April 29, 2024 • 35 mins
Paris is back with a very special episode to discuss an issue close to her heart. Along with “Trapped in Treatment” hosts Rebecca Mellinger and Caroline Cole to preview season 2 of their podcast, which advocates for those affected by the troubled teen industry.
Paris tells the story of working with the Jamaican government to bring American children home from facilities abroad, and we hear Paris’ experience in Washington D.C. to help develop legislation to end the abuse.
Don’t miss Trapped in Treatment Season 2, launching April 30th on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wow, I am parrassed. Hi everyone, Today is a very
special episode of I Am Paris. I'm sitting here with
two amazing women. Rebecca Mellinger Groen is the head of
Impact at my company, eleven eleven Media, and Caroline Cole
(00:22):
is a policy advocate and a fellow survivor of the
trouble teen industry. Together they co host Trapped in Treatment,
a podcast that I executive produce. The second season will
premiere on April thirtieth. This podcast is really important to
me as a survivor and an activist. I will not
stop fighting until abuse of teen treatment facilities are a
thing of the past. Hi Rebecca and Caroline.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Hi, We're so happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
I'm so glad that we can talk today about season
two of the podcast. Putting this together has been quite
the journey.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
It truly has been the biggest labor of love ever.
I mean, we premiered season one back in January of
twenty twenty two, so a lot has happened. We've worked
really hard on this particular season and it obviously has
a lot of personal relevance to Caroline as well.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
It's a really important story too, and we're just excited
for everyone to finally be able to hear it.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, it was something that you both found surprising during
your investigation for season two.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
So I think the most shocking thing to me as
we were recording for season two and researching for this season,
we were actually able to speak with some insiders with WASP,
and these folks were a part of the creation of
the WASP entity and so hearing some of their insight
(01:42):
was just shocking. You know, As a survivor of WASP,
I've always had questions about what were these people's intentions.
Did they know the harm that they were causing? Was
it all about the money to them? And so through
our research and interviews with the people, we were finally
able to get closure on some of those questions.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
And I think for me, you know, Caroline has obviously
lived this, and so she understands the methodology that's been
used and the practices that she so unfortunately had to endure.
But for somebody that has never heard about WASP, but
before the fact that they were holding kids in dog
cages and that there was significant sexual abuse in these facilities,
(02:26):
that they were forcing kids to lie flat on the
ground for days and weeks on end in solitary confinement.
You just can't really wrap your head around that type
of treatment, and especially when that's coupled with the fact
that these are youth who possibly had a mental health
crisis or youth who were struggling with something behavioral going on.
(02:47):
WASP marketed to parents that they could treat their children,
that this was treatment. But you know what we will
divulge in the podcast and really explore is that this
was not treatment at all. This was methodologies that have
a history going all the way back to cults like
sinnan On and various things like that, which is just
truly so horrific.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
What can listeners expect to hear in season two?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
So Season two focuses on WASP, which stands for the
Worldwide Association of Specialty Programs in Schools and it was
one of the largest organizations in the troubled teen industry,
and it was spearheaded by one man named Robert Litchfield.
(03:32):
And WASP was especially notorious because of not only how
much money they made, I mean millions of dollars over
the course of a couple of decades, but also some
of the allegations of abuse that came out of these
facilities was especially horrific, like things like keeping kids in
(03:53):
dog cages or sending kids to far off countries like Samoa.
So the stories that you're going to hear in season
two are absolutely shocking, but we really really feel that
it is a very important story to be told. It's
also important to me personally because I did go to
(04:15):
a WASP program when I was a kid, and for
the first time, my mom is actually able to share
her story as well.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
We also had unbelievable access to folks who were at
the helm in leadership of WASP, and we haven't, you know,
in previous stories, heard directly from the people who you know,
had allegedly abused kids that had attended WASP programs. So
I think that you know, trapptain treatment offers a new
(04:46):
perspective to the story, one that we haven't heard prior.
The reason why we wanted to focus on WASP was
because there was such a clear lineage from where you
had gone Paris. So the head of WASP, Robert Litchfield,
got his start at Pro Canyon School, where he was
a dorm parent, and so he learned so much of
the methodology that he would bring into his new business.
(05:06):
Venture from the school where you were unfortunately abused as well.
So we felt like it was really important to have
provo be you know, the foundational understanding of this industry
and then directly tie it to, you know, a new
venture that unfortunately has had unbelievable influence in the trouble
teen industry.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Since Caroline, you and I are both survivors and activists
working to take down the trouble teen industry. What was
it like as a survivor to research and record this podcast,
especially when your own story is part of it.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
It is a very vulnerable feeling reliving a lot of
the trauma that I experienced, and especially interviewing other survivors
for this season, their stories are so heart wrenching. I mean,
it's hard to hear for anyone, not only just a survivor,
(05:58):
but I. In telling our stories, it's also really healing.
For so many years, we've had to live with this
trauma and with this pain just by ourselves. And you know,
I remember when I first got out of the program
and I would start to explain to people what had
(06:19):
happened there, and I remember the reaction that I would
always get is people would kind of raise their eyebrows
at me, and they'd chuckle and they'd say, oh, so, like,
what were you a bad kid or something? You were
a rebel, weren't you? And they would kind of make
this joke of it. And so I learned over time
to stop bringing it up. And Paris, that's something that
(06:43):
I so just cannot thank you enough for, because when
you started sharing your story, it really gave all of
us permission to be able to start talking about what
happened to us. And not only that, but people started
taking us seriously. They heard what we went through and
they were like, this is abuse, and so you know,
(07:05):
we've all been able to be validated in that way
through telling our stories. So as difficult as this season
was to face, it is the closest that we will
have to justice, and in that way, it is very healing.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Thank you for saying that. That's healing for me to
hear makes me emotional. I'm so proud of all of
us for telling our stories and using our voices, because
it isn't easy to do, just having to remember and
talk about things that you've tried so hard to forget.
So I just commend you for really dedicating your life
(07:45):
to this cause, and both of you. I couldn't do
this without you girls. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Do you both feel like there's been this really big
shift for you in terms of you know, how you've
processed the experience and kind of how you think about
it now.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Definitely, I think you know when you're living in it.
It's just it's hard to describe just how it feels
to be in these places. I think only people who
can really understand are other survivors who've been through it.
