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Castro, a 52-year-old former bus driver, fathered a six-year-old daughter with Berry and is accused of starving and punching Knight, causing her to miscarry. He was arrested May 6, shortly after Berry broke through a door at the home and yelled to neighbours for help.

Berry, the only one of the three women whose photographs have appeared publicly since her release, had shorter hair with a blonde streak in it. Knight, who authorities said had been taken captive first, wore glasses, had closely cropped hair and spoke a bit haltingly.

Knight said in the video that she is building a “brand new life.”

“I may have been through hell and back, but I am strong enough to walk through hell with a smile on my face and my head held high,” she said, reading from a prepared statement. “I will not let the situation define who I am. I will define the situation. I don’t want to be consumed by hatred.”

DeJesus’ parents, Felix DeJesus and Nancy Ruiz, thanked the public for donations to a fund set up to help the women. In addition, Ruiz encouraged parents with missing loved ones to reach out for assistance. “Count on your neighbours,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to ask for the help because help is available.”

Kathy Joseph, Knight’s attorney, said in a statement that the three women wanted to “say thank you to people from Cleveland and across the world, now that two months have passed.”

She said they’re being recognized in public, “so they decided to put voices and faces to their heartfelt messages.”

James Wooley, an attorney for Berry and DeJesus, also issued a statement saying Knight and his clients thank people for the privacy they’ve been given and do not want to discuss their case with the news media or anyone else.

The video was filmed July 2 and released by a public relations agency on the women’s behalf with the cooperation of their lawyers.