Fracture to Flourish | Aging Out: The Hidden Pipeline cover art

Fracture to Flourish | Aging Out: The Hidden Pipeline

Fracture to Flourish | Aging Out: The Hidden Pipeline

Written by: Access Ventures
Listen for free

About this listen

 Fracture to Flourish examines systemic challenges affecting underserved communities across the nation. Season One: Aging Out investigates the foster care crisis that impacts over 20,000 youth who age out of the system each year. Season Two: Aging Out: The Hidden Pipeline investigates how foster care instability, isolation, and unmet needs can create a pathway to exploitation, and what it takes to interrupt that pathway before harm becomes a life sentence.Access Ventures Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Beyond Rescue: Reform, Hope & Choosing Joy

    Beyond Rescue: Reform, Hope & Choosing Joy
    Jan 20 2026
    In Episode 4 of Fracture to Flourish, host Bryce Butler follows Priscilla Roman’s story to ask what happens after a rescue story ends.Priscilla doesn’t describe herself as “trafficked.” Her story is what it looks like when a former foster youth with almost no safety net steps into the strip club at twenty—and finds her body treated like a commodity. But this final episode widens the lens beyond one life.You’ll hear from survivor leaders, advocates, and policy voices working to close the gaps that let exploitation thrive: laws that stop criminalizing exploited kids, housing and stabilization that keep youth from being easy to access and re‑recruited, and practical reforms that help communities see foster care, homelessness, and trafficking as one connected pipeline.This episode is about moving from rescue to renewal—how people are reshaping systems so kids are not only removed from harm, but given real paths to healing, joy, and generational change.Content advisory: This episode includes frank discussion of abuse and exploitation involving children and families. Please take care as you listen.Guests + OrganizationsPriscilla Roman — survivor voiceLauren — first name only (privacy protected)John Richmond — Atlas Free (former U.S. Ambassador‑at‑Large)Jeremy Vallerand — Atlas Free (CEO + founder)Dani Pinter — NCOSEDr. Jeanne L. Allert — Institute for Survivor CareDr. Brook Parker Bello — survivor advocateTori Hope Petersen — former foster youth and advocateRachelle Starr — Scarlet HopeDr. Jennifer Jacobs — Connect Our KidsAshleigh Chapman — Engage Together / Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and JusticeWes Lyons — Eagle Venture Fund and their Freedom FundPartnersAtlas Free (Season Partner): This season is made possible in part by our partners at Atlas Free, a global movement fighting sex trafficking. Atlas Free supports local organizations helping survivors find freedom and rebuild their futures, and works to stop traffickers where they operate. Learn more at atlasfree.org.Scarlet Hope (Season Partner): This season is made possible in part by our partners at Scarlet Hope, which has been showing up week after week with outreach and restoration for women who’ve been exploited in clubs, on the streets, and online. Learn more at scarlethope.org.Access Ventures (Series Partner): Fracture to Flourish is a production of Access Ventures, a catalyst for change working to build a flourishing society. Access Ventures leverages catalytic capital and partnerships to drive economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental sustainability in communities. Learn more at accessventures.org.ResourcesNational Human Trafficking Hotline (US): Call 1‑888‑373‑7888 or text BEFREE (233733)RAINN (sexual assault support): rainn.orgNational Runaway Safeline: 1‑800‑RUNAWAY (786‑2929) or 1800runaway.orgNAMI (mental health support): nami.orgData + sourcesYouth aging out (U.S. annual count)https://www.aecf.org/topics/youth-in-transitionTennessee youth aging out + outcomes (Belmont Innovation Labs / Every Child TN)https://belmont.edu/stories/articles/2024/innovation-labs-study-highlights-crisis-in-foster-care.htmlhttps://belmont.edu/stories/articles/2024/innovation-labs-study-highlights-crisis-in-foster-care.htmlFoster parent retention / attrition (context)https://archive.legmt.gov/content/Committees/Interim/2021-2022/Children-Families/Studies/HJR-44/may2022-ncsl-paper-foster-parent-retention.pdfNote: This supports the magnitude of turnover and is not a first‑year‑only claimCredits"Fracture to Flourish" is a production of Access Ventures.Created, written, and hosted by Bryce Butler.Editing and production by Jacob Bozarth.Additional editing and production by Crystal Esquivel and Amelia Witts.Audio mixing by Pat Kicklighter.Cover art and design by Justin Esquivel.Marketing support by Amelia Witts and Madison Butler.
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • Designed to Fail: Lost in the System