And then as a kid, you don't even know what's happening,
and it's just every day is such torture. I think
(08:22):
I just tried so hard to forget it that it
took me a long time to even process what I
went through. And now being an adult and looking back
on so many things, I just realize, you know, just
how incredibly abusive some of the things were that I
didn't even process back then.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
And I agree with that. I think as a kid,
when you go through those kinds of experiences, you can't
rationalize it. You don't know how to deal with that
kind of trauma. And so for myself, once I started
being able to process this trauma finally after like fifteen years,
(09:04):
all of a sudden, not only did parts of myself
start to make sense, but even trauma that I had
been through after the program started to make sense too,
And I was able to look at myself with a
lot more compassion as I understood why maybe I did
some of the things I did in my early twenties
(09:25):
or you know, looking for an escape in ways that
weren't necessarily healthy to me. And so I think for
a lot of years I held a lot of shame
about that. And so finally, I think, not only through
our projects like Trapped in Treatment, but through our advocacy work,
I feel like I can be at peace and like
(09:47):
those experiences are in my past and I'm not just
wearing them around as this like open wound all the time.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
I also think, you know, before any of these stories
were in the mainstream media, people thought that their experiences
were unique, that this was really only happening to them
and them alone. And so at the Provo Canyon School
rally that happened right after this is Paris, that was
really the first time that we saw people connecting about
their lived experience. And you know, obviously, while everybody's experience
(10:18):
was unique and very personal and specific, to them. What's
crazy about was WASP as we're really going to dive
into and trapped in treatment is kind of this copy
paste effect where youth who experienced abuse at a facility
in Samoa, youth who experienced abuse at a facility in
Mexico or Jamaica or upstate New York are experiencing the
(10:39):
exact same things, which is just it is crazy to
kind of wrap your mind around that fact that they
were able to have this influence all around the world
and that these kids experienced the same things. And so
you're going to see a lot of that pattern recognition
throughout the series, and I think it only goes to show,
you know, the fluence in the power that these very
(11:01):
few individuals had on thousands and thousands of lives.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
What's so funny about that? I want to share just
a story just very quickly. So what's funny about that
is after I got out of the program, I not
too long after, within about a year, I got my
very first apartment and I had my very first roommate ever.
And ironically the roommate that I had had also gone
(11:27):
to a troubled teen program. But at the time I
just didn't have the understanding or vocabulary to really get
that we had experienced the same thing. And so we
would go in circles telling these stories and I would
be like, yeah, we weren't allowed to talk and we
had to walk in line and we would pivot around
every corner, and she would say, yeah, we did the
(11:49):
same thing. But for some reason, it just never clicked
to me that this is all a part of the
same industry. And so she and I, you know, now
have conversations about that and knowing that our programs were
actually connected and we did go through the same thing.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I also think, and not to trivialize what I'm about
to say, but like you know, Caroline speaks about, oh, yeah,
I wasn't allowed to look out a window, I wasn't
allowed to go to the bathroom on my own at
a WASP facility, and so forth. I mean, there's like
billions and billions of examples of this, and you think
that and you don't really process what that actually means. That,
(12:26):
like you would get in trouble if your eyes darted
to a window like that is imprisonment. And so I'm
so glad that we're telling these stories because this type
of treatment is still happening today. The influence of WASP exists,
and it is still extremely pervasive, and it still is
around the around the country and around the world, which
(12:48):
we'll obviously dive into a little bit later. But you know,
these stories need to be heard because they're truly so bad.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
They literally control every single thing that we did. We
literally had no voice, you could not talk, you could
not always walking in line. It was just like, it's
so weird to even think that that's like how our
lives were. I don't know, every time I think back
on it, it's just mind blowing that these are the
(13:21):
type of places that kids are being sent to heal
from trauma, and they're just getting even more traumatized than
when they went in. And it's just really scary for
this next generation of kids who are getting out of
these places because they just break you down so much
and they never build you back up, and it's hard
to come out into the real world and be a
(13:43):
functioning human being when you've went through what you've went
through at these types of schools and facilities.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
I mean, is that why you also didn't talk about
it for so long because it's almost so hard to explain.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Yeah, just hard to explain to people, and just like
what Carolyne was saying, that people would judge you, and
these places really instilled that a shame in you, where
the staff members would just really beat it into your
mind that no one will ever believe you, people are
going to think you're crazy, and just making you just
(14:22):
not ever want to talk about it, and also just
making sure that you wouldn't have any friendships in these places.
They didn't want anyone knowing each other's full names, they
didn't want people exchanging phone numbers or emails or anything
because they didn't want us to talk about all this
when we got out of there. So I could would
just always see that as well that anytime I would
(14:43):
become friends with a girl, they would immediately separate us,
tell us we're on talking bands, we're not allowed to
be friends. So they really just controlled every single aspect,
and anytime there was any happiness or anything, they would
try to just destroy that in any way that they could.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
I mean, that's what's so I wron now, right, is
that you guys are all coming together, sharing your experience
and then turning that pain into purpose, like your poster
that you had at that rally, was the kids that
you abuse will be the ones that tear you down.
I don't think they ever could have imagined that you
would share your story and you know where we would
be today.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
They messed with the wrong girls, Rebecca. We've worked with
Caroline and other survivors to help pass state bills and
support the federal bill called the Stop Institutional Child Abuse ACKed.
Can you share with the listeners the latest information?
Speaker 2 (15:37):
I would love to. I mean, just since we were
on this podcast last we have made so much progress
in terms of reforming the troubled teen industry, making these
facilities safer, as well as trying to increase community based
services so that youth don't have to go into institutional
settings to begin with. And so since we started, since
(15:57):
the documentary came out, we've passed eight state laws and
you two have been really at the helm of that
and using your voice and resources and lived experience to
be able to prove to policymakers why they need to
make this change. Now we have two state bills that
are in the works right now. Just two days ago
we went from Coachella to the Capitol and Paris got
(16:21):
to testify at a Senate hearing in Sacramento for our
California Ability, Accountability and Children's Treatment Act. We have another
bill in New Hampshire right now, so really the work
never ends. Our federal bill called the Stop Institutional Child
Abuse Act, I'm also hoping is going to be able
to get through the Senate soon. It has incredible bipartisan support.
