Breaking the Silence to Protect Children

Welcome to the Purposeful Podcast.Purposeful is a podcast by Nardi Media, created to amplify the voices of leaders, advocates, and changemakers who are uplifting the world through courage, service, and truth.In this episode, host Ashley Bernardi, Founder and CEO of Nardi Media, sits down with Dr. Pamela J. Pine, a global public health leader, professor, bestselling author, and founder of Stop the Silence, a department of the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma.Dr. Pine has spent decades working in international health, development, and communications. For the past 25 years, her work has focused on preventing and mitigating child sexual abuse and other adverse childhood experiences, an issue affecting millions, yet still surrounded by silence.This conversation explores what happens when we refuse to look away.Together, Ashley and Dr. Pine discuss why child sexual abuse remains so deeply hidden, how shame and discomfort perpetuate silence, where systems continue to fail children, and what parents, educators, leaders, and communities can do to protect young people and support survivors.A central truth from this episode:We know how to talk about difficult topics. We’ve done it before. We simply have to choose to do it again—for our children.What You’ll Learn:Why child sexual abuse remains one of the most under-addressed public health crisesHow silence, shame, and fear prevent disclosure and healingWhy education—not avoidance—is the key to preventionHow courts and institutions often fail survivorsWhat parents and caregivers should say when a child comes forwardHow advocacy, training, and community action can create safer environments What thriving after trauma can look like for survivors