044: Exposing the Truth About Child Marriage and Systemic Betrayal with Donna Simmons
Description
What happens when the very laws meant to protect children instead give predators a license to abuse? In this episode of Your Radical Truth Podcast, host Margaret Mary O’Connor speaks with survivor, advocate, and bestselling author Donna Simmons, whose life story exposes the devastating reality of child marriage in the United States.
Donna reveals how systemic failures, generational trauma, and outdated laws continue to silence survivors and perpetuate abuse. At just 16, she was forced into marriage—a betrayal legitimized by the system itself. Rather than remain silent, Donna transformed her pain into purpose. Today she leads the fight to end child marriage, hold institutions accountable, and empower survivors to reclaim their voices.
Her memoir, From Ashes to Flame, is more than a personal story. It is a call to action, urging lawmakers and communities alike to confront the truth and demand change.
This conversation is raw, urgent, and necessary. Tune in to hear how Donna Simmons is breaking cycles of trauma, challenging systemic betrayal, and sparking a movement for justice.
Listen now: www.YourRadicalTruth.com/044-Donna-Simmons
United States
