Unsettled.FM

Kids are being sent to a compound in upstate New York. Some of them were forced by their parents, others were court-ordered, but all are indelibly marked by their time under the care of Pastor Fletcher Brothers. Host and creator Margaret details her entry into the world of Freedom Village USA and uncovers its connection to the larger Troubled Teen Industry.

Margaret, Maggie, and Boy Wonder travel upstate to interview young survivors of Freedom Village who report on its final years of operation. Patterns of abuse and coercive behavioral modification provide a platform to understand institutionalization. The survivors reveal their individual experiences with violence, racism, medical neglect, and suicidal feelings in the treatment center.

Margaret investigates the origins of the Troubled Teen Industry from its roots in the Independent Baptist movement to Lester Roloff's legislative battles to build and run homes for troubled teens and foster kids, ultimately showing how closely tied the industry is tied to the architects of the Religious Right. After investigating the various streams of money into Freedom Village, the reality of Freedom Village's Adopt-A-Teen program and international connections to Ukrainian orphanages lead to haunting revelations.

Margaret sits down with a woman who was born at Freedom Village and spent the first 24 years of her life under Fletcher Brothers' care. Her experiences, the perspective from two other long-term residents turned staff, and the advice of an investigative reporter raise the question, was Freedom Village a cult?

Shame, sexuality, flashbacks. What is the true legacy of the Freedom Village? To answer that question, Margaret talks with past interviewees and hears how their experiences of exploitation, and even conversion therapy have impacted their lives, often for years, decades, and even generations after leaving the Village. Maggie's knowledge as a clinical therapist helps us to uncover some of the more insidious psychological consequences of the treatments administered to the Village’s wards.

Margaret speaks with Jaz and Gabe, the founders of We Warned Them, who tell the story of how they stopped Freedom Village South Carolina from re-opening in 2019. However, Fletcher Brothers and the TTI network he sponsors are still operating without accountability. We explore how concerned citizens can identify residential care homes in their states, get involved with local governance, and prevent the Troubled Teen Industry from flourishing in their own backyards.