Kait Gannon is the Founder and CEO of Mezzo Allies, Inc., which raises awareness for family-controlled human trafficking and child sexual abuse. She is a survivor of family-controlled commercial child sexual exploitation and shares her experience through public speaking and hosting the podcast The Ugly Truth About the Girl Next Door. With a background in social work, Kait is trained in suicide prevention and was the program director for a public health clinic in Buffalo, New York.
Laurie Krull is the Clinical Director of Mezzo Allies, Inc., the co-host of The Ugly Truth About the Girl Next Door podcast, and a licensed clinical social worker. With over 30 years of clinical experience, she specializes in foster care, adoption, and trauma. Laurie began her career as a social worker with child protective services before working in an outpatient children’s mental health ward.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [4:51] How a desperate personal situation led Kait Gannon to seek Laurie Krull’s clinical help
- [8:48] Kait shares how her daughter sparked her journey toward recovery
- [14:01] The bright and dark worlds in the context of abuse
- [17:19] Breaking through dissociation to reconcile prolonged trauma
- [22:26] What led Kait and Laurie to launch The Truth About the Girl Next Door?
- [27:18] The three levels of understanding in human trafficking
- [35:04] Mezzo Allies, Inc.’s mission to provide support to sexual abuse victims
In this episode...
Sex trafficking isn’t talked about enough, as most people remain unaware of the magnitude of abuse taking place throughout the world, believing it’s relegated to minority groups and third-world countries. Yet much of this trafficking occurs within the family unit, as 82% of survivors report parents or extended family members as primary offenders. How can you educate yourself and become a fierce advocate for child sex trafficking victims?
A family home is supposed to be a safe haven, but for Kait Gannon, it was a recurring nightmare. Beginning before the age of four and continuing well into adulthood, Kait was sexually trafficked by her parents, grandparents, and uncles — a mere pawn in a generations-long organized trafficking scheme. After receiving threatening messages following repeated attempts to escape, Kait connected with trauma social worker Laurie Krull, who helped her reconcile the compartmentalized abuse with other areas of her life, leading to support initiatives for child sexual abuse victims. Through rigorous training programs and volunteering with mission-based organizations, you can become an advocate these survivors need.
Tune in to the latest episode of the Lead Like a Woman Show as Andrea Heuston welcomes Kait Gannon and Laurie Krull of Mezzo Allies, Inc., to talk about family-organized child sex trafficking. Together, they uncover abuse survivors’ compartmentalized worlds, how to reconcile prolonged trauma, and the three levels of public understanding in human trafficking.
Resources Mentioned in this episode:
- Andrea Heuston on LinkedIn
- Artitudes Women Owned Offer
- Artitudes Design
- Stronger on the Other Side: The Power to Choose by Andrea Heuston
- Kait Gannon on LinkedIn
- Laurie Krull on LinkedIn
- Mezzo Allies, Inc: Website | Instagram | Facebook
- The Ugly Truth About the Girl Next Door podcast: Website | Instagram | Facebook
- Organised Sexual Abuse by Michael Salter
Quotable Moments:
- “I’m not just going to die in a dark hole someday, and no one’s gonna know.” – Kait Gannon
- “It’s about being able to channel that rage, to channel that drive towards something productive.” – Kait Gannon
- “Even though I was still unsafe, I started receiving threats. It was an act of desperation.” – Kait Gannon
- “If not us, then who? We didn’t wake up one day and decide; it was driven by necessity.” – Kait Gannon
- “Persistent. When I hit an obstacle, I bounce around it, especially when the vulnerable are on the line.” – Laurie Krull
Action Steps:
- Educate yourself about the different levels of human trafficking, especially family-controlled abuse: Awareness is the first step to change; understanding the issue enables one to recognize and act against such injustices.
- Become an advocate for survivors in your community by staying informed and spreading awareness: Advocacy can drive systemic change and create a safer environment for survivors to come forward.
- Volunteer or offer professional services to organizations like Mezzo Allies, Inc.: Engaging directly with organizations supports their mission and extends help to those needing specialized services.
- Donate or seek sponsorships for initiatives combating sexual exploitation: Financial contributions fuel the programs, training, and support vital to survivors and their advocates.
- Support legislation and policymakers who prioritize the fight against human trafficking: Legislative support ensures the development and enforcement of laws that protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by Artitudes Design by Andrea Heuston. Artitudes Design is an award-winning creative agency that has been creating visual communication for Fortune 500 companies for over 25 years. They have worked with notable companies such as Microsoft, Starbucks, Expedia, and have also served startups and nonprofit organizations.
They specialize in connecting speakers with audiences by creating visual value with presentations and through the creation of motion graphics, video, and content.
To learn more about Artitudes Design, visit their website today. Checkout their portfolio to see their previous projects, and contact them today to find out how they can help you bring your business a cut above the rest.
