Darkness Exists —  Are You Deceived by its Dazzle?

It’s the shortest day of the year, the day with the most darkness, and the longest of nights.  Winter Solstice can mean many things to different people, but today, I think of the ways the depths of darkness has dazzled far too many people.  The money, the power, the control, the fame, the party drugs, the excessive sex life, the cover-up’s ….  Do these things motivate you? Are you willing to hurt and destroy others, just so you can have something you want?  Does it matter when others are pulverized to a bloody pulp when you want a good time?  Are you so desperate to feel good or right or powerful that you will viciously attack others in the process?  Are you willing to sell your soul for a few dollars or a “great party”?

Hopefully, if you’re reading here at DD, these are not your goals in life.

I’ve spent decades of time listening to women who have been devastated and destroyed by the depravity of darkness.

Whether they were a young innocent child growing up in a nasty cult, or a child sold into sex slavery, or a child whose life was dominated by violence, or a child owned by a sex trafficking network, the vile truth about deep ugly darkness exists.  And sadly, it has taken its deadly toll on far too many people.

Belonging to and feeling owned or controlled by people who rule in darkness is life-shattering. Life-threatening.  Life-changing.

These women have been torn to shreds, dissociated into dozens of internal pieces, pushed to the brink, forced beyond any normal pain tolerance, broken far beyond anything acceptable.  The life-long scars left behind are atrocious.

Recently, I’ve been watching the series, Secrets of the Bunny Ranch.  Oh my goodness. Secrets of the Bunny Ranch is a 2025 A&E documentary series revealing the ugly, dark reality behind Dennis Hof’s famous legal brothels. The documentary focuses on the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, but it mentions Hof’s additional brothels as well, such as the Kit Kat Ranch,  Sagebrush Ranch, and Love Ranch.  The brothel life looks anything but awesome.  It shows young women being deceived by a dark dazzle, duped by the draw of the dollar.  This documentary clearly demonstrates how the Bunny Ranch sex workers experienced manipulation, abuse, violence, pain, entrapment, fear, exhaustion, addictions, poverty, rape, beatings, danger, and debt bondage.  The alleged glamor is nothing but putrid gore.

And these are the legal brothels.  The hidden, illegal sex trafficking warehouses are even worse.  FAR worse.  The Bunny Ranch is a piece of cake compared to the hidden trafficking world that controls dissociative trauma survivors.  And SRA cults?  So gruesome, repulsive, and evil to the core.

Where’s the dazzle in being enslaved in this pain-filled, depraved lifestyle?  Is this really what they want?  I suppose this lifestyle fits for those who have insatiable appetites for power, for money, and while feeling no compassion, lacking any care for how many people they hurt. They close their hearts and are willing to have that predatory spirit.  

It’s shockingly horrifying to think the world has so many people willing to sell themselves into these lifestyles.

Thankfully, there is the other side of the story….

Yet at the same time, I have been dazzled myself.

Not to worry — I have not been dazzled by the bright shiny deceptive points of evil.  Nope.  Not interested in that at all. 

I have been totally impressed by something else.  

I’ve had the privilege to talk with many dissociative trauma survivors who have refused to participate in that evil.  

These light-filled women have the courage to leave, to go, to refuse.  These are amazing warriors, fighting spirits, hearts of gold!

Are you a DID Survivor who has one of those incredible stories of resilience?  A determination to find freedom and safety?  Are you holding onto a supernatural strength to fight and leave those pits of darkness?  

YOU are my heroes.

These survivors are those who choose to walk away from evil.  These survivors are those who choose love over hatred.  These survivors are those who choose kindness over torture.  These survivors are those who choose light-filled life over a gnarly dark dungeon.  No matter the cost, having the courage, the strength, and the determination to leave those worlds dripping in darkness is nothing short of inspirational.

And yes, leaving evil can be done.  Leaving the torture of trafficking is possible.  Breaking the chains of generational cults can happen.  Don’t be deceived by the “you can never leave” messages you were taught.  Nope — those are lies, and you really can get out.  It’s not easy — not saying that.  It’s exceedingly difficult to get out — expensive, exhausting, lonely, frightening.  There aren’t many quick or easy paths out.  It requires a long, hard fight.  You gotta be strong, and you gotta really really want out.

But if your heart doesn’t belong to evil, neither does your life.  

If your soul desires to be filled with light, then make your life match accordingly.  

Be authentic to who you are — your life depends on it.

The truth is, once you are old enough and can get your own resources, you get to choose who you belong to.  You don’t have to stay attached to what you were born into, adopted into, married into, or sold into.  You get to find your very own pathway out, and live the life you want to have.  Be strong.  Be courageous.  Others have left their lives drenched in evil — you can too.

No one I know has a perfect life.  But you can certainly join the crew of amazing warrior women who have fought their way out of evil.   Find your freedom, find yourself.   You can do it.  

On this weekend of the most darkness, let your light shine.

You can do it.  You’ve got it in you!

I hope that you find the safest light, goodness, freedom, and ongoing safety in your healing journey.

Warmly,

Kathy 

Copyright © 2008-2026 Kathy Broady and Discussing Dissociation