her foundation\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\nFollowing her abduction, Smart used her traumatic experience to help other victims of sexual violence through her advocacy, writing and television appearances.<\/p>\n
Bodybuilding, she said, is just one more way she\u2019s reclaiming her bodily autonomy after surviving extreme abuse.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a big change for me, it was hard, it pushed me, challenged me not to give up,\u201d her caption continued. \u201cI am so proud of myself for doing this. I am so proud of my body, and I want to celebrate it. My body has carried me through every worst day, every hellish grueling experience, it\u2019s created and nurtured three beautiful children, my body has risen to every single challenge life has presented it with, and carried me through so I refuse to be ashamed of it. I refuse to feel embarrassed about trying something new and am embracing my chance at life to the absolute fullest I can. I only hope that we all find the courage to chase new experiences, goals, bettering ourselves, and most importantly happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Netflix released a documentary about the activist\u2019s abduction, titled Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart<\/em>.<\/p>\nWhile promoting the film on Instagram, Smart wrote, \u201cThere will be victims and survivors who watch this, and I hope they realize they\u2019re not alone, and that they don\u2019t have to be ashamed of what happened to them. And I hope that people who watch this can gain compassion and understanding for other families who are going through this. I also hope it brings comfort that there are happy endings \u2014 and that even after terrible things happen, you can still have a wonderful life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n