    Designed to Fail: Lost in the System
    Jan 20 2026
    In Episode 3 of Fracture to Flourish, host Bryce Butler follows a single composite case file to show how a foster care system not designed around children can leave youth invisible, unprotected, and easy to traffic.Instead of starting with a trafficker, this episode starts with the paper trail: routine notes, missed court dates, closed runaway reports, copy‑pasted case notes, and the quiet ways warnings can die in separate inboxes. Along the way, you’ll hear how placement instability, isolation, and unmet basic needs can create the space where exploitation takes root.You’ll also hear from people who have watched these patterns up close: survivor voices, practitioners working with schools and foster care systems, policy leaders, and advocates pushing for practical reforms like integrated data systems, specialized missing‑from‑care units, and multidisciplinary teams that keep information from staying siloed.Content advisory: This episode includes frank discussion of abuse and exploitation involving children and families. Please take care as you listen.Guests + OrganizationsCrystabella Ryder — Season 1 guestAshlee Lucas — The Tebow GroupDr. Jeanne L. Allert — Institute for Survivor CareJohn Richmond — Atlas Free (former U.S. Ambassador‑at‑Large)Ricky Lynn — law enforcement (KY)Ashleigh Chapman — Engage Together / Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and JusticeDani Pinter — NCOSETori Hope PetersenPartnersAtlas Free (Season Partner): This season is made possible in part by our partners at Atlas Free, a global movement fighting sex trafficking. Atlas Free supports local organizations helping survivors find freedom and rebuild their futures, and works to stop traffickers where they operate. Learn more at atlasfree.org.Scarlet Hope (Season Partner): This season is made possible in part by our partners at Scarlet Hope, which has been showing up week after week with outreach and restoration for women who’ve been exploited in clubs, on the streets, and online. Learn more at scarlethope.org.Access Ventures (Series Partner): Fracture to Flourish is a production of Access Ventures, a catalyst for change working to build a flourishing society. Access Ventures leverages catalytic capital and partnerships to drive economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental sustainability in communities. Learn more at accessventures.org.ResourcesNational Human Trafficking Hotline (US): Call 1‑888‑373‑7888 or text BEFREE (233733)RAINN (sexual assault support): rainn.orgNational Runaway Safeline: 1‑800‑RUNAWAY (786‑2929) or 1800runaway.orgNAMI (mental health support): nami.orgData + sourcesMissing children context (NCMEC)Runaways are still missing and still in danger (2024): https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2025/theyre-missing-too-why-runaway-children-need-our-helpNCMEC 2024 totals: https://www.missingkids.org/ourwork/impactMissing from foster care context: https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/missingfromcareFamilial/caregiver trafficking (Dr. Jeanne Allert)Allert, Jeanne L. (2022). Domestic Minor Familial Sex Trafficking: A National Study of Prevalence, Characteristics, and Challenges across the Justice Process. Institute for Shelter Care. https://bcfstrafficking.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Familial-Trafficking-Study.pdfSummary: https://www.c7htc.org/familial-trafficking/Credits"Fracture to Flourish" is a production of Access Ventures.Created, written, and hosted by Bryce Butler.Editing and production by Jacob Bozarth.Additional editing and production by Crystal Esquivel and Amelia Witts.Audio mixing by Pat Kicklighter.Cover art and design by Justin Esquivel.Marketing support by Amelia Witts and Madison Butler.To listen to past episodes, check out fracturetoflourish.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you for listening!
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Targeted: Grooming in Plain Sight

