In 2001, Sarah Turney’s sister, Alissa, went missing. Nearly two decades later and no arrests in the case, the police told her they could no longer help her and she needed to get media coverage for the case. So, in 2019, Sarah started The Voices for Justice Podcast as a way to tell Alissa’s story. In August 2020, an arrest was made in the case and Sarah’s efforts were recognized by the Maricopa County Attorney. Since the arrest, Sarah has shifted her focus to advocating for other cases in need of justice.
In today’s bonus interview, Sarah reflects on what she’s learned along the way, and answers critical questions from her own experience as both a victim’s family member and a true crime media creator herself. Why might a family member tell their story on a podcast with exploitative tendencies? How does Sarah create a safe space for victims and their family members to share their stories on Voices for Justice? What could ethical true crime content look like? And what can true crime media consumers do to push the genre into a more ethical direction?
I was so honored to learn from Sarah, and I hope you enjoy this bonus interview while we are on a break from regular season episodes.
If you need a transcript of today’s episode, please email hello@truercrimepodcast.com
You can find Sarah Turney on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter (@saraheturney). Make sure to also check out Sarah’s podcasts Voices for Justice and Disappearances.
Other podcasts Sarah recommends:
