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- By Native StoryLab
When Lydia Lerma’s young son was sexually abused, she refused to let silence or jurisdictional borders stand in the way of justice.
Her relentless pursuit of accountability led her all the way to Mexico, and her story is now being heard worldwide through The Hunter, a BBC-produced podcast that climbed to Number 3 on Apple’s charts this summer.
In a compelling episode of Native Bidaské, Lydia Lerma shared her transformative experience as a sexual abuse survivor and advocate, offering critical insights into protecting children and seeking justice. Here is a brief overview of the conversation with Lerma:
On Protecting Children
"Always trust your gut. That's the most important thing," Lerma emphasized. She warned parents against confronting abusers directly, stating, "If they confront the person who molested their child... that person gets a head start. They end up fleeing."
On Trauma's Impact
"Sexual abuse doesn't only affect the person who was assaulted. It affects every person in our circle," she explained. Lerma candidly shared her personal struggle: "It wasn't a day that I didn't walk by that cabinet and think about pulling that firearm and putting it to my head, because I was so depressed."
On the Epstein Case
Regarding the ongoing Epstein investigation, Lerma was direct: "Let's talk to the victims. Let's hear from them. Give them a platform... the voices of those survivors are going to give us the most genuine truth."
On Indigenous Communities
"Sexual abuse plagues our community as well," she stated. "As in other communities, the accused often get protected." “It's very prevalent in all communities, because this actually crosses all socioeconomic boundaries? It crosses all ethnic, all cultural, all religious. I mean, I have people from probably every background who have reached out to me and shared their stories of survival, from sexual abuse to sexual assault.”
Her message remains powerful and clear: healing is possible, and speaking truth is essential.
📺 Watch the full Native Bidaské episode below.
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