By Ruth FreemanSpecial to Journal Register Newspapers Child abduction survivor Elizabeth Smart will speak at the CARE House of Oakland County’s 16th annual Circle of Friends luncheon.Smart, who was rescued after nine months with her kidnappers, said the best advice she got was from her mother, Lois Smart, the morning after she came home.“The best punishment you could give him,” Lois Smart said, “would be to be happy.”Smart said there are those who react to a traumatic experience with a sense of compassion, who want to move on and “better the world” afterward. She also said there are those who are stuck wondering “why me?”But, she noted, nobody’s life is perfect. Everybody has challenges.“It’s important to keep that perspective,” she added.The Jan. 26 event raises money for the organization, which is a collaboration of county law enforcement, the prosecutor’s office and children’s protective services.CARE House helps prevent and treat child abuse with education and therapy. It also has programs, including courtroom orientation, to support children testifying in court, and training for professionals such as teachers who must report suspected child abuse.Smart was abducted from her family’s home in Utah when she was 14. Ten years later, she has become an advocate with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.She promotes safety legislation, such as the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act and the national AMBER alert, to prevent other child abductions. She also worked with the Department of Justice to create a survivors guide called “You’re Not Alone: The Journal from Abduction to Empowerment.” Continued… 1 2 3 See Full Story