In the United States, nearly one in two adult women experience some form of unwanted sexual contact, and more than one in five have experienced completed or attempted rape, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The effects of that trauma can be profound and long-lasting, including an increased risk of substance use and addiction.
On this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Lorie Seeking Land shares how a sexual assault at age 13 set her on a path she never expected. Carrying the shame and pain of that experience in silence, she turned to drugs to cope. What followed was a difficult journey marked by meth addiction, federal charges, and a 10-year prison sentence while she was pregnant.
After her release, Lorie searched for someone who truly understood what she had been through, someone who had faced similar struggles and found a way forward. When she couldn't find that person, she decided to become that person herself.
Today, Lorie is a certified peer coach with Face It Together, an addiction wellness nonprofit. More than eight years after leaving prison, she now walks back through those same prison doors, not as an inmate but as a mentor, helping incarcerated women heal, rediscover their worth, and prepare for life beyond incarceration.
Hear Lorie's powerful story, what she wishes she had known earlier in life, and her message for anyone carrying the weight of shame, trauma, or addiction.
Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault. Please listen with care.
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Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Kayli Fitz
