Prepared Not Paranoid

More now than ever, Podcasts have become popular among all generations. One major genre of podcasts that has become wildly popular is true crime or crime-solving podcasts, which can be informative and fun to listen to; however, if you are like us, sometimes crime podcasts can cause some anxiety, paranoia, or have other side effects. We believe we still have a right to be informed and educated on the topics most relevant to Damsel without fear of having paranoia or anxiety; therefore, we have curated a list of Podcasts that we have found that did not create any side effects, but are educational about the topics Damsel cares about most, such as anti-human trafficking.

The podcasts listed below are also great additions to true crime and crime-related podcasts. You can consider these podcasts a great introduction into the genre as well, in part due to the more moderate nature of some of them. *Please note that all of these podcasts do still have a trigger warning due to the topics covered, interviews conducted, and language used throughout some episodes.* 

We designed this list to cover almost all questions you may be asking when starting a new podcast. This includes where you can listen or even watch the content on, how many episodes, any explicit content warnings, how recent it was created, the main topic, and the different ratings. Please note that we have not listened completely through each and every podcast, as some have been around for a while and have over 200 episodes; instead, we are rating on the first 7 episodes of each podcast as that typically gives one a good idea of the podcasts’ energy, pattern, and overall rating. In addition, we have included a small overview of the podcast, as well as some of our thoughts. Now, we encourage you to take a step out of your comfort zone and learn something new today by finding the podcast for you!

Sold in America

Listen/Watch On: Apple Podcasts; Spotify; YouTube

Platform rating: Apple: 4.4/5 stars; Spotify: 4.9/5 stars

Our Rating: 5/5 stars

Explicit Warning: Yes

Number of Episodes: 9

Year(s) Created/Aired: October 2018 – December 2018

Main Topic: anti-human trafficking, sex trade

Follow Noor around the United States in this podcast as she learns more about the harsh reality of the world of sex and human trafficking. This podcast is interview-style and includes an interactive portion if desired. This podcast does well with multi-viewpoints and is journalism based and focused.

Emancipation Nation

Listen/Watch On: Apple Podcasts; Spotify

Platform rating: Apple: 4.9/5 stars; Spotify: 5/5 stars

Our Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Explicit Content: No

Number of Episodes: 191+

Year(s) Created/Aired: July 2019 – Present

Main Topic: anti-human trafficking

Hosted by Dr. Celia Williamson, this podcast gives you practical ways you can help anti-human trafficking efforts. She hosts guests from different fields and that have been involved in the social and economic justice field. This is a great educational podcast and a way to learn how you can do even more beyond joining Damsel. While the host takes a much more laid-back approach than most of the podcasts on this list, she provides great and thorough educational information.

Ending Human Trafficking

Listen/Watch On: Apple Podcasts; Spotify

Platform rating: Apple: 4.8/5 stars; Spotify: n/a

Our Rating: 5/5 stars

Explicit Content: No

Number of Episodes: 303+

Year(s) Created/Aired: April 2011 – Present

Main Topic: anti-human trafficking

In this conversation-style podcast, Dr. Sandie Morgan and Dave Stachowiak discuss different aspects of human trafficking. This conversation is based around Dr. Morgan’s own experiences in the field, as well as other statistics. A very great podcast if you are looking for a deeper dive into the facts of human trafficking, as well as hearing the occasional restorative story of a survivor of trafficking.

Talk for Freedom

Listen/Watch On: Apple Podcasts; Spotify

Platform rating: Apple: 4.9/5 stars; Spotify: 5/5 stars

Our Rating: 4.7/5 stars

Explicit Content: No

Number of Episodes: 40+

Year(s) Created/Aired: February 2018 – Present

Main Topic: anti-human trafficking, current events

This podcast is a conversation centered on practical ways to point out trafficking in everyday life and is a great podcast for men as well as women. The hosts are San Antonio, TX based so a large amount of the resources and examples are based out of that area. I can appreciate the in-depth conversation and how each episode focuses on one aspect of human trafficking. Episodes come out on a random schedule which is a downside to the otherwise amazing podcast.

Trafficked – WYSO

Listen/Watch On: Apple Podcasts

Platform rating: Apple: 5/5 stars

Our Rating: 3/5 stars

Explicit Content: No

Number of Episodes: 5

Year(s) Created/Aired: August 2021 – October 2021

Main Topic: anti-human trafficking

Told like a news story, Leila touches on both sex and human trafficking, and explains how misinformation effects survivors and current victims, specifically in Ohio. The episodes are shorter and great for learning a small amount of history and information about Ohio’s struggles of criminalizing prostitution and how that effects the victims.

Raised Radio

Listen/Watch On: Apple Podcasts; Spotify

Platform rating: Apple: 4.5 stars; Spotify: n/a

Our Rating: 5/5 stars

Explicit Content: Yes

Number of Episodes: 78

Year(s) Created/Aired: February 2018 – December 2022

Main Topic: toxic urban street culture, sex trade

An expert on domestic human and sex trafficking and former pimp takes us through his story as well as gives us insight into the root of the issue. His point of view is very unique and allows a window into his home life growing up and how his role models shaped who he was for many years.

Overall, these podcasts each taught us something new and we hope you have gained encouragement, purpose, and drive by listening in. If you are new to Damsel in Defense, have listened to the podcasts above, and are hoping to make a change, please feel free to reach out to a Damsel Safety Educator near you below to learn more.

Find a Damsel Safety Educator Here!