Hannah Sward on Her Memoir "Strip": Uncovering Truths on Trauma, Sex Work & the Road to Sobriety

Private Parts Unknown: Sex & Love Around the World

For the 164th episode of Private Parts Unknown, host Courtney Kocak welcomes Hannah Sward, author of Strip: A Memoir.

Hannah opens up about her unconventional childhood, including being abandoned by her mother, living with her poet father, experiencing sexual abuse as a child, and (of course) a stint on a commune. She also shares her entry into sex work, first as a call girl and then as a stripper, working alongside her sister, why she started using crystal meth, and how she finally got sober after losing a decade to addiction. We discuss Hannah's current perspective on the changing cultural attitudes towards sex work, how her family reacted to the book’s contents, and how writing the memoir was healing in that it coincided with her recovery yet also came with the emotional challenges of revisiting past traumas.

For more from today's guest, Hannah Sward:

• Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahswardauthor
• Buy Hannah's book Strip: A Memoir
• Check out Hannah's website hannahsward.com

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