Episode 25 | Calling All Men to Action: Let’s End Sexual Exploitation & Trafficking! – Part 1
About Alan Smyth
Currently Alan serves as the Executive Director for Saving Innocence, an anti-human trafficking, community-based organization focused on child victims of sex trafficking. Based in Los Angeles, Alan has responsibility over Direct Services and Business Operations. His main focus includes budgeting and resource development, strategic partnerships, staff development and client services. You can learn more about Saving Innocence at www.savinginnocence.org.
“Fight For Me” are words he heard directly from a survivor of sex trafficking. Alan’s unique view into this tragedy has given him a backstage pass to this horrific exploitation of children. Co-authored by Jessica Midkiff, herself a survivor of child trafficking, this book speaks directly to the hearts of men and our responsibility to step up and take leadership in the remedy.
EPISODE NOTES
Content Warning: discussion of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, abuse and child abuse
In this episode, Laura speaks with Alan Smyth, Executive Director for Saving Innocence and co-author of the book ‘Men! Fight for Me: The Role of Authentic Masculinity in Ending Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking’. Alan has been on the front lines of caring for child victims of trafficking for six years through his role with Saving Innocence in LA. He calls his perspective a “backstage pass” to the horrors of trafficking and from that position realized that men need a specific call to action for their part in fighting trafficking. That realization led to his book, co-authored with Jessica Midkiff, herself a trafficking survivor.
Laura and Alan explore the hard realities of how trafficking happens and how it happens right here in our own neighborhoods. They discuss necessary steps to take in addressing the issue and Alan shares how his book seeks specifically to move men to action. The term ‘authentic masculinity’ defines a more positive and less toxic version of masculinity than one popularly upheld and how reaching men on that level is part of the work he is called to.
“If we’re not willing to step into it, and we’re not willing to look at it closely and deal with it, it’s going to continue to be the fastest growing crime in the world… and that’s just unacceptable.” Alan Smyth
Resources
- Producer Conroy Kanter: Trafficked
- Saving Innocence
- Saving Innocence on Instagram
- Fight For Me
- Fight For Me on Instagram
- “Men! Fight for Me: The Role of Authentic Masculinity in Ending Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking” by Alan Smyth and Jessica Midkiff on Amazon
Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live
For more resources, look into Dr. Laura’s organizations:
Dr. Laura is a partner of Humance | Culture and Performance.
Season 2 EPISODES
Episode 40 | Evolving Yourself to Live Happy in this Messy World
About Cy Wakeman: Cy Wakeman is a drama researcher, global thought-leader, and New York Times best-selling author who is recognized for cultivating a counter-intuitive, reality-based approach to leadership. Backed by over 25 years of unparalleled experience, Wakeman’s...
Episode 39 | Life’s Messy, Live Happy: Keys to Contentment
About Cy Wakeman: Cy Wakeman is a drama researcher, global thought-leader, and New York Times best-selling author who is recognized for cultivating a counter-intuitive, reality-based approach to leadership. Backed by over 25 years of unparalleled experience, Wakeman’s...
Episode 38 | Healthy to Destructive: Exploring Narcissism in Ourselves and Others
About Dr. Nina W. Brown: Nina W. Brown, EdD, LPC, NCC, Distinguished Fellow American Group Psychotherapy Association, American Psychological Association Fellow is a professor and eminent scholar at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA USA. She received her...
Episode 37 | How to Handle Narcissistic Personalities on the Job
About Dr. Nina W. Brown: Nina W. Brown, EdD, LPC, NCC, Distinguished Fellow American Group Psychotherapy Association, American Psychological Association Fellow is a professor and eminent scholar at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA USA. She received her...
Episode 36 | Navigating Narcissism in Work and Life
About Wendy Behary: With 25+ years of professional experience and advanced level certifications, Wendy Behary is the founder and director of The Cognitive Therapy Center of New Jersey and The Schema Therapy Institutes of NJ-NYC-DC. She has been treating clients,...
Episode 35 | Disarming the Narcissist at Work
About Wendy Behary: With 25+ years of professional experience and advanced level certifications, Wendy Behary is the founder and director of The Cognitive Therapy Center of New Jersey and The Schema Therapy Institutes of NJ-NYC-DC. She has been treating clients,...
MORE ADVOCATING FOR A BETTER WORLD EPISODES
Episode 108 | Financial Wellness: The Keys to Financial Literacy So Women Can Thrive in Their Careers and Lives
About Saijal Patel: Saijal Patel is the Founder and CEO of Saij Wealth Consulting, a financial consultancy and education platform dedicated to empowering women’s financial independence and security. With over two decades of experience in the financial industry...
Episode 107 | The Abundance Code: Busting the 7 Money Myths
About Julie Ann Cairns: Julie Ann Cairns is the author of the best-selling Hay House book The Abundance Code: How to Bust the 7 Money Myths for a Rich Life Now and the Director of the documentary of the same name – The Abundance Code – which hundreds of...
Episode 106 | The Perils of Perfectionism in Work and Life
About Dr. Laura: Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work and career psychologist and thought leader on the evolution of work. She has always been fascinated by how work intersects with life and loves to use her expertise to improve organizations and help people thrive. Her...
Episode 105 | HeadsUpGuys! The Critical Importance of Men’s Mental Health
About Dr. John Ogrodniczuk: Dr. John Ogrodniczuk is a Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the UBC Psychotherapy Program, one of North America’s largest medically based psychotherapy training programs. His research program focuses on a variety of psychotherapies...
Episode 104 | Inspiring Better Humans: How Today’s Young People Can Change the World
About Steve Brierley: Over the past 20 years, Steve has held progressive positions in corporate training, talent management and executive leadership development in corporate and post-secondary sectors. While working in California, Steve was the General Manager of a...
Episode 103 | How to Avoid Working for a Toxic Boss Before Accepting the Job
About Dr. Laura: Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett is a work and career psychologist and thought leader on the evolution of work. She has always been fascinated by how work intersects with life and loves to use her expertise to improve organizations and help people thrive. Her...
LISTEN ON YOUR FAVOURITE APPS
