Christine Flannery
Christine Flannery
Episode 11 - Part 1 - Straight Inc. Cincinnati, OH & St Petersburg FL - Don Smith 1981-1982
Episode 11 - Part 1 - Straight Inc. Cincinnati, OH & St Petersburg FL - Don Smith 1981-1982
Episode 11 - Part 1 - Straight Inc. Cincinnati, OH & St Petersburg FL - Don Smith 1981-1982
Monday 19th April 2021
Don Smith recounts his harrowing experience in Straight Inc., revealing deception, abuse, and survival in this gripping episode.
Explicit
62 minutes
Informative
Raw
Thought-provoking
Compassionate
Engaging
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Author:
Christine Flannery
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Categories:
Healing from Sexual Trauma
Sobriety Success Stories
Family Recovery from Addiction
Recovery from Trauma
Innovative Treatments & Recovery Paths
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Get the buttons here!Don Smith's Story: Deception, Abuse, and Survival in Straight Inc.
Straight Inc. was a living nightmare. It was a place where kids were abused and traumatized in the name of rehabilitation. I'm grateful to have survived, but the memories still haunt me.
Ever wondered what it’s like to be tricked into a 'vacation' that turns into a nightmare? In this episode of Surviving Straight Inc., Don Smith recounts his chilling journey through the infamous Straight Incorporated program. At just 20 years old, Don’s parents deceived him into going to Florida under the guise of a holiday, only to drop him off at Straight Inc. This was just the beginning of a harrowing ordeal.
Don dives deep into his experiences, starting with his heavy drug and alcohol use before entering the program. He describes the psychological manipulation and confrontations he faced, including being falsely accused of various offenses and the intense peer-on-peer restraints. The episode doesn't shy away from the brutal reality of life in Straight Inc., from carving in his arms to the absurdity of trying to follow the program's strict and often ridiculous rules.
What makes Don’s story even more compelling is his transfer to a newly opened Straight facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the same patterns of abuse continued. Despite these challenges, Don completed the program, but not without lasting scars. His account highlights the complicity of parents and the lack of oversight that allowed such programs to thrive.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the dark side of adolescent rehabilitation programs and the urgent need for better, more humane alternatives. Don's story is not just a tale of survival but a call to action to protect vulnerable youth from similar fates.