Elizabeth Smart

And that's a pretty big influence.

It is.

So what are some of the ways as... So again, hoping that the people hearing this, this hasn't happened, but knowing that even if it hasn't happened to them, it's probably happened to someone they know.

What are the things that you recommend?

What can other people do to support survivors?

First of all, if a survivor discloses something to you, just...

listen to them.

I know it's natural to have curiosity.

And when I first got back, I mean, people always used to ask me questions.

Well, why didn't you run?

Why didn't you scream?

Why didn't you escape?

Why didn't you do something?

And for years and years and years, I didn't understand why I would immediately feel so defensive when I'd hear the words, why didn't you?

But

As I got a little older, I started to realize it's not because I was hearing their question, but because my brain was hearing it as, you should have run.

You should have screamed.

You should have done more.

Those words, why didn't you, seemed to imply that I didn't do enough.

Whereas in my experience, I was like, I don't regret a single decision I made because I survived.