And for any of the listeners that are hearing these
(16:44):
stories and want to get involved, there's so many ways
to do so, and we need people around the country
who are willing to step up as an ally or
as someone with lived experience to say to their legislators,
please take this issue on and please support obviously the
bills that we have in the works now. So the
(17:04):
ways that you can do that is by texting go
SIKA g O si CAA to five oh four oh nine,
and it will send a it will send a pre
drafted letter to your federal legislator, and then obviously through Paris' platforms,
we have so many different calls to actions for our
various state bills. But you know, overall the work is
(17:27):
yet to be done. We have a lot more work
to do, and so you know, our plan is to
pass laws in all fifty states and we're not going
to stop until all of these children are safe and
if they need access to mental health resources, we want
to make sure that the proper effective resources are out
there for them.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
There's so much work to be done, but so much
has been done. I'm so proud of all of us,
all the survivors were coming and using our voices for
the voiceless.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
You know, the state bills that eleven to eleven media
impact and all of us have been influenced, have the
possibility to impact thirteen million lives. And so if you
really take a step back and you think about that number,
that is truly miraculous that, you know, just from a documentary,
from a night where you were having insomnia and nightmares
(18:16):
that led to the documentarian telling you that this industry
still exists, like that germ, that spark has led to
thirteen million lives being influenced. Which I just want to
take a moment to congratulate you and Caroline for being
willing to constantly tell your stories over and over again,
which you know can be very retraumatizing at times, but obviously,
(18:39):
as we all know, we're doing this for the benefit
of the younger generations.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Yeah, I'm so grateful for doing that documentary and getting
me on this whole journey. It just really has changed
my life in so many ways, and it has been
so healing, and I just I love the survivor community
that I've met from around the world, just thousands of people,
and it just has really made me feel less alone
(19:07):
and more understood and just supported in so many ways,
and it's just been incredible. We should all just be
so proud and we're so strong to have survived that,
because not many people do, and that's why we continue
(19:27):
this fight and continue raising awareness. And thank you all
for your post on social media. I'm always searching the
hashtags I see you survivor, the sick of hashtag that
we have, and TTI and just unsilenced and really just
(19:47):
and now the new hashtag trapped in treatment and just
watching everyone's videos and hearing everyone's stories, and yeah, it's
just really incredible just how much power there is and
telling your story and turning her pain into purpose.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I'm going to add in a new hashtag too, which
is hashtag legislation is hot, which.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Is a term that Paris use.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
It's a term that Paris used when she was walking
out of a senator's office, and I was like rushing
her down the hallway because she needed to get to
her next meeting, but there was hundreds of staffers waiting
for her and we obviously couldn't stop and take photos
with everyone. So she just yelled, legislation is hot, and
everybody just started roaring with laughter, which was so frickin' amazing.
(20:35):
And since there are staffers on the Hill that have
gotten tattoos that say legislation is hot, so has really
made an impact on these staffers.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Yes, you got to make.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Something that's so burdensome and confusing cool. So that's part
of the work that we do.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
We have so much work to do, and just had
this incredibly emotionally experienced in Jamaica together with another survivor
and close colleague, Chelsea malt Not. Chelsea is also a
survivor of WASP and she went to Tranquility Bay, a
former facility in Jamaica, and she tells her story in
the podcast.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Chelsea does tell her story in one of the episodes
of the podcast, and she specifically talks about her time
at a facility called Tranquility Bay, which was also in
Jamaica and Tranquility Bay was especially horrific, and even at
the other WASP facilities, they would threaten to send kids
there because and I quote, there were no child labor
(21:32):
laws to protect them, so her story is especially heart wrenching.
WASP was also really known for having these facilities that
were in far off locations, and they were one of
the first organizations to start opening facilities abroad, including one
facility in Samoa, which was called Paradise Cove. And this
(21:54):
program was actually closed by the Samoan government after there
was a series of child abuse allegations.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Which that really brings us to the present day in
a completely unexpected turn of events, because Paradise Cove is
linked to a current story of abuse in Treasure Beach, Jamaica,
which is actually where Chelsea was abused at Tranquility Bay.
And obviously, you know a lot of people might not
know this, but Paris, Chelsea and myself were just in
(22:25):
Jamaica last week advocating on behalf of boys who were abused,
American boys who were abused at a facility called Atlantis
Leadership Academy in this tiny town three hours from the nearest,
you know, large town, where there was an airport, and
so it's just so hard to imagine these you know,
poor kids who were transported by men that they didn't know,
(22:49):
arrived in a foreign country, got driven through these windy,
crazy roads to this, you know, quite frankly, you know,
random kind of off the beaten path town in Jamaica,
and so.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
And it's just so deceptive even with the names. When
you're hearing Tranquility Bay, Paradise Cove, Atlantis Leadership Academy, like
it sounds like it's going to be this amazing place,
and these places are nothing like the names that they
try to trick people.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
With one hundred percent. I mean, the deceptive marketing is
seriously real. And the parents that we've talked to since
learning more about Atlantis Leadership Academy, they say the exact
same thing. They say, well, this was supposed to be
a leadership training program. We thought our kids were going
to rehabilitate and have this incredible experience far from home,
but obviously it was the opposite. And the ties to
(23:43):
WASP are because, like I said, there was a survivor
from Paradise Cove in Samoa who then went on to
become a staff member of facilities tied to WASP and
then he opened Atlanti's Leadership Academy on his own.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
That's just crazy to me. I can't imagine being abused
and going through something like that and then turning around
and then going and doing it to other children. You
have to be a very sick individual.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
And I'm just so proud of you and everyone on
our team for really jumping into action. Because Chelsea was
reached out to by a parent who was trying to
get their kid from Jamaica because basically, these American boys
were taken by the Jamaican CPS system because they were
an immediate threat of death or bodily injury. The Jamaican
(24:33):
government found that there was serious abuse happening, and so
this parent was trying to negotiate with Jamaica to get
their child home, and so Chelsea immediately flew down there
to advocate on behalf of these boys and then Paris,
I mean, you really jumped into action too. I would
love for you to kind of tell us about why
and how you got involved.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Well, when Chelsea called us and told us what was
happening to these boys and just the extreme abuse that
they had endured, it was just so heartbreaking to hear.
And that's why I said that we just need to
get on a plane and be there for them, because
they had had their first court case and they didn't
have anyone to support them there. They felt alone, they
(25:23):
were scared, and they had no one there to advocate
for them, and I just knew that we needed to
do something. So we just brought clothes for them and
things that they would need, and just helping them get
connected with legal law firms and people that could help
them in this situation, and also just to let them
(25:44):
know I believe you, We're here for you and be
there to support them, and also shine a huge spotlight
on this because I feel that, you know, if we
hadn't went there, and I hadn't talked about it, that
no one would have known what was happening over there.
