The content of dark arenas includes topics and subject matter that may not be suitable for all audiences.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals participating in the podcast

and do not represent those of audio chuck or its employees.

Information discussed by the host in interviewees includes content related to crimes against children, abuse, acts of terrorism and violence.

Listener discretion is advised.

Have you ever kept a secret audio yourself?

Some piece of information that only you and maybe one or two other people know about?

Do you remember what it felt like when you finally told someone else about it?

Was it liberating? Was it frightening?

I would hope that most of us only have a few benign secrets, inner thoughts or actions that don't really impact others all that much.

My optimistic mind wants so badly to believe that's the case, but my realistic mind knows there are thousands, even millions of people with very dark secrets.

And sometimes the keepers of those secrets, the only other people who can reveal them, are children.

Young people who have witnessed and experienced horrors in their homes, families, schools and communities,

who finally muster the courage to liberate themselves from harboring other people's dark secrets.

In this episode of Dark Arenas, I'm sitting down with a child forensic interviewer who works every day to pull dark secrets from children who should not and cannot carry them.

It was raining while I waited outside of the door of the Dragonfly House in Moxville, North Carolina.

If you're wondering where Moxville is, it's kind of in the middle of nowhere, dead center of the state about an hour north of Charlotte, blue collar country for sure.

The Dragonfly House is a children's advocacy center where miners are brought when they indicate they've been a victim of sexual or physical abuse.

The door I was knocking at looked like the front door of a home. It even had a cute little doorbell.

There were also several locks and signs instructing visitors how to verify who they were there to see and why using the main entrance was prohibited.

Thankfully, all the staff members on duty were expecting me.

After the center's director ushered me inside and I exchanged a few greetings with employees.

...