Elizabeth Smart Says She Never Told Her Parents About The Abuse From Kidnappers

Elizabeth Smart, who in 2002 was kidnapped at age 14, “was embarrassed and ashamed” to tell her parents about the abuse she suffered from her kidnappers. Facts of the abduction were revealed when Smart testified in court.

“The truth is I never sat them all down and had a ‘tell all’ experience with them. Honestly, when I got home I didn't want anyone to know what had happened, I was embarrassed and ashamed,” Smart said in an Instagram post.

“I was brought to an advocacy center where I had to disclose much of what happened to two professionals and they, in turn, relayed much of what happened to my parents. But I don't think my parents ever heard in detail what happened from my own lips until my court appearance almost a decade later,” she added.

Smart was abducted by Brian David Mitchell at her Salt Lake City home and was held captive for nine months.

During the trial in November 2010, Smart recounted being chained to a tree, drugged and raped multiple times a day.

Smart, 33, works as an activist for child abductions. She has devoted her life to preventing sexual abuse and child kidnappings.

In the Instagram post, Smart urged victims to come forward and noted that her circumstances were different than others.

"'I also want to point out my case was highly publicized, everyone already knew crimes were committed against me. So it didn’t take me coming forward and disclosing the extent of my abuse to multiple people before my captors were taken into custody. Nor did I have people doubt me," Smart said.

"For these and many other reasons I want Victim’s to know that #Ibelieveyou," she added.