And I don't even know what would be happening to
(26:05):
those boys right now if we had not stepped in
and flew down there and took action completely.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
And I do just want to take a second to
also explain how involved you truly are in these situations
like Paris is emailing hundreds of legislators a day asking
them to support these bills and you know you're checking
in on these boys daily. And so when Chelsea called us, honestly,
I couldn't believe. Paris was like, well, of course we're
(26:35):
going down to Jamaica. If those boys asked for me,
I'm going to be there for them. I'm going to
make sure that they don't testify alone. And so, you know,
it really was just it was a mad dash to
get there. But I'm so glad that we made all
the logistics work out because it was so important to
be able to shine your spotlight on this situation.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
So important just to hear that these people were held accountable,
saying on the news two days later after having a
press conference that five of the employees from Atlanti's Leadership
Academy were arrested for child abuse. And that is accountability.
And that's also a message to other abusers out there
(27:12):
that if you are abusing children, I'll find out, and
I will find you, and i will shine a huge
spotlight on you, and You're not going to get away
with this anymore because enough is enough. So I hope
that is a clear message to people out there that
I find out everything.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
And what was it like actually meeting the boys?
Speaker 1 (27:32):
It was heartbreaking, just in the beginning, just seeing them
get out of the car and walking into the courthouse
and just seeing the looks on their faces. They just
looked so just broken down, and they had bruises all
over them and just looked terrified, And it just reminded
me of me being a teenager and how I felt
(27:54):
in those places. But then also when they realized it
was me, just to see the smile, like the sparkle
come back in their eye and just to be like,
oh my God, like Paris is here to rescue us.
So that made me just feel so happy because when
I was a teenager, I had no one to contact.
(28:14):
They had cut me off from the outside world. I
couldn't ask anyone for help. And if someone did come
and help me, I can't even imagine just how happy
I would have been. So to be able now to
do that for those boys, It's just it was extremely
healing to me.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
And I think leaving Jamaica was really emotional for everybody involved. Yeah,
so I'm curious kind of how you felt when you
were on that plane ride home, and you know, when
you got back home, you took to TikTok and shared,
you know, a really vulnerable story and that you had
had this kind of life changing experience. So I'm just
(28:54):
curious looking back how that felt for you.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
It was very emotional, just I wish that we could
have just taken them with us, but just knowing that
they had to stay back in Jamaica, and I didn't
know at this point that any of the employees had
been arrested at this point, and I just felt grateful
to the Jamaican authorities for taking it seriously and for
(29:19):
making these arrests, because that doesn't usually happen in this
industry and this needs I hope that this now is
the beginning of where this starts happening a lot, because
there's been so many people who have just been getting
away with this for so long and they've never been
held accountable. But I hope that now with this happening,
(29:40):
this will be the start of a lot more arrests
and people getting the karma that they deserve.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
I'm really proud that you did show up and you
took the time to do so, because it has had
the most incredible impact so far. Like you said, those
those five staff members were arrested, Numerous former employees, people
connected to the owners. Randy Cook survivors are coming forward
(30:06):
and we've been able to get them legal assistance, so
hopefully that they can have, you know, the justice that
they really deserve. And particularly in terms of the boys,
four of them have been returned home, which is an
incredible impact, and we're still working on three other boys
who are there, and I just really hope that they know,
(30:29):
and I know that they do know that we're going
to continue to fight for them. What's important too, is that, like,
while we're talking about thirteen million children and we're talking
about the hundreds of thousands of kids that are in
these facilities, even just seeing the impact on one child
is enough, you know, enough enough of a reason for
us to continue this work. And so when we were
(30:50):
just in Sacramento two days ago, we actually got to
see Seth and Caroline. I don't even know if we
told you about this experience, but he met us at
the airport when we were done advocating on behalf of
our California Bill and just seeing him free, Yeah, was
a really life changing emotional moment.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
It was like a different kid just seeing him in Jamaica,
just how just broken down and sad he looked and
then now to see him free and just the big
smile on his face and just everything he said to me,
I was just so touching, and it just feels us
even harder to fight as hard as we can to
(31:33):
make a difference exactly.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
I mean, yeah, we talk about, you know, the high
levels of this work, but yeah, I don't know. It
was just I mean I was bawling on the plane, right,
I literally could not stop the tears just falling down
my face because we haven't had an example of that
tangible impact. And yeah, I mean it's just these kids
(31:57):
literally just need someone to choose them and and someone
to love them.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
And believe in them.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
And that should just be the bare minimum of what
folks can provide. And so for the people that have
taken in these kids, I hope that we can connect
more people that are willing to do so so that
we can change the trajectory of these kids' lives, which
I really think is.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Possible me too. And I'm so grateful to the different
employees who have reached out to us and told us
that the stories about working at these places and what's
been happening. So I just want to say thank you
to those people because they are heroes because I know
it's scary to come out and talk about something like this,
(32:39):
but I want them to know that we're here to
support them and please come forward with your stories.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Well, the WASP influence is very real. It extends to
present day with Atlanta's Leadership Academy. There's more facilities in
Idaho and Mexico that have ties to WASP as well.
You know, the story that you're going to hear in
Chaptain Treatment is relevant and it's crucial that we can,
you know, hold these folks accountable so that they don't
(33:08):
want abuse more kids.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
Yeah, I mean, the narrative of season two of Trapped
in Treatment isn't just about recounting the past abuse, but
it's about illustrating the strength that survivors have in telling
their stories and how they have overcome these experiences and
fought for justice along the way, especially against WASP, which
is such a monolithic organization. So the series really hopes
(33:34):
to inspire others, whether they're survivors like me, Paris and Chelsea,
or if they're just listeners who have been moved by
these stories. But we really hope that people take away
from this just believing in the power of telling their stories,
speaking their truth, and believing that you can create change
(33:56):
in the world around you.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
Us at eleven eleven Media Impact, which is Paris, myself
and Caroline and Chelsea want to hear your stories and
if you have pertinent information about a facility or a
former staff member, please reach out to us and give
it to us, and you can do so by emailing
Impact at eleven to eleven media dot co.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
And another important message out there, I just want to
tell anyone who's been through this that the shame should
not be on you. It should be on the people
that hurt you. Well. Caroline and Rebecca, I am so
proud of you both. This series is incredible and I
cannot wait for everyone to hear it. Trapped in Treatments
Season two is out on April thirtieth on the iHeartRadio app,
(34:43):
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for
listening to I Am Paris. Don't forget to follow us
on Instagram at I Am Paris podcast, email us at
Paris at iHeartRadio dot com, be hot and subscribe now
loves It
Wow, I am parrassed. Hi everyone, Today is a very
special episode of I Am Paris. I'm sitting here with
two amazing women. Rebecca Mellinger Groen is the head of
Impact at my company, eleven eleven Media, and Caroline Cole
(00:22):
is a policy advocate and a fellow survivor of the
trouble teen industry. Together they co host Trapped in Treatment,
a podcast that I executive produce. The second season will
premiere on April thirtieth. This podcast is really important to
me as a survivor and an activist. I will not
stop fighting until abuse of teen treatment facilities are a
thing of the past. Hi Rebecca and Caroline.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Hi, We're so happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
I'm so glad that we can talk today about season
two of the podcast. Putting this together has been quite
the journey.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
It truly has been the biggest labor of love ever.
