"They’re After Everybody’s Kid:" A Family’s Story of Loss to Sextortion

Trigger WarningThis episode includes topics of child sextortion and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. Episode DescriptionIn this episode of Consider Before Consuming, Shannon Heacock and John Burnett share the deeply personal and devastating story of their son, Elijah. Recently, at just 16 years old, Elijah became a victim of sextortion — a form of online exploitation where predators manipulate and blackmail their victims using threats and explicit imagery, sometimes even using AI-generated content. Tragically, the manipulation and fear led Elijah to take his own life. John and Shannon’s courage in telling Elijah’s story is rooted in their hope that it can prevent other families from facing the same heartbreaking loss.Episode Resources Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or Text "988"NCMEC Resource: Take it DownVictim ResourcesArticle: Understanding Sextortion: A Growing Threat and How to Protect Yourself

Louie Greek is a Training Specialist with Truckers Against Trafficking, who has spent more than a decade fighting human trafficking, using his expertise in law enforcement and military service to train people on how to recognize, respond to, and ultimately prevent exploitation. In this Consider Before Consuming podcast episode, Louie shares eye-opening insights on the realities of trafficking, the role of demand in fueling exploitation, and the actions we can take to stop it.Episode Resources Truckers Against Trafficking: ResourcesArticle: How You Can Spot, Report, and Prevent Human TraffickingPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 96: Valiant RicheyConversation Blueprint: Let's Talk About Porn

*This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence and sex trafficking. Listener discretion is advised. Episode DescriptionSelena is the Associate Program Director of a sex trafficking survivor sanctuary. As a former porn performer and sex trafficking survivor, Selena knows firsthand what the women she is helping have experienced.In this Consider Before Consuming episode, Selena sheds light on the dark realities of the porn industry, the deceptive nature of sex trafficking, and the power of resilience.Episode ResourcesArticle: I Was Fine with Porn and the Commercial Sex Industry, Until I Worked in a BrothelVideo: What Being In Porn Is Really LikeVictim ResourcesHope Rising

Mandy is a women's empowerment and trauma-informed life coach who helps women who have experienced betrayal trauma. In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, Mandy shares her personal experience of discovering her partner’s secret struggle with porn addiction, his cheating with porn stars, and the betrayal trauma that followed. She describes the emotional toll, the gaslighting, and the psychological abuse she endured, as well as the healing journey that led her to become a trauma-informed life coach.Episode Resources Article: The Emotional Trauma of Having a Porn-Addicted PartnerMandy's WebsiteConversation Blueprint: Let's Talk About Porn

Timothy Reigle is a coach, author, podcaster, and the founder of Into The Wilderness Ministries. Tim has used his own experience in defeating addiction to help hundreds of men to overcome their addictions to porn and sex.In this Consider Before Consuming episode, Tim shares about the 15 years he spent in a cycle of porn addiction that escalated into destructive behaviors, impacting his marriage and mental health. He shares how he finally broke free, the strategies that helped him find lasting recovery, and how he now helps others do the same.Episode ResourcesArticle: How Porn Can Become an Escalating BehaviorPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 114: Rachel DentonTimothy's Website: Into the WildernessTimothy Instagram: @timothyreigle

Trigger WarningTrigger Warning: The following episode contains discussions of child physical and sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised. Episode DescriptionSeth Gehle is an author and speaker who uses his platform to encourage others to overcome their own challenges and find strength in adversity by sharing his own story of resiliency after a traumatic childhood. In this Consider Before Consuming episode, Seth shares about the years of abuse that shaped his childhood, the role of pornography in shaping his perceptions of relationships, and the path he took to heal.Episode ResourcesVictim ResourcesSeth's Website and BookConsider Before Consuming Ep. 107: Matt and Sarah

Trigger Warning*Trigger Warning: The following episode contains descriptions of disturbing porn themes and discussions of child sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised Melinda Tankard Reist is an author, speaker, and the Movement Director of Collective Shout. She's spent many years as a leading advocate against the sexual exploitation of girls and women. In this episode, she shares the impact of porn culture on youth, relationships, and society. She unpacks her latest research on the alarming rise of sexual harassment in schools, particularly toward teachers. She also addresses how boys are being conditioned to see girls as objects through exposure to violent pornography.Episode Resources Article: Porn Impacts Student Sexual Harassment in Schools—Here’s HowVideo: This SANE Nurse Explains How Pornography Inspires Sexual AssaultMelinda Tankard-Reist's WebsiteCollective ShoutSexual Harassment of Teachers Report

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of child sex trafficking. Listener discretion is advised.Lydia Cacho is a world-renowned investigative journalist, author, and human rights activist who has dedicated her life to exposing the dark realities of human trafficking, child exploitation, and the intersections of pornography and organized crime. In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, Lydia shares her decades-long fight against corruption, the dangers she has faced, and the resilience that keeps her pushing forward.Episode Resources Article: By the Numbers: Is the Porn Industry Connected to Sex Trafficking?Lydia's Instagram: @LydiacachoLydia's Books

*Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of trafficking. Listener discretion is advised.Megan Lundstrom has spent over a decade in this field of anti-trafficking, first as the founder of The Avery Center and now as the Director of the Resilience Fund at Polaris, a direct cash assistance program for trafficking survivors in the United States.In this episode, Megan shares her expertise on OnlyFans, examining its portrayal as empowering versus its exploitation risks. Megan reveals how traffickers use the platform and challenges the platform’s minimal standards for consent and safety.Episode ResourcesArticle: How Porn Can Distort Consumers Understanding of Healthy SexPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 81: Megan LundstromPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 115: Victoria SinisPolaris Resilience FundReport: An In-Depth Financial Analysis of Sex Trafficking on OnlyFans 

Dr. Meagan Tyler is a Senior Lecturer in the Research Education and Development team at Australia’s La Trobe University. With nearly 20 years of experience researching the intersections of pornography, gender inequality, and violence against women, she shares her expert insights.In this episode, she helps us understand how the normalization of pornography has been fueled by cultural shifts, technological advancements, and strategic marketing. Listeners will learn about the ways pornography influences intimate partner violence, its role in shaping unhealthy sexual norms, and how feminist ideals are co-opted to mask exploitation.Episode Resources Article: Does Porn Normalize Sexual Violence in Teen Relationships?Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 25: Carolyn WestPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 90: Taina Bien-AiméCoalition Against Trafficking in Women AustraliaMeagan Tyler's Research Outputs