Eps 453: Helping our kids avoid sexual exploitation with Alexandra Ford

Episode 453



My guest today is Alexandra Ford, and we’re tackling a scary subject today.  January is human trafficking prevention month, so I want to grow everyone’s awareness with Alexandra, and we’ll share ways to keep your kids safe. 

Alexandra kicks us off by explaining what human trafficking looks like in 2024 and how her own story inspires her to do this work. We try to articulate the difference between being sexually empowered and sexually exploited and the reality of the commercial sex industry. I ask Alexandra what she needed from her parents during her trafficking experience which spurs us to touch on teaching autonomy, consent, accessing help, & listening to your gut. We get into online safety and what to share and not share online (and what if you’ve already shared it?!) and how to safely introduce a device to your teen. Alexandra generously stays on a bit longer to share her wisdom on how we can make sure our teens really know they can come to us when they have a problem.  


Guest Description 
Alexandra, a former trafficking victim turned activist, embarked on her anti-trafficking journey at age eleven.  After ten years and personal hardship, she recognized her experience as human trafficking.  With a candid storytelling approach and strong academic background, she bridges communities, educates on tough subjects, and empowers change. She co-founded Uprising in Wyoming and her personal brand, The Laughing Survivor, in British Columbia.  Alexandra’s strength and resilience inspire others to persevere and foster compassion. 

Community is everything!

Join our community Facebook groups:

Takeaways from the show

https://www.besproutable.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Alexandra-scaled.jpeg
  • What does domestic human trafficking look like in 2024? 
  • How do I make sure this never happens to my child(ren)? 
  • What’s the difference between being sexually empowered versus sexually exploited?  
  • Commercial sex industry 
  • Tangible online safety tips 
  • Creating an environment in which your kids know they can truly come to you & share anything 
  • “If your child has any online presence . . . it is not a matter of if a predator sees them, it’s a matter of when.” 
  • How to safely introduce a new device to an older child or adolescent – engage, engage, engage! 
  • Conversations in the car 

“When you make a mistake, which you will, I will walk with you through it and love you through it.  We will find a way to the other side, whatever it is . . . I am here.”

What does joyful courage mean to you

It makes me think of this thing I joke around a lot about. Becoming a mom is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done and been through, and am going through.  I never felt like “mom-ing” came naturally to me.  I’m so heavily trained in psychology and crime, I’m so overly aware of how terribly I can screw up my kids, so I had a really hard time finding any joy in parenting at first, because I was so scared of making a mistake.  In talking to my therapist, she told me, “We all screw up our kids.  They’re all going to be screwed up.  You just have to have the courage to keep going and to keep trying to do better. When you get new information, you can do better.”  It’s turned into this funny mantra I say, “The goal posts for me in raising my kids for me is understanding that no matter what, I’ll screw them up in some way.  The goal is to screw them up enough that they’re funny at parties but not so much that they’re serial killers.  If those are the goal posts, then I can find joy in parenting and the courage to keep going when I know I’ve made mistakes, and the courage to apologize, the courage to love, and the courage to parent.   

 

Resources

The Laughing Survivor 

Joyful Courage Episode 441: Exploring Sugar Dating 

Uprising Resources 

Alexandra on Instagram

Subscribe to the Podcast

We are here for you

Join the email list

Join our email list! Joyful Courage is so much more than a podcast! Joyful Courage is the adolescent brand here at Sproutable. We bring support and community to parents of tweens and teens. Not a parent of a teen or tween? No worries, click on the button to sign up to the email list specifically cultivated for you: Preschool, school-aged, nannies, and teachers. We are here for everyone who loves and cares for children.

I'm in!

Classes & coaching

I know that you love listening every week AND I want to encourage you to dig deeper into the learning with me, INVEST in your parenting journey. Casey O'Roarty, the Joyful Courage podcast host, offers classes and private coaching. See our current offerings.

Transcription

SUMMARY KEYWORDS
kids, conversations, alexandra, talk, parents, photos, information, years, work, share, device, boyfriend, drugs, good, jello shots, telling, relationships, find, feel, holding
SPEAKERS
Casey O'Roarty, Alexandra Ford

Casey O'Roarty 00:03
Hey, welcome to the joyful courage podcast a place for inspiration and transformation as we try and keep it together, while parenting our tweens and teens. This is real work people and when we can focus on our own growth, and nurturing the connection with our kids, we can move through the turbulence in a way that allows for relationships to remain intact. My name is Casey already I am your fearless host. I'm a positive discipline trainer, space holder coach and the adolescent lead at Sprout double. I am also the mama to a 20 year old daughter and 17 year old son walking right beside you on this path of raising our kids with positive discipline and conscious parenting. This show is meant to be a resource to you and I work really hard to keep it real, transparent and authentic so that you feel seen and supported today as an interviewer and I have no doubt that what you hear will be useful to you. Please don't forget sharing truly is caring. If you love today's show, please pass the link around snap a screenshot posted on your socials or texted to your friends. Together we can make an even bigger impact on families all around the globe. I'm so glad that you're here. Enjoy the show.

Casey O'Roarty 01:26
Hi, listeners. Welcome back to the show. I'm really excited to introduce you to today's guest. Her name is Alexandra Ford, Alexandra, a former trafficking victim turned activist embarked on her anti trafficking journey at age 11. After 10 years and personal hardships she recognized her experience as human trafficking. With a candid storytelling approach and strong academic background. She bridges communities, educates on tough subjects and empowers change. She co founded uprising in Wyoming and her personal brand, the laughing survivor in British Columbia Alexander's strength and resilience inspire others to persevere and foster compassion. Hi, Alexandra. Welcome to the podcast. Hi,

See more