    Targeted: Grooming in Plain Sight
    Jan 20 2026
    In Episode 2 of Season 2 of Fracture to Flourish, Bryce Butler follows the pattern that so often hides in plain sight: affirmation → dependency → control.We start in a bedroom, with a late‑night message that sounds like attention, not danger. Then we trace how traffickers use the same vulnerabilities foster youth carry—instability, isolation, unmet needs, and digital access—to turn “connection” into a business model.You’ll hear from law‑enforcement investigator Ricky Lynn, who describes how trafficking shows up in schools and online spaces. Researcher Dr. Jeanne L. Allert breaks down what trafficking legally is (and why minors in commercial sex are automatically victims under U.S. law). Former U.S. Ambassador‑at‑Large John Richmond explains how trafficking can happen without movement—through phones, payment apps, and live streams. Ashleigh Chapman outlines how online exploitation surged and how platform dynamics make this a high‑reward, low‑risk crime. Dani Pinter explains the “boyfriend model” of grooming, and Rachelle Starr (Scarlet Hope) describes how the “million‑dollar girl” line becomes leverage. We also follow parallel pathways through Lauren and Priscilla, showing how exploitation can begin with romance—or simply with survival.Content advisory: This episode includes frank discussion of abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. Please listen in whatever way feels safest for you.Guests + OrganizationsRicky Lynn — law enforcement (KY)Dr. Jeanne L. Allert — Institute for Survivor CareJohn Richmond — Atlas Free (former U.S. Ambassador‑at‑Large)Ashleigh Chapman — Engage Together / Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and JusticeDani Pinter — NCOSERachelle Starr — Scarlet HopeLauren — survivor voicePriscilla Roman — survivor voicePartnersAtlas Free (Season Partner): This season is made possible in part by our partners at Atlas Free, a global movement fighting sex trafficking. Atlas Free supports local organizations helping survivors find freedom and rebuild their futures, and works to stop traffickers where they operate. Learn more at atlasfree.org.Scarlet Hope (Season Partner): This season is made possible in part by our partners at Scarlet Hope, which has been showing up week after week with outreach and restoration for women who’ve been exploited in clubs, on the streets, and online. Learn more at scarlethope.org.Access Ventures (Series Partner): Fracture to Flourish is a production of Access Ventures, a catalyst for change working to build a flourishing society. Access Ventures leverages catalytic capital and partnerships to drive economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental sustainability in communities. Learn more at accessventures.org.ResourcesNational Human Trafficking Hotline (US): Call 1‑888‑373‑7888 or text BEFREE (233733)RAINN (sexual assault support): rainn.orgNational Runaway Safeline: 1‑800‑RUNAWAY (786‑2929) or 1800runaway.orgNAMI (mental health support): nami.orgData + sourcesPandemic-era surge in online child exploitation reportsReporting citing NCMEC describes a four-fold increase in reports during the pandemic.https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/25/us/child-abuse-online-coronavirus-pandemic-parents-investigations-trnd/index.html“High reward, low risk” framing (trafficking as a lucrative illicit business)https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/Webstories2023/tracking-illicit-financial-flows-linked-to-human-trafficking-and-migrant-smuggling.htmlKentucky AG lawsuit referenced in episode (Roblox)https://www.ag.ky.gov/Press Release Attachments/2025.10.06 - [FINAL] KY Roblox Complaint.pdfCredits"Fracture to Flourish" is a production of Access Ventures.Created, written, and hosted by Bryce Butler.Editing and production by Jacob Bozarth.Additional editing and production by Crystal Esquivel and Amelia Witts.Audio mixing by Pat Kicklighter.Cover art and design by Justin Esquivel.Marketing support by Amelia Witts and Madison Butler.
    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
No reviews yet