Choosing Visibility over Silence

 

 

Dear Friends, Supporters, and Staff,

This past weekend, our SafeHouse Strong 5K reminded me, again, what community truly looks like. You showed up. You walked, ran, volunteered, sponsored, cheered, and stood beside us in support of survivors. Because of you, we can continue our work: providing safety, advocacy, and hope to those who need it most. Events like this don’t just raise funds; they raise awareness. They make our mission visible.

And visibility matters.

As I traveled the race course that morning, I reviewed the educational yard signs we placed along the route. Each one shared a brief, important truth about domestic violence or sexual assault.

But something stood out.

The signs nearest the playground that mentioned sexual violence had been turned face-down.

I don’t believe this was done out of malice. In fact, I think it reflects something both familiar and complicated. As a society, many of us are deeply uncomfortable talking about sex, especially with young people. We want to protect children from growing up too quickly and from being exposed to things that feel too heavy. The instinct to preserve innocence is a loving one. I feel it, too.

But here’s the difficult truth:

Silence does not protect children.

It often leaves them more vulnerable.

Research consistently shows that children who are taught accurate names for their body parts, who understand boundaries, and who have open, ongoing conversations with trusted adults are better equipped to recognize abuse and to tell someone when something is wrong. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, age-appropriate conversations about bodies, consent, and boundaries are a key part of keeping children safe. A lack of education and open dialogue can contribute to confusion, shame, and underreporting when abuse occurs.

When we don’t give young people the language to describe their experiences, we take away one of their most powerful tools for protection. When sex is treated as taboo or shameful, children (and adults) who experience abuse may internalize that shame, believing they did something wrong. They may also lack the language to speak about what happened to them.

And when we, as a community, turn away from the topic entirely, we unintentionally create space for harm to go unnoticed and unchallenged.

We Say the Words

At SafeHouse, we believe that prevention is rooted in honesty. We encourage parents, caregivers, educators, and community members to have age-appropriate, ongoing conversations about bodies, boundaries, relationships, and respect. These conversations don’t take away childhood. They help protect it.

We talk about domestic violence.
We talk about sexual assault.
We talk about consent, coercion, and safety.

Survivors deserve a world where their experiences are acknowledged without shame. Young people deserve the knowledge and language that can help keep them safe. And our community deserves transparency when it comes to the issues that affect us all.

Moving Forward Together

To those who participated in the 5K: thank you for standing with us. Your support helps us continue providing life-saving services, and it strengthens our ability to show up for survivors.

To our staff: thank you for the work you do every day. Your commitment to truth and compassion changes lives.

To our community: I invite you to join us in something simple, but powerful. Let’s choose honesty over discomfort. Let’s choose to face these issues together, not by hiding them, but by bringing them into the light.

With gratitude,

Janelle Sierra
Executive Director
SafeHouse