Mike shares why he felt compelled to develop specialized training to help campgroun...

It has been estimated that 60-90% of all child sex trafficking victims have histories in the child welfare system. So what happens when the very systems designed to protect children fall short? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Margie Barilla — advocate, speaker, and CEO of Barilla Consulting — to discuss the urgent realities facing vulnerable youth in the United States foster care system...

In this episode we're joined by two guests from The Bridge to Hope in Menomonie, WI. Angie McIlquham, Director of Sexual Assault Victim Services and Kat Brogan, Sexual Assault Advocate & UW-Stout Campus Advocate. Together, they'll talk about their work supporting survivors in the Chippewa Valley.   Both Angie and Kat also share how they got involved in advocacy, the realities of underreporting, an...

In this powerful episode, we talked with JoDee Neil - former crimes-against-children prosecutor, civil litigator, and fierce advocate for survivors - to explore the realities of sexual abuse, disclosure, and healing. JoDee brings a rare and critical perspective shaped by both her legal career and her own lived experience as a sexual assault survivor.  Now the author of  Outcry Witness:  A Former P...

In Part 2, Camille shares her journey of rebuilding after a life threatening experience of attempted trafficking and grooming, and how she began to untangle her faith and   reclaim her voice. She also reflects on what healthy, boundaried "neighboring" looks like and how she now instigates a grace-paced movement rooted in dignity, agency, and justice — equipping communities to recognize red flags a...

In Part 1 of this episode, Camille LaLond — trauma-informed mentor — shares how her vulnerabilities were exploited and culminated into a situation of grooming and attempted trafficking cloaked in spiritual authority. Camille provides valuable insight on how abusers in faith settings operate in plain sight and utilize tools of manipulation, coercion, and spiritual abuse.

In today's episode, Hannah Munn shares about her work with Love Justice International, which trains and places monitors at strategic transit points—like borders and bus stations—to identify and intercept potential victims  before they are exploited. To date, they have intercepted over 100,000 individuals, in 17 countries, and facilitated the arrests of over 2,000 traffickers - stopping trafficking...

To honor Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we are highlighting a real story of one survivor who found herself in a situation that ultimately led to sex trafficking. Kelsey shares how early vulnerabilities contributed to an unhealthy relationship with an older man that both jeopardized her physical safety and deeply impacted her mental health.  Kelsey also talks about navigating her healing journe...

In this episode, find out how your coffee buying choices can create a culture of freedom versus exploitation- and how to score a free bag of delicious coffee through the link below! We sat down with  Jenny Barber , Founder and Brand & Impact Manager for Talitha Coffee Roasters , a mission-driven company creating pathways towards freedom for survivors of trafficking and exploitation. Jenny shares t...

On this episode, we chatted with  Jenny McGee , Founder and Executive Director of Starfish Project , a social enterprise helping women escape human trafficking and build independent, empowered lives. Jenny shares how the organization provides jobs, skills, and opportunities through handcrafted jewelry and goods made by survivors. Support their mission while you shop for the holidays! Visit starfis...

We sat down with Lacie Weatherholt , certified recovery coach, facilitator, and advocate, for a preview of her upcoming session at the Empower Freedom Conference on Oct 10th. Lacie shares some highlights of her talk including the impact of trauma, ego burnout and compassion fatigue, and resources to make safe and compassionate communities. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation that highlights the...

This episode is part of our series highlighting ways to respond to abuse within or around the faith community. To provide greater insight,  Amanda Pulley, MSW - Certified Life Coach, Brainspotting Practitioner, and Human Trafficking & Complex Trauma Specialist - shares her courageous story of being trafficked by her church youth leader.  Also joining the conversation is Laura Mulliken , Executive...

On this episode we sat down with Dr. Andrew J. Bauman , Co-Founder and Director of the Christian Counseling Center for Sexual Health & Trauma , to discuss his latest book, Safe Church: How to Guard against Sexism and Abuse in Christian Communities . Andrew shares about his passion to elevate the voices of women in faith spaces and his heart for men to have a healthy confrontation of their own inte...

Girls On The Run (GOTR) in the Chippewa Valley is cultivating a culture of joy and community, while encouraging self esteem and confidence in young girls.  We invited Rose Dolan Neil, Executive Director and Katie Albin, Coach and Board Member to share more about their passion for empowering this population and how this plants seeds for future resiliency. Rose and Katie also provide insights as to...

With the rise of all things AI, what effect is this having on trafficking and exploitation? To share more about this we invited Nancy Irizarry, Social Services Director for the Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services and Co-Chair for the Wisconsin Anti-Trafficking Consortium. Nancy provides an insightful analysis on what she believes are positives to AI utilization when it comes to identification and p...

Digital abuse cases are alarmingly prevalent in Wisconsin. This is evidenced by the fact that the WI ICAC Task Force received 1,003 CyberTips from  NCMEC in March 2025 alone. Last year, Detective Chaz Walton with the ECPD (Eau Claire Police Department) Sensitive Crimes division, worked on over 40 internet crime cases and is currently investigating 18 new cases in the Eau Claire area.  Chaz, who wa...

We know that approximately one in six boys is sexually abused before age 16 and yet this crime goes under-reported, under-recognized, and untreated. In honor of S*xual Assault Awareness Month, we want to honor all survivors and shine light on a story of one man's struggle to reclaim his life after surviving childhood s*xual assault and a near death experience of drowning. Robert Goodland is an aut...

Today's podcast is part III of a series of episodes of a real story of a couple who shares authentically about their journey of sexual brokenness, addiction, betrayal, and ultimately healing. To do justice work well, we have to wrestle together through the hard things. And if we want to fight s*x trafficking, we have to talk about the demand for it. Our stance is that porn is a huge precursor towa...

Today's podcast is part II of a series of episodes of a real story of a couple who shares authentically about their journey of sexual brokenness, addiction, betrayal, and ultimately healing. To do justice work well, we have to wrestle together through the hard things. And if we want to fight s*x trafficking, we have to talk about the demand for it. Our stance is that porn is a huge precursor towar...

Today's podcast is part I of a series of episodes of a real story of a couple who shares authentically about their journey of sexual brokenness, addiction, betrayal, and ultimately healing. To do justice work well, we have to wrestle together through the hard things. And if we want to fight s*x trafficking, we have to talk about the demand for it. Our stance is that porn is a huge precursor toward...

Today's guest Ashley Jameson works as a Certified Pastoral Sex Addiction Professional and is passionate about partnering with churches to help individuals break free from addiction and shame, build healthy intimacy, and embrace the life God has for them through her work with Pure Desire Ministries. She shares with listeners about how her personal experiences with teen pregnancy, s*x and love addic...

Today's guest Allison Mogensen is a Wisconsin native who now serves as the Executive Director for Priceless Alaska, a faith-based nonprofit organization that walks with survivors of sex trafficking through mentorship and survivor directed case management (for which they recently received an award from the FBI ) as well as through their "Engage" training, designed to equip, engage and mobilize fait...

We're kicking 2025 off with podcast guest Chris McKenna, who left the accounting world to help families be safer online through his organization Protect Young Eyes. Chris shares his heart to transform the current digital landscape and about practical strategies for families to be more confident and resilient to the many risks and dangers youth face. He also touches on some macro level changes he'd...

How can we move from sexual destruction to sexual wholeness? Today's guest Justin Smith, Founder of Beyond the Line Ministries, is walking alongside men who have been caught up in sexual addiction, which is also feeding the exploitative and massively pervasive porn industry, and incidentally generates MORE than the NFL, NBA, and MLB combined Justin, who understands the pain and challenges of this...