Silence is what enables child s*xual abuse (CSA). Our words have always held the power to stop it, but it is one’s own inability to listen to and share uncomfortable truths that have allowed families to maintain their semblance of normalcy while what happens behind closed doors is anything but normal.
” … the culture of shame, the desire to protect parents even if they are abusers, a child’s lack
of awareness of their rights – all can act as powerful barriers to breaking the silence.” ~ Fergal Keane & Dominic Hurst, The Scale of Abuse, BBC News
Every FIRST THURSDAY of the month, join childhood s*xual abuse survivor Cheri Roberts, LIVE on the Challenging the Rhetoric network for a special ongoing series, “A Sickness of Silence” ( ). These 2-hour round-table discussions feature both male and female survivors of child s*xual abuse, leading experts on in**st, pe******ia, mental health and the law … and even, from time to time, the pedophiles themselves. has a PG-13 rating, parents be advised. SOS and the panel guests, hope to help break the cycle, and the secrecy of grooming, in**st, molestation and child r**e while addressing the varied emotions and the very real damage that comes with it. SOS is not about shaming, blaming or naming. In fact, SOS believes the shaming of the abuser is also the shaming of the victim. Instead, SOS is about sharing solutions that work when we work together having an open and honest public dialogue.
“Of course it is scary to start talking about it – but it is far more scary to have to talk about it after it has happened. People are very fearful and don’t want to think it’s happening in their own family – but sadly that is the reality. By seeing the scale of it, being able to open this up, we have some chance of being able to protect our children.” ~ Mandy Gulliver, Svc. Dir., ACTS FAST
There are many wonderful and helpful CSA organizations out there, many are linked here and on the SOS website as resources. They have set a benchmark that SOS strives to meet by offering engagement via real conversation, here, on the website and via the podcast, on an ongoing basis. You are invited to participate during the live round-tables by calling-in to the show or joining in the chatroom discussion. Every show is archived after each live broadcast for your listening convenience. Please, do not keep the secret and instead share it widely. On this site you will find a trove of great resources including some amazing books just for kids that make it easy to integrate a tough topic into ordinary routines at any age. You will also find info on the latest laws and legislation, links for support and a means of contacting experts in this field. In addition, SOS provides resources in an effort to stop pedophiles before they act out. We do not and will not justify nor excuse abusive actions and crimes however, not all pedophiles harm children. If there is a means of genuine prevention, we at SOS embrace it. Please leave a comment or contact SOS directly. We’d love to hear from you and we invite your participation. If you are not ready to share your story, please do still share Cheri's. You can contact SOS here or via email @ [email protected]. Please put “SOS” in email subject lines. Be sure to join Cheri Roberts, LIVE every FIRST THURSDAY @ 5pm PDT/8pm EDT for this special ongoing podcast series, “Sickness of Silence”. Rated PG-13.