I mean, we premiered season one back in January of
twenty twenty two, so a lot has happened. We've worked
really hard on this particular season and it obviously has
a lot of personal relevance to Caroline as well.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
It's a really important story too, and we're just excited
for everyone to finally be able to hear it.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, it was something that you both found surprising during
your investigation for season two.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
So I think the most shocking thing to me as
we were recording for season two and researching for this season,
we were actually able to speak with some insiders with WASP,
and these folks were a part of the creation of
the WASP entity and so hearing some of their insight
(01:42):
was just shocking. You know, As a survivor of WASP,
I've always had questions about what were these people's intentions.
Did they know the harm that they were causing? Was
it all about the money to them? And so through
our research and interviews with the people, we were finally
able to get closure on some of those questions.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
And I think for me, you know, Caroline has obviously
lived this, and so she understands the methodology that's been
used and the practices that she so unfortunately had to endure.
But for somebody that has never heard about WASP, but
before the fact that they were holding kids in dog
cages and that there was significant sexual abuse in these facilities,
(02:26):
that they were forcing kids to lie flat on the
ground for days and weeks on end in solitary confinement.
You just can't really wrap your head around that type
of treatment, and especially when that's coupled with the fact
that these are youth who possibly had a mental health
crisis or youth who were struggling with something behavioral going on.
(02:47):
WASP marketed to parents that they could treat their children,
that this was treatment. But you know what we will
divulge in the podcast and really explore is that this
was not treatment at all. This was methodologies that have
a history going all the way back to cults like
sinnan On and various things like that, which is just
truly so horrific.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
What can listeners expect to hear in season two?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
So Season two focuses on WASP, which stands for the
Worldwide Association of Specialty Programs in Schools and it was
one of the largest organizations in the troubled teen industry,
and it was spearheaded by one man named Robert Litchfield.
(03:32):
And WASP was especially notorious because of not only how
much money they made, I mean millions of dollars over
the course of a couple of decades, but also some
of the allegations of abuse that came out of these
facilities was especially horrific, like things like keeping kids in
(03:53):
dog cages or sending kids to far off countries like Samoa.
So the stories that you're going to hear in season
two are absolutely shocking, but we really really feel that
it is a very important story to be told. It's
also important to me personally because I did go to
(04:15):
a WASP program when I was a kid, and for
the first time, my mom is actually able to share
her story as well.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
We also had unbelievable access to folks who were at
the helm in leadership of WASP, and we haven't, you know,
in previous stories, heard directly from the people who you know,
had allegedly abused kids that had attended WASP programs. So
I think that you know, trapptain treatment offers a new
(04:46):
perspective to the story, one that we haven't heard prior.
The reason why we wanted to focus on WASP was
because there was such a clear lineage from where you
had gone Paris. So the head of WASP, Robert Litchfield,
got his start at Pro Canyon School, where he was
a dorm parent, and so he learned so much of
the methodology that he would bring into his new business.
(05:06):
Venture from the school where you were unfortunately abused as well.
So we felt like it was really important to have
provo be you know, the foundational understanding of this industry
and then directly tie it to, you know, a new
venture that unfortunately has had unbelievable influence in the trouble
teen industry.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Since Caroline, you and I are both survivors and activists
working to take down the trouble teen industry. What was
it like as a survivor to research and record this podcast,
especially when your own story is part of it.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
It is a very vulnerable feeling reliving a lot of
the trauma that I experienced, and especially interviewing other survivors
for this season, their stories are so heart wrenching. I mean,
it's hard to hear for anyone, not only just a survivor,
(05:58):
but I. In telling our stories, it's also really healing.
For so many years, we've had to live with this
trauma and with this pain just by ourselves. And you know,
I remember when I first got out of the program
and I would start to explain to people what had
(06:19):
happened there, and I remember the reaction that I would
always get is people would kind of raise their eyebrows
at me, and they'd chuckle and they'd say, oh, so, like,
what were you a bad kid or something? You were
a rebel, weren't you? And they would kind of make
this joke of it. And so I learned over time
to stop bringing it up. And Paris, that's something that
(06:43):
I so just cannot thank you enough for, because when
you started sharing your story, it really gave all of
us permission to be able to start talking about what
happened to us. And not only that, but people started
taking us seriously. They heard what we went through and
they were like, this is abuse, and so you know,
(07:05):
we've all been able to be validated in that way
through telling our stories. So as difficult as this season
was to face, it is the closest that we will
have to justice, and in that way, it is very healing.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Thank you for saying that. That's healing for me to
hear makes me emotional. I'm so proud of all of
us for telling our stories and using our voices, because
it isn't easy to do, just having to remember and
talk about things that you've tried so hard to forget.
So I just commend you for really dedicating your life
(07:45):
to this cause, and both of you. I couldn't do
this without you girls. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Do you both feel like there's been this really big
shift for you in terms of you know, how you've
processed the experience and kind of how you think about
it now.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Definitely, I think you know when you're living in it.
It's just it's hard to describe just how it feels
to be in these places. I think only people who
can really understand are other survivors who've been through it.
