Since 2012, Secrets & Stilettos has served as a beacon of awareness, safety, and empowerment in the fight against domestic violence. This free event brings together community members from all walks of life to broaden our understanding of these issues and work together to address them. This year we are thrilled to welcome keynote speaker, Cyntoia Brown Long, and guest speaker, Tiffany Simpson, to share their experiences of being prosecuted for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked.

Cyntoia Brown Long was trafficked at 16. She shot Johnny Allen, who paid her $150 for sex, claiming self-defense. Brown was convicted and sentenced to life in prison as a minor, serving 15 years before clemency from the then Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam. Kim Kardashian took interest in Brown Long’s case and publicly championed for the young woman’s release. More about Brown Long’s story is available on the Netflix documentary Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story.

Tiffany Simpson was trafficked at 17 and convicted of recruiting another minor into sex trafficking. Simpson was not treated as a fellow victim even though she had been sold to the same men. While Georgia law does not allow the Governor to pardon individuals, it does provide for vacatur of trafficking convictions that were the direct result of being trafficked. After serving almost 11 years on a Ms. Simpson was released from her 30-year sentence in November 2022. Her story was captured in the Washington Post here. 

We will also explore:

• What programs are needed to assist survivors of sex trafficking,
• Georgia’s vacatur law and new Survivor Justice Act (for survivors of domestic violence), and
• How law enforcement and the community can recognize sex trafficking and better identify the victims of this heinous crime.

Lunch will be served. RSVP required by September 2, 2025. Event is free to attend.