631: Amanda Catarzi | Overcoming Cult Life and Sex Trafficking

Amanda Catarzi survived a cult-dominated childhood and abuse at the hands of sex and labor traffickers. In the years since, she has helped law enforcement bust trafficking rings, written federal anti-trafficking legislation, and worked to save countless victims.

What We Discuss with Amanda Catarzi: 70 percent of human trafficking victims are women, and 30 percent are men. They usually die (overdose or violence being primary causes) within seven years. How Amanda's upbringing in an isolated cult that matched teen brides with middle-aged men and preached absolute male dominance over them programmed her to consider abusive relationships normal. Why moving to the other side of the country didn't turn out to be an escape from the childhood traumas that haunted Amanda, but just the next chapter of her abuse by expert manipulators. How training as an MMA fighter was the perfect cover for this abuse as no one questioned Amanda's bruises and black eyes when her "coach" trafficked her out to violent johns. How Amanda escaped this dire situation and has used her experience to help legislators and law enforcement save other trafficking victims (especially children), and what we can do to help stem the tide of abuse that may be going on in our own neighborhoods in plain sight. And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/631

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Miss our conversation with Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a Hamas co-founder who worked undercover to thwart terrorist plots? Catch up with episode 407: Mosab Hassan Yousef | The Green Prince of Hamas here!

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