Pagan Kennedy

Yes. So I originally found out about this because in my search for her, I turned up two very long oral history interviews where she was telling her story. And she always began her – she began her story – in a hotline for what they called runaway teenagers back in the 1970s. And she was volunteering at this place called Metro Help in Chicago, answering the phones.

And as she answered the phones, I mean, the story kind of going then was kids were running away because they wanted to be hippies and they wanted excitement and adventure and all that.

And as she answered the phones, I mean, the story kind of going then was kids were running away because they wanted to be hippies and they wanted excitement and adventure and all that.

And as she answered the phones, I mean, the story kind of going then was kids were running away because they wanted to be hippies and they wanted excitement and adventure and all that.

Right. And that was so the way people thought of it then. But as she heard the stories of these kids, they were running away from abuse. And then she would try to help them and find out they had been put in a juvenile hall or something where they would then be vulnerable to further sexual assault. So she was very, very upset about that issue.

Right. And that was so the way people thought of it then. But as she heard the stories of these kids, they were running away from abuse. And then she would try to help them and find out they had been put in a juvenile hall or something where they would then be vulnerable to further sexual assault. So she was very, very upset about that issue.

Right. And that was so the way people thought of it then. But as she heard the stories of these kids, they were running away from abuse. And then she would try to help them and find out they had been put in a juvenile hall or something where they would then be vulnerable to further sexual assault. So she was very, very upset about that issue.

And it's interesting because in the early 70s, people didn't distinguish the way we do now in the same way between we think of child sexual abuse and adult sexual abuse. We kind of put them in, make them separate, but it was much more connected in people's minds then. And so she was just generally looking at, okay, if what I'm seeing is correct, I'm seeing this hidden epidemic

And it's interesting because in the early 70s, people didn't distinguish the way we do now in the same way between we think of child sexual abuse and adult sexual abuse. We kind of put them in, make them separate, but it was much more connected in people's minds then. And so she was just generally looking at, okay, if what I'm seeing is correct, I'm seeing this hidden epidemic

And it's interesting because in the early 70s, people didn't distinguish the way we do now in the same way between we think of child sexual abuse and adult sexual abuse. We kind of put them in, make them separate, but it was much more connected in people's minds then. And so she was just generally looking at, okay, if what I'm seeing is correct, I'm seeing this hidden epidemic

of what she would call incest, of generally fathers or uncles abusing kids. There must be so many perpetrators out there. Why are we not catching them? What is going wrong? So that's what opened up the question for her.

of what she would call incest, of generally fathers or uncles abusing kids. There must be so many perpetrators out there. Why are we not catching them? What is going wrong? So that's what opened up the question for her.

of what she would call incest, of generally fathers or uncles abusing kids. There must be so many perpetrators out there. Why are we not catching them? What is going wrong? So that's what opened up the question for her.

Yes, exactly. Well, first of all, marital rape was legal in all 50 states in the early 1970s. And, you know, it's so bizarre because I was a little kid back then, so I lived through this period. But as I looked through newspaper articles and videos and all sorts of archival material, I was just shocked again and again at how...

Yes, exactly. Well, first of all, marital rape was legal in all 50 states in the early 1970s. And, you know, it's so bizarre because I was a little kid back then, so I lived through this period. But as I looked through newspaper articles and videos and all sorts of archival material, I was just shocked again and again at how...

Yes, exactly. Well, first of all, marital rape was legal in all 50 states in the early 1970s. And, you know, it's so bizarre because I was a little kid back then, so I lived through this period. But as I looked through newspaper articles and videos and all sorts of archival material, I was just shocked again and again at how...

And the way sexual assault was talked about and the victim blaming, that was just crazy. I mean, I found a New York Times article from the early 70s, and the title was Little Ladies of the Night. And the reporter talked about the problem of these women. teenage, I mean, young, 12, 13, 14-year-old quote-unquote prostitutes in midtown Manhattan and how these children were the problem.

And the way sexual assault was talked about and the victim blaming, that was just crazy. I mean, I found a New York Times article from the early 70s, and the title was Little Ladies of the Night. And the reporter talked about the problem of these women. teenage, I mean, young, 12, 13, 14-year-old quote-unquote prostitutes in midtown Manhattan and how these children were the problem.

And the way sexual assault was talked about and the victim blaming, that was just crazy. I mean, I found a New York Times article from the early 70s, and the title was Little Ladies of the Night. And the reporter talked about the problem of these women. teenage, I mean, young, 12, 13, 14-year-old quote-unquote prostitutes in midtown Manhattan and how these children were the problem.

It's exactly like that. And that character in Taxi Driver, she's treated like You know, she's this canny, wise adult almost. And these are kids. And there's no sort of thought of, well, how did these kids get there? What happened? Who's profiting off of them? You know, all the questions we'd ask now. And policing then...