BLOG POST
Breaking the silence and taking active steps to address child sexual abuse and exploitation is not comfortable, but it is absolutely necessary. When we talk about child sexual abuse, one of the hardest barriers we face isn’t just addressing the abuse itself—it’s breaking through the silence that surrounds it. At Protect Children, we recently have developed and disseminated the Global 'Our Voice' Survivor Survey, which raises the voices and wisdoms of survivors of childhood sexual violence to guide awareness and advocacy. The survey asks survivors where their abuse took place and, in some cases, which organisations were involved.
The Global 'Our Voice' Global Survivor Survey aims to lift the veil on a reality too often shrouded in secrecy. But we’ve encountered a troubling trend: religious communities and other value-based organisations, such as certain sports and other value-centred organisations and associations, are hesitant, even unwilling, to share our survey. In spaces that should champion truth and healing, there is a reluctance to confront the darker aspects of their past and the present.
The Cost of Silence
When an institution hesitates to share a survey like ours, it unintentionally sends a difficult message. For many religious and value-based organisations, the decision to remain silent or withhold support often stems from a fear of harming their communities or tarnishing their long-standing reputations. These organisations play a vital role in providing guidance and support to individuals, which makes addressing issues like abuse even more sensitive.
We understand that these communities may fear a backlash or scandal. Many religious institutions are built on trust and values, and the idea of confronting abuse can feel like a challenge to their core identity. But it is important to remember that this isn’t about diminishing the role or importance of these communities—it’s about working together to ensure that such spaces remain safe, transparent, and healing for all, especially survivors.
A Call for Change
Our research based holistic work at Protect Children isn’t about naming and shaming nor tearing down organisations; it’s about creating safer spaces for everyone, especially the most vulnerable - children. Sharing the Our Voice Global Survivor Survey is one small step toward that. “Only those who might seek to abuse their position of trust should be afraid, the rest of us need to do as much as we possibly can to learn the lessons of the past, no matter how hard those lessons are to hear” Glen Pounder, Chief Safeguarding Officer, Scouting America.
Some organisations, like Scouting America (Boy Scouts of America), have taken that step. Boy Scouts of America was the subject of what became one of the largest sexual abuse scandals in history, exposing a long-standing pattern of abuse. In present times the organisation has recognised the importance of transparency, they are not just responding to external pressures but acknowledging the immense responsibility they have to their community and to the survivors who trusted them. Their willingness to engage can serve as a model for other institutions.
We need more organisations like Scouting America to step up, break the silence, and stand with victims and survivors—because to share is not just about transparency, it’s about justice and prevention. In the end, To Share or Not to Share is a decision that will shape the direction of advocacy and protection of children and indicate clearly whether the best interests of the child are truly prioritised.
Make the right choice – Share!
Executive Director, M.Soc.Sc Social Psychologist,
Victim Services and Offender Management Sub-Group Chair, Interpol SGCAC
Trauma focused Cognitive Psychotherapist
The Global 'Our Voice' Survivor Survey is supported by the Justice Initiative