The Cost Of Silence

As the high profile sex abuse cases play out in the media the overriding factor in all instances is the silence of those who knew and did nothing. A spouse protecting her husband and family, or a coworker protecting a friend and an institution, all result in “enabling” the perpetrator to continue. The other factor is the horror of discovery and natural tendency to repress what was seen to avoid the intensity of the feelings evoked. The result is more victim and more lives ruined as well as supporting a common flawed culture of silence.
Families of abusers live a life of secrets only when exposed do the secrets stop. Our shared culture has the option to stop the secrets and adopt a zero tolerance of abuse. Only then can we begin to reverse this ancient evil. Abuse stays with a child for a lifetime. Silence gives it a place to thrive.