“I hope that Breaking The Silence will help students and parents have a much better understanding of how predators work. It is so important to talk with your family, your friends, or someone you trust if you have concerns about inappropriate behavior. Unfortunately, you need to look out for the good guy as much as the bad guy.”
The mother of a victim of sexual abuse.
“Breaking The Silence is a valuable resource in helping young people gain an understanding of the realities of sexual abuse in our society. Since young people were actively involved in its production, Breaking The Silence is authentic and very relevant to their concerns.”
Kathleen McChesney
Founding Executive Director,
Office of Child and Youth Protection
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
“Breaking The Silence is an excellent and much-needed resource for teens. It confronts the subject of the sexual abuse of minors head-on from the point of view of young people and in a style that they will find appealing. There is much misinformation surround this subject and we believe Breaking The Silence will help to correct that.”
Bill Daniel
Chief Deputy Probation Officer
Field Services
Orange County Probation Department
“I had originally believed that sex abuse crimes happen mainly by strangers, and not by those closest to someone. The video helped me to understand that most crimes happen with someone we don’t expect. I learned that while there may be some typical types, sex offenders are often from a variety of races, gender or ages.”
High school student
Diocese of Orange high school
“Too often it is our teens whose thoughts and feelings are overlooked because they are uncomfortable talking about sexual abuse. Breaking the Silence will arm them with knowledge and awareness—the best weapons against sexual predators.”
Shirl Giacomi
Chancellor
Diocese of Orange
“Teenagers are the group that is most affected by sexual abuse but they actually know very little about how to protect themselves. We hope that Breaking The Silence will be a powerful weapon for them.”
Rev. Gerald M. Horan
Superintendent of Catholic Schools
Diocese of Orange
“Awareness and recognition are the keys to keeping our students safe. I am proud to be part of a diocese that has taken such strides in dealing with this painful issue and one that is committed to never again foster the ‘silence’ of the past.”
Teacher
Diocese of Orange High School