“Breaking the Silence” is the title of the new video produced by the SSpS Congregation to help our sisters and those who work with us worldwide to keep children and vulnerable people, including our elderly sisters, safe.
The video is a conversation on abuse between Sister Miriam Altenhofen, the Congregational Leader, and Ms. Tina Campbell, the Congregational safety consultant. This has also, unfortunately, been the subject of scandal in the church and many other sectors of society for many years.
Sr. Miriam speaks openly in this video about the challenges we face and the Congregational Leadership Team’s concern for maintaining a healthy and safer environment for those whom we are responsible in the communities, institutions, and projects of the Congregation For this purpose, Ms. Tina Campbell’s services have been contracted.
The best way to avoid any possibility of abuse, according to Tina Campbell, is through dialogue and clarification. Tina explains the importance of protection policies at the congregational level and that they must be applied locally. She also explains the different types of abuse: sexual, power, and spiritual, and how to avoid them or even confront them if something does happen.
She recognizes that this is a very challenging topic for most religious congregations. Still, it is necessary to talk about it. If there has been any abuse, even if it was in the past, it must be reported. No one should suffer in silence for having suffered some abuse.
This video aims to help communities talk about the issue and deepen their understanding of the different types of abuse to prevent them. We suggest getting the community to watch the video and share their impressions. To make it easier, we present a few questions:
