Sound Of Freedom Producer Under Fire Following Disturbing Allegations

This article includes mentions of child abuse and sexual assault.

"Sound of Freedom" kickstarted a political firestorm when it came out earlier in the summer of 2023. It told the supposedly true story of Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel) on one of his missions to save trafficked children. Much has already been said about what the film gets wrong about actual child trafficking, as well as the movie's relationship to QAnon, a far-reaching conservative-led conspiracy theory that's in part about Democrats harming children. The film even launched conspiracies of its own, with many people spreading theories on social media about how they were inconvenienced while trying to watch "Sound of Freedom" in theaters, suggesting the "elites" didn't want them to see it. But the film now finds itself in even more hot water due to a report alleging that executive producer Paul Hutchinson touched the naked breasts of a seemingly underage trafficking victim during a 2016 operation.

VICE News reports how videographers working with Operation Underground Railroad obtained footage of the incident taking place in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Hutchinson, an anti-trafficking activist and an early investor in "Sound of Freedom," reportedly went undercover to liberate victims, and according to a description of the video, he kissed a 16-year-old girl on the cheek and touched her breasts. VICE wrote how Hutchinson did not deny the video description, but he did dispute the victim being a minor, claiming he had an affidavit from Mexican federal police certifying her age as being 18. 

The footage was part of a 2016 documentary called "The Abolitionists," detailing efforts to save trafficked children, and VICE reported how O.U.R. believed this video was destroyed. Ultimately, the story highlights significant issues with Tim Ballard and O.U.R.'s attempts to stop child trafficking, which run contrary to how they should be done, according to experts.

A description of the video reports that Paul Hutchinson posed as a wealthy sex tourist to locate traffickers and their victims. There's no suggestion Hutchinson's actions were meant for anything outside of not blowing his cover, but this only raises issues other anti-trafficking organizations have had with Tim Ballard and O.U.R. for years. VICE News published a separate article in 2021 detailing these problems and how O.U.R.'s methods, like the ones Hutchinson allegedly exhibited in the video, can cause more harm than good. Those in the field have stated how requesting younger victims from traffickers can result in people trying to fulfill that request, meaning they're actually creating victims rather than rescuing them. 

Hutchinson emailed VICE, claiming, "There is a lot to the story, a very dangerous situation and I am happy to let the world know the details when the time is right. Every operator who was present stands behind me in how I reacted to the situation. I have zero reservations as to how I handled myself undercover." O.U.R. provided a statement to VICE, also mentioning how the incident was brought to the attention of Mexican police but that Hutchinson still conducted himself poorly: "The actions by Mr. Hutchinson do not represent O.U.R.'s standard operating procedure and were inappropriate, regardless if the woman was an adult or not."

No matter the legality, Hutchinson's actions have prompted a strong reaction on social media, especially in light of other controversies surrounding "Sound of Freedom." Tim Ballard, the protagonist of the movie, was accused of sexual harassment by an O.U.R. employee, and another funder of the film, Fabian Marta, was arrested and charged with accessory to child kidnapping.

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).