And then as a kid, you don't even know what's happening,
and it's just every day is such torture. I think
(08:22):
I just tried so hard to forget it that it
took me a long time to even process what I
went through. And now being an adult and looking back
on so many things, I just realize, you know, just
how incredibly abusive some of the things were that I
didn't even process back then.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
And I agree with that. I think as a kid,
when you go through those kinds of experiences, you can't
rationalize it. You don't know how to deal with that
kind of trauma. And so for myself, once I started
being able to process this trauma finally after like fifteen years,
(09:04):
all of a sudden, not only did parts of myself
start to make sense, but even trauma that I had
been through after the program started to make sense too,
And I was able to look at myself with a
lot more compassion as I understood why maybe I did
some of the things I did in my early twenties
(09:25):
or you know, looking for an escape in ways that
weren't necessarily healthy to me. And so I think for
a lot of years I held a lot of shame
about that. And so finally, I think, not only through
our projects like Trapped in Treatment, but through our advocacy work,
I feel like I can be at peace and like
(09:47):
those experiences are in my past and I'm not just
wearing them around as this like open wound all the time.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
I also think, you know, before any of these stories
were in the mainstream media, people thought that their experiences
were unique, that this was really only happening to them
and them alone. And so at the Provo Canyon School
rally that happened right after this is Paris, that was
really the first time that we saw people connecting about
their lived experience. And you know, obviously, while everybody's experience
(10:18):
was unique and very personal and specific, to them. What's
crazy about was WASP as we're really going to dive
into and trapped in treatment is kind of this copy
paste effect where youth who experienced abuse at a facility
in Samoa, youth who experienced abuse at a facility in
Mexico or Jamaica or upstate New York are experiencing the
(10:39):
exact same things, which is just it is crazy to
kind of wrap your mind around that fact that they
were able to have this influence all around the world
and that these kids experienced the same things. And so
you're going to see a lot of that pattern recognition
throughout the series, and I think it only goes to show,
you know, the fluence in the power that these very
(11:01):
few individuals had on thousands and thousands of lives.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
What's so funny about that? I want to share just
a story just very quickly. So what's funny about that
is after I got out of the program, I not
too long after, within about a year, I got my
very first apartment and I had my very first roommate ever.
And ironically the roommate that I had had also gone
(11:27):
to a troubled teen program. But at the time I
just didn't have the understanding or vocabulary to really get
that we had experienced the same thing. And so we
would go in circles telling these stories and I would
be like, yeah, we weren't allowed to talk and we
had to walk in line and we would pivot around
every corner, and she would say, yeah, we did the
(11:49):
same thing. But for some reason, it just never clicked
to me that this is all a part of the
same industry. And so she and I, you know, now
have conversations about that and knowing that our programs were
actually connected and we did go through the same thing.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I also think, and not to trivialize what I'm about
to say, but like you know, Caroline speaks about, oh, yeah,
I wasn't allowed to look out a window, I wasn't
allowed to go to the bathroom on my own at
a WASP facility, and so forth. I mean, there's like
billions and billions of examples of this, and you think
that and you don't really process what that actually means. That,
(12:26):
like you would get in trouble if your eyes darted
to a window like that is imprisonment. And so I'm
so glad that we're telling these stories because this type
of treatment is still happening today. The influence of WASP exists,
and it is still extremely pervasive, and it still is
around the around the country and around the world, which
(12:48):
we'll obviously dive into a little bit later. But you know,
these stories need to be heard because they're truly so bad.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
They literally control every single thing that we did. We
literally had no voice, you could not talk, you could
not always walking in line. It was just like, it's
so weird to even think that that's like how our
lives were. I don't know, every time I think back
on it, it's just mind blowing that these are the
(13:21):
type of places that kids are being sent to heal
from trauma, and they're just getting even more traumatized than
when they went in. And it's just really scary for
this next generation of kids who are getting out of
these places because they just break you down so much
and they never build you back up, and it's hard
to come out into the real world and be a
(13:43):
functioning human being when you've went through what you've went
through at these types of schools and facilities.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
I mean, is that why you also didn't talk about
it for so long because it's almost so hard to explain.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Yeah, just hard to explain to people, and just like
what Carolyne was saying, that people would judge you, and
these places really instilled that a shame in you, where
the staff members would just really beat it into your
mind that no one will ever believe you, people are
going to think you're crazy, and just making you just
(14:22):
not ever want to talk about it, and also just
making sure that you wouldn't have any friendships in these places.
They didn't want anyone knowing each other's full names, they
didn't want people exchanging phone numbers or emails or anything
because they didn't want us to talk about all this
when we got out of there. So I could would
just always see that as well that anytime I would
(14:43):
become friends with a girl, they would immediately separate us,
tell us we're on talking bands, we're not allowed to
be friends. So they really just controlled every single aspect,
and anytime there was any happiness or anything, they would
try to just destroy that in any way that they could.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
I mean, that's what's so I wron now, right, is
that you guys are all coming together, sharing your experience
and then turning that pain into purpose, like your poster
that you had at that rally, was the kids that
you abuse will be the ones that tear you down.
I don't think they ever could have imagined that you
would share your story and you know where we would
be today.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
They messed with the wrong girls, Rebecca. We've worked with
Caroline and other survivors to help pass state bills and
support the federal bill called the Stop Institutional Child Abuse ACKed.
Can you share with the listeners the latest information?
Speaker 2 (15:37):
I would love to. I mean, just since we were
on this podcast last we have made so much progress
in terms of reforming the troubled teen industry, making these
facilities safer, as well as trying to increase community based
services so that youth don't have to go into institutional
settings to begin with. And so since we started, since
(15:57):
the documentary came out, we've passed eight state laws and
you two have been really at the helm of that
and using your voice and resources and lived experience to
be able to prove to policymakers why they need to
make this change. Now we have two state bills that
are in the works right now. Just two days ago
we went from Coachella to the Capitol and Paris got
(16:21):
to testify at a Senate hearing in Sacramento for our
California Ability, Accountability and Children's Treatment Act. We have another
bill in New Hampshire right now, so really the work
never ends. Our federal bill called the Stop Institutional Child
Abuse Act, I'm also hoping is going to be able
to get through the Senate soon. It has incredible bipartisan support.
