Part of my work is to dig through the roots of patriarchal oppression, expose it for what it is, and bring light to ways in which we can smash it into oblivion. So, when I hear about stories of girls who are given to their abusers to be married at the age of 13 because they are pregnant – I am outraged (and enraged). Dawn Tyree is a fierce survivor of child marriage and turned her experience into an incredible life’s work. She was not raised in a fanatical cult. Girls being married off to their abuser is happening all over the U.S. every year.

In this episode, Dawn joined me to talk about her experience. We discuss the problem of child marriage and how we can resolve it. She is an author, activist, and a founding member of The National Coalition to End Child Marriage in the U.S. Her testimony and that of other survivors played a crucial role in ending child marriage in 4 U.S. States. Her experience has been published in multiple major publications around the world. I am honored that she joined me to share her story.

Show Highlights

• What are trauma bonds and how do we recognize them? Plus, the two definitions of trauma bonds. (8:12)

• How trauma bonds are formed within long-term abusive partnerships. (9:07)

• The reason you can’t heal from trauma bonds on your own and why you don’t go to therapy with an abuser. (13:52)

• How to break free from a trauma bond. (21:40)

• The basics of what a healthy relationship should look like. (31:24)

• Why you have to take your children out of an abusive situation and give them the opportunity to see what else there is. (35:19)
• What we can do to help end child marriage in the U.S. (41:32)
• Dawn explains why child marriage is a form of sex trafficking in plain sight. 50:21)

Learn More About Dawn:

Dawn Tyree is an author, activist, and a founding member of The National Coalition to End Child Marriage in the U.S. She is currently working with Global Hope 365 to help end child marriage in California. Her testimony and that of other survivors played a crucial role in ending child marriage in 4 U.S. States. The story of her experience as a child forced into marriage has been published in The New York Times, Reuters, The Sun, DailyMail, The News-Review, WRAL, Freedom United, Portland Metrozine, YES! Magazine, and printed into 12 different languages. Dawn works with multiple organizations and universities across the nation to help educate and offer support in comparative studies (the US and international) on child marriage and human rights abuse issues. Dawn was featured in a two-hour documentary on child marriage in the U.S. as part of the A & E Network docu-series, “I Was a Child Bride: The Untold Story” with Elizabeth Vargas that aired in April 2019. She continues her activism work in tandem with writing her harrowing story of overcoming the toughest of odds. Tyree is enjoying life in the Pacific Northwest Coastal Range.

Resources & Links:
National Coalition to End Child Marriage 
Dawn on Facebook
Dawn on Instagram
California Coalition to End Child Marriage
Child Marriage – Shocking Statistics
Students Against Child Marriage
A&E’s I Was a Child Bride: The Untold Story
GET HELP:
National Human Trafficking Hotline:
1-888-373-7888
Text: befree to 233733
The Ultimate Divorce Survival Guide
Should I Stay or Should I Go Facebook Group

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