What if human trafficking often looks very different than you've imagined? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Teresa Merriweather, a survivor, educator, and nationally recognized advocate who challenges the stereotypes that keep trafficking hidden in plain sight.

Teresa shares how she was groomed by someone she trusted deeply, a respected leader in her church, and how emotional manipulation, betrayal, and coercion slowly led to her exploitation. Her story is a sobering reminder that trafficking does not always begin with force, and that victims come from every background, profession, age, and walk of life.

She also shares how she now trains law enforcement, healthcare professionals, foster parents, schools, and communities to recognize the warning signs that so often go unnoticed.

Resources:

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

For nearly twenty years, Joseph Cleveland carried a secret he had never fully understood himself. What began as a trusted mentorship during a difficult season of his childhood eventually revealed itself to be years of grooming and sexual abuse at the hands of a respected church leader.

Joseph shares his story in his own words, taking us through the loneliness and vulnerability that made him a target, the manipulation that kept him silent, and the moment everything finally came into focus decades later. He speaks candidly about the realities many survivors face after coming forward, including self-doubt, shame, broken trust, and the painful responses from institutions that were supposed to protect children. This episode provides a powerful look at what survival, advocacy, and reclaiming your voice can truly mean.

If you or someone you love has been impacted by abuse, we hope this conversation reminds you that you are not alone. Thank you for listening, for supporting survivor stories, and for helping us create space for these difficult but necessary conversations.

Resources:

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

Some losses never end, and for the families of missing loved ones, the absence becomes something they carry every single day. In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Julie Murray, sister of Maura Murray, whose disappearance in 2004 became one of the most discussed missing persons cases in America. But beyond the headlines, theories, and online speculation is a family that has spent more than two decades navigating uncertainty, grief, hope, and the impossible reality of not knowing what happened to someone they love.

Julie shares who Maura was before she became a case file, the lasting impact of ambiguous loss, and what people often misunderstand about families living through unresolved tragedies. We discuss the rise of true crime culture, the responsibility that comes with telling these stories, and why empathy must remain at the center of every conversation.

This episode is a deeply personal look at resilience, remembrance, and what it means to keep searching for answers while refusing to let a loved one's story be reduced to a mystery.

Resources:

Support Julie's campaign #engagewithempathy

Find Julie on Instagram: @mysistermauramurray

Connect with Julie: https://www.mauramurraymissing.org/

Free confidential help is always available at victimconnect.org

If you have been a victim of a crime and would like to share your story, please contact us at media@victimsofcrime.org

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This podcast discusses real crimes and may include sensitive topics that could be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

The information shared in this podcast is for informational and storytelling purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.