'I felt anger because of all the charges my captor faced none of them included the worst things he did to me': Elizabeth Smart, 33, opens up further about her nine-month kidnapping ordeal as part of #webelieveyou campaign
Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped in 2002 and held captive for nine months, has revealed she never talked about the abuse she endured until she learned of her abductor's charges in court and 'none of them included the worst things he did to me.'
Smart was abducted at knifepoint from her Salt Lake City home in 2002 when she was just 14 by Brian David Mitchell, who along with his wife Wanda Barzee, subjected her to horrific abuse where she was tied up and raped daily.
She was finally rescued in March 2003 when witnesses recognized her kidnappers and they were arrested.
Smart, now 33, revealed in a candid Instagram post on Monday that for years she felt ashamed and embarrassed and didn't talk about the abuse she endured. But she finally spoke out when she learned her captor wasn't going to be charged for all the suffering he inflicted on her.
'In my mind what had happened was something that I hated and never wanted to acknowledge so I just avoided thinking/talking about it,' Smart said.
Elizabeth Smart, 33, reveals she never talked about the abuse she suffered during her nine-month captivity because she was ashamed and embarrased until she learned of her captor's charges and became enraged
'I remember one day my dad came to me and started discussing the charges Brian Mitchell was going to be charged with, and I felt anger, because of all the charges he was faced with none of them included the worst things he did to me,' she said in an Instagram post Monday
Smart was abducted at knifepoint from her Salt Lake City home in 2002 when she was just 14 by Brian David Mitchell (above in 2005 being escorted to court), who along with his wife Wanda Barzee, subjected her to horrific abuse where she was tied up and raped daily. She was finally rescued in March 2003 when witnesses recognized her abductors and they were arrested
'But I remember one day my dad came to me and started discussing the charges Brian Mitchell was going to be charged with, and I felt anger, because of all the charges he was faced with none of them included the worst things he did to me,' she added.
'It was ultimately in that moment that I stopped caring and worrying about the shame and embarrassment that I felt,' she said.
Mitchell was convicted of federal kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines to engage in sexual activity charges in 2010 and is serving a life sentence in prison.
Smart said before that moment for years if a discussion or situation opened a door to talk about her abuse and captivity, she 'generally side stepped it'.
In her captivity Mitchell and Barzee kept her chained down in a makeshift campsite near her home before moving her to Lakeside, California.
In 2009 she testified in court how she was drugged, tied to a tree and raped daily - as often as four times a day.
Since then Smart has become an advocate against child abduction and sexual abuse and launched the Elizabeth Smart foundation in 2011 to raise awareness and fight against sexual violence.
Smart pictured with her parents Ed and Lois Smart at the Rose Garden of the White House on April 30, 2003 when President George W. Bush signed into law the Amber Alert package, which created a system to help find kidnapped children and imposed tougher penalties on child abusers, kidnappers and pornographers
Smart's parents Ed and Lois Smart pictured attending a news conference about their daughter's disappearance in June 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah
Over the weekend Smart shared this picture of herself as a teen with her parents Lois and Ed Smart in 2003 and issued a public thank you for all the support she received when she was kidnapped
Smart said after learning of Mitchell's charges she freely began speak about her suffering and disregarded people who disputed her story.
'If someone judged me for what happened, in my mind I came to the conclusion that they did not matter and clearly were not worth my time,' she said.
'Since then I became more and more involved in advocacy and as I went out I realized I was not alone in being a victim of rape and sexual abuse,' she said.
'This more than anything made me want to do more, change the culture, speak and share my story if it helped others. In my eyes the first step towards changing the culture of how we treat victims and survivors is to start by believing them! It is for that reason @elizabethsmartfoundation started our #webelieveyou campaign,' she added.
Elizabeth Smart, 33, has revealed she never told her parents the horrific abuse she suffered during her nine-month kidnapping where she was tied up and raped daily, saying 'I was embarrased and ashamed'
'The truth is I never sat them all down and had a "tell all" experience with them. Honestly when I got home I didn’t want anyone to know what had happened I was embarrassed and ashamed,' she said in a candid Instagram post Sunday
The Elizabeth Smart foundation has launched a 'We Believe You' pledge dedicated to supporting and believing sexual assault victims' stories.
In an Instagram post on Sunday Smart revealed she never told her parents about the horrific abuse she suffered during her captivity.
'The truth is I never sat them all down and had a "tell all" experience with them. Honestly when I got home I didn't want anyone to know what had happened, I was embarrassed and ashamed,' she said on opening to up to her parents Ed and Lois Smart.
'I was brought to an advocacy center where I had to disclose much of what happened to two professionals and they in turn relayed much of what happened to my parents. But I don't think my parents ever heard in detail what happened from my own lips until my court appearance almost a decade later,' she added.
Smart's captor, Brian David Mitchell (left), was convicted in 2010 and is serving a life sentence. In 2010 Wanda Barzee (right) was sentenced to 15 years in prison and in the plea deal was given credit for the seven years she already served. She was released from prison in September 2018 and now lives in the same town as Smart, despite Smart's pleas to the parole board not to set her free.
In 2010 Wanda Barzee was sentenced to 15 years in prison and in the plea deal was given credit for the seven years she already served.
Mitchell above being escorted to court in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2010
She was released from prison in September 2018 and now lives in the same town as Smart, despite Smart's pleas to the parole board not to set her free.
In August 2019 Smart's father Ed Smart announced he is gay and would be divorcing his wife and leaving the Mormon Church, where he was a devout member for years.
Ed grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was married for more than three decades to wife Lois, with whom he has six children.
Smart co-wrote a memoir entitled My Story in 2013 recounting her experience and in 2018 she published another book entitled 'Where There's Hope: Healing, Moving Forward and Never Giving Up'.
In Smart's dedication to fighting against child abduction she stars in a new Lifetime show that debuted this year entitled Elizabeth Smart: Finding Justice in which she helps other victims of kidnapping, sex trafficking and abuse find their way to healing and rebuilding their lives.
Elizabeth Smart: Finding Justice returns to Lifetime with new episodes in early 2021.
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