And for any of the listeners that are hearing these
(16:44):
stories and want to get involved, there's so many ways
to do so, and we need people around the country
who are willing to step up as an ally or
as someone with lived experience to say to their legislators,
please take this issue on and please support obviously the
bills that we have in the works now. So the
(17:04):
ways that you can do that is by texting go
SIKA g O si CAA to five oh four oh nine,
and it will send a it will send a pre
drafted letter to your federal legislator, and then obviously through Paris' platforms,
we have so many different calls to actions for our
various state bills. But you know, overall the work is
(17:27):
yet to be done. We have a lot more work
to do, and so you know, our plan is to
pass laws in all fifty states and we're not going
to stop until all of these children are safe and
if they need access to mental health resources, we want
to make sure that the proper effective resources are out
there for them.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
There's so much work to be done, but so much
has been done. I'm so proud of all of us,
all the survivors were coming and using our voices for
the voiceless.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
You know, the state bills that eleven to eleven media
impact and all of us have been influenced, have the
possibility to impact thirteen million lives. And so if you
really take a step back and you think about that number,
that is truly miraculous that, you know, just from a documentary,
from a night where you were having insomnia and nightmares
(18:16):
that led to the documentarian telling you that this industry
still exists, like that germ, that spark has led to
thirteen million lives being influenced. Which I just want to
take a moment to congratulate you and Caroline for being
willing to constantly tell your stories over and over again,
which you know can be very retraumatizing at times, but obviously,
(18:39):
as we all know, we're doing this for the benefit
of the younger generations.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Yeah, I'm so grateful for doing that documentary and getting
me on this whole journey. It just really has changed
my life in so many ways, and it has been
so healing, and I just I love the survivor community
that I've met from around the world, just thousands of people,
and it just has really made me feel less alone
(19:07):
and more understood and just supported in so many ways,
and it's just been incredible. We should all just be
so proud and we're so strong to have survived that,
because not many people do, and that's why we continue
(19:27):
this fight and continue raising awareness. And thank you all
for your post on social media. I'm always searching the
hashtags I see you survivor, the sick of hashtag that
we have, and TTI and just unsilenced and really just
(19:47):
and now the new hashtag trapped in treatment and just
watching everyone's videos and hearing everyone's stories, and yeah, it's
just really incredible just how much power there is and
telling your story and turning her pain into purpose.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I'm going to add in a new hashtag too, which
is hashtag legislation is hot, which.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
Is a term that Paris use.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
It's a term that Paris used when she was walking
out of a senator's office, and I was like rushing
her down the hallway because she needed to get to
her next meeting, but there was hundreds of staffers waiting
for her and we obviously couldn't stop and take photos
with everyone. So she just yelled, legislation is hot, and
everybody just started roaring with laughter, which was so frickin' amazing.
(20:35):
And since there are staffers on the Hill that have
gotten tattoos that say legislation is hot, so has really
made an impact on these staffers.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Yes, you got to make.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Something that's so burdensome and confusing cool. So that's part
of the work that we do.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
We have so much work to do, and just had
this incredibly emotionally experienced in Jamaica together with another survivor
and close colleague, Chelsea malt Not. Chelsea is also a
survivor of WASP and she went to Tranquility Bay, a
former facility in Jamaica, and she tells her story in
the podcast.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Chelsea does tell her story in one of the episodes
of the podcast, and she specifically talks about her time
at a facility called Tranquility Bay, which was also in
Jamaica and Tranquility Bay was especially horrific, and even at
the other WASP facilities, they would threaten to send kids
there because and I quote, there were no child labor
(21:32):
laws to protect them, so her story is especially heart wrenching.
WASP was also really known for having these facilities that
were in far off locations, and they were one of
the first organizations to start opening facilities abroad, including one
facility in Samoa, which was called Paradise Cove. And this
(21:54):
program was actually closed by the Samoan government after there
was a series of child abuse allegations.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Which that really brings us to the present day in
a completely unexpected turn of events, because Paradise Cove is
linked to a current story of abuse in Treasure Beach, Jamaica,
which is actually where Chelsea was abused at Tranquility Bay.
And obviously, you know a lot of people might not
know this, but Paris, Chelsea and myself were just in
(22:25):
Jamaica last week advocating on behalf of boys who were abused,
American boys who were abused at a facility called Atlantis
Leadership Academy in this tiny town three hours from the nearest,
you know, large town, where there was an airport, and
so it's just so hard to imagine these you know,
poor kids who were transported by men that they didn't know,
(22:49):
arrived in a foreign country, got driven through these windy,
crazy roads to this, you know, quite frankly, you know,
random kind of off the beaten path town in Jamaica,
and so.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
And it's just so deceptive even with the names. When
you're hearing Tranquility Bay, Paradise Cove, Atlantis Leadership Academy, like
it sounds like it's going to be this amazing place,
and these places are nothing like the names that they
try to trick people.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
With one hundred percent. I mean, the deceptive marketing is
seriously real. And the parents that we've talked to since
learning more about Atlantis Leadership Academy, they say the exact
same thing. They say, well, this was supposed to be
a leadership training program. We thought our kids were going
to rehabilitate and have this incredible experience far from home,
but obviously it was the opposite. And the ties to
(23:43):
WASP are because, like I said, there was a survivor
from Paradise Cove in Samoa who then went on to
become a staff member of facilities tied to WASP and
then he opened Atlanti's Leadership Academy on his own.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
That's just crazy to me. I can't imagine being abused
and going through something like that and then turning around
and then going and doing it to other children. You
have to be a very sick individual.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
And I'm just so proud of you and everyone on
our team for really jumping into action. Because Chelsea was
reached out to by a parent who was trying to
get their kid from Jamaica because basically, these American boys
were taken by the Jamaican CPS system because they were
an immediate threat of death or bodily injury. The Jamaican
(24:33):
government found that there was serious abuse happening, and so
this parent was trying to negotiate with Jamaica to get
their child home, and so Chelsea immediately flew down there
to advocate on behalf of these boys and then Paris,
I mean, you really jumped into action too. I would
love for you to kind of tell us about why
and how you got involved.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Well, when Chelsea called us and told us what was
happening to these boys and just the extreme abuse that
they had endured, it was just so heartbreaking to hear.
And that's why I said that we just need to
get on a plane and be there for them, because
they had had their first court case and they didn't
have anyone to support them there. They felt alone, they
(25:23):
were scared, and they had no one there to advocate
for them, and I just knew that we needed to
do something. So we just brought clothes for them and
things that they would need, and just helping them get
connected with legal law firms and people that could help
them in this situation, and also just to let them
(25:44):
know I believe you, We're here for you and be
there to support them, and also shine a huge spotlight
on this because I feel that, you know, if we
hadn't went there, and I hadn't talked about it, that
no one would have known what was happening over there.
