Smart's memoir was released on Oct. 7 and was available for purchase following her afternoon speech at BGSU.
“I’ve come to realize, well, we all have problems. That might be the only thing that every single one of us has in common.” These words were spoken by an ordinary girl with an extraordinary story.
Smart was the first speaker in the Bowling Green State University series titled “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Stories.” She spoke on Nov. 3 at 2:30 p.m. to over 500 students and faculty members.
Elizabeth Smart was just 14 when she was abducted from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah. With a knife to her throat, Smart was forced to leave her home and walk a trail that was very familiar to her, but an unexpected turn led her to where her kidnappers held her captive for nine months.
Against her will, she was forced to drink alcohol, become a bride in an unusual marriage ceremony and was repeatedly raped.
Despite the sensitivity of the topic she spoke about, Smart was encouraging. She joked about the tough love she received from her four brothers and the fact that at 14 she had not even said hi to a boy.
Throughout the speech, Smart made several references to the relationship that she has with God and how her faith led her though her abduction. Despite the religious manipulation from her abductors, her faith in God still remains.
At the end of Smart’s speech, Sara Bushong, dean of the Universities Libraries, asked the question, “If someone were to find
Q&A with Dean of the University Libraries, Sara Bushong
themselves in a situation similar to yours what advice would you give them?” Smart responded, “Every situation has to be judged uniquely. Over 80 percent of women and children… the people who fight back get away. If you feel like kicking, screaming, or yelling, do it!”
In an effort to advocate for others who have been in similar situations, Smart created a foundation in 2011. The Elizabeth Smart Foundation was formed to prevent future crimes against children. Aside from creating a foundation, Smart has documented her experinces in a memoir titled “My Story.”
BG24 News Coverage of Smart
After her evening speech, Smart conducted a Q&A session with local residents.