Elizabeth Smart visits Wilmington and headlines the Coastal Horizons annual Luncheon

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Kidnapping survivor turned activist, Elizabeth Smart in Wilmington for a special luncheon. Twenty years ago, the eyes of many across the nation were glued to the abduction case of Elizabeth Smart.

Saturday marks 19 years since Elizabeth Smart was reunited with her family after she was kidnapped. She was thankful for the opportunity to speak at the Coastal Horizons annual luncheon.

“Prior to my kidnapping, I didn’t know anything about rape, I didn’t know anything about sexual violence, I didn’t know any of that,” said Elizabeth Smart, survivor & advocate.

Elizabeth Smart is a sexual assault survivor  whose 2002 kidnapping case made national headlines. When she was 14 years old, she was taken from her home in Salt Lake City, Utah and held captive for 9 months.

“I was kidnapped from a neighborhood that most people would look at and be like ‘that’s a really nice neighborhood, that seems, –I bet nothing bad ever happens  there’, and not only was I kidnapped from my neighborhood, but I was kidnapped from my home. The place that I thought was most safe in the world,” said Elizabeth Smart.

During the Coastal Horizons luncheon, Smart who is now a child safety advocate, shared a strong message when she talked about her traumatic abduction and abuse.

“No one else can take away their individuality, their uniqueness, they can’t, –no one else can take their worth or value as a human being, and I hope that they walk away knowing that whatever it is that has happened to them, that does not need to define them for the rest of their life,” said Smart.

The money raised from Smart’s appearance at the luncheon will benefit the Rape Crisis Center and “Open House Youth Shelter and Residential Services of Coastal Horizons”,  organizations that help survivors of sexual assault or abuse.

“We need as many people talking about this issue as possible. We need as many different faces and hands involved as we can get, because this is a massive, massive issue,” said Smart.

The Rape Crisis Center of Coastal Horizons Center serves New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties, providing free and confidential services to victims.