And I don't even know what would be happening to
(26:05):
those boys right now if we had not stepped in
and flew down there and took action completely.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
And I do just want to take a second to
also explain how involved you truly are in these situations
like Paris is emailing hundreds of legislators a day asking
them to support these bills and you know you're checking
in on these boys daily. And so when Chelsea called us, honestly,
I couldn't believe. Paris was like, well, of course we're
(26:35):
going down to Jamaica. If those boys asked for me,
I'm going to be there for them. I'm going to
make sure that they don't testify alone. And so, you know,
it really was just it was a mad dash to
get there. But I'm so glad that we made all
the logistics work out because it was so important to
be able to shine your spotlight on this situation.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
So important just to hear that these people were held accountable,
saying on the news two days later after having a
press conference that five of the employees from Atlanti's Leadership
Academy were arrested for child abuse. And that is accountability.
And that's also a message to other abusers out there
(27:12):
that if you are abusing children, I'll find out, and
I will find you, and i will shine a huge
spotlight on you, and You're not going to get away
with this anymore because enough is enough. So I hope
that is a clear message to people out there that
I find out everything.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
And what was it like actually meeting the boys?
Speaker 1 (27:32):
It was heartbreaking, just in the beginning, just seeing them
get out of the car and walking into the courthouse
and just seeing the looks on their faces. They just
looked so just broken down, and they had bruises all
over them and just looked terrified, And it just reminded
me of me being a teenager and how I felt
(27:54):
in those places. But then also when they realized it
was me, just to see the smile, like the sparkle
come back in their eye and just to be like,
oh my God, like Paris is here to rescue us.
So that made me just feel so happy because when
I was a teenager, I had no one to contact.
(28:14):
They had cut me off from the outside world. I
couldn't ask anyone for help. And if someone did come
and help me, I can't even imagine just how happy
I would have been. So to be able now to
do that for those boys, It's just it was extremely
healing to me.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
And I think leaving Jamaica was really emotional for everybody involved. Yeah,
so I'm curious kind of how you felt when you
were on that plane ride home, and you know, when
you got back home, you took to TikTok and shared,
you know, a really vulnerable story and that you had
had this kind of life changing experience. So I'm just
(28:54):
curious looking back how that felt for you.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
It was very emotional, just I wish that we could
have just taken them with us, but just knowing that
they had to stay back in Jamaica, and I didn't
know at this point that any of the employees had
been arrested at this point, and I just felt grateful
to the Jamaican authorities for taking it seriously and for
(29:19):
making these arrests, because that doesn't usually happen in this
industry and this needs I hope that this now is
the beginning of where this starts happening a lot, because
there's been so many people who have just been getting
away with this for so long and they've never been
held accountable. But I hope that now with this happening,
(29:40):
this will be the start of a lot more arrests
and people getting the karma that they deserve.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
I'm really proud that you did show up and you
took the time to do so, because it has had
the most incredible impact so far. Like you said, those
those five staff members were arrested, Numerous former employees, people
connected to the owners. Randy Cook survivors are coming forward
(30:06):
and we've been able to get them legal assistance, so
hopefully that they can have, you know, the justice that
they really deserve. And particularly in terms of the boys,
four of them have been returned home, which is an
incredible impact, and we're still working on three other boys
who are there, and I just really hope that they know,
(30:29):
and I know that they do know that we're going
to continue to fight for them. What's important too, is that, like,
while we're talking about thirteen million children and we're talking
about the hundreds of thousands of kids that are in
these facilities, even just seeing the impact on one child
is enough, you know, enough enough of a reason for
us to continue this work. And so when we were
(30:50):
just in Sacramento two days ago, we actually got to
see Seth and Caroline. I don't even know if we
told you about this experience, but he met us at
the airport when we were done advocating on behalf of
our California Bill and just seeing him free, Yeah, was
a really life changing emotional moment.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
It was like a different kid just seeing him in Jamaica,
just how just broken down and sad he looked and
then now to see him free and just the big
smile on his face and just everything he said to me,
I was just so touching, and it just feels us
even harder to fight as hard as we can to
(31:33):
make a difference exactly.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
I mean, yeah, we talk about, you know, the high
levels of this work, but yeah, I don't know. It
was just I mean I was bawling on the plane, right,
I literally could not stop the tears just falling down
my face because we haven't had an example of that
tangible impact. And yeah, I mean it's just these kids
(31:57):
literally just need someone to choose them and and someone
to love them.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
And believe in them.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
And that should just be the bare minimum of what
folks can provide. And so for the people that have
taken in these kids, I hope that we can connect
more people that are willing to do so so that
we can change the trajectory of these kids' lives, which
I really think is.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Possible me too. And I'm so grateful to the different
employees who have reached out to us and told us
that the stories about working at these places and what's
been happening. So I just want to say thank you
to those people because they are heroes because I know
it's scary to come out and talk about something like this,
(32:39):
but I want them to know that we're here to
support them and please come forward with your stories.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Well, the WASP influence is very real. It extends to
present day with Atlanta's Leadership Academy. There's more facilities in
Idaho and Mexico that have ties to WASP as well.
You know, the story that you're going to hear in
Chaptain Treatment is relevant and it's crucial that we can,
you know, hold these folks accountable so that they don't
(33:08):
want abuse more kids.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
Yeah, I mean, the narrative of season two of Trapped
in Treatment isn't just about recounting the past abuse, but
it's about illustrating the strength that survivors have in telling
their stories and how they have overcome these experiences and
fought for justice along the way, especially against WASP, which
is such a monolithic organization. So the series really hopes
(33:34):
to inspire others, whether they're survivors like me, Paris and Chelsea,
or if they're just listeners who have been moved by
these stories. But we really hope that people take away
from this just believing in the power of telling their stories,
speaking their truth, and believing that you can create change
(33:56):
in the world around you.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
Us at eleven eleven Media Impact, which is Paris, myself
and Caroline and Chelsea want to hear your stories and
if you have pertinent information about a facility or a
former staff member, please reach out to us and give
it to us, and you can do so by emailing
Impact at eleven to eleven media dot co.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
And another important message out there, I just want to
tell anyone who's been through this that the shame should
not be on you. It should be on the people
that hurt you. Well. Caroline and Rebecca, I am so
proud of you both. This series is incredible and I
cannot wait for everyone to hear it. Trapped in Treatments
Season two is out on April thirtieth on the iHeartRadio app,
(34:43):
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for
listening to I Am Paris. Don't forget to follow us
on Instagram at I Am Paris podcast, email us at
Paris at iHeartRadio dot com, be hot and subscribe now
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