After the Josh Duggar scandal broke, TLC was left trying to navigate the murky waters of what to do after pulling the plug on one of its biggest hit shows, 19 Kids and Counting.
The network stopped airing the show last month after reports surfaced that Josh, the oldest son on the reality TV show, had fondled and inappropriately touched some of his sisters when he was a teenager.
TLC has now announced an airdate for its new documentary, called Breaking the Silence, aimed at raising awareness about child sexual abuse. TLC announced last month it would be creating the documentary, shortly after it canceled the Duggars’ show.
The hour-long documentary will air Aug. 30 at 10 p.m. and is being produced in conjunction with two well-known and respected abuse-prevention organizations: Darkness to Light and RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network).
According to these groups, it is estimated that one in 10 children will be a victim of sexual abuse before the age of 18. And given the abhorrent manner in which the Duggars handled the abuse in their own household, TLC is going to aim at promoting education, raising awareness and advancing conversations around this difficult subject.
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The viewers will get personal stories from people who are survivors of child sexual abuse. Among them is Erin Merryn, who is a two-time survivor and now an outspoken advocate for age-appropriate curriculum about body safety in schools. She actively lobbies states to pass “Erin’s Law.”
She says during an interview in the documentary, “Like so many survivors, I ended up keeping it a secret for years. Now, as a mother with my own child, I want to make sure my children know how to speak up and tell.”
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There will be experts who will try to shed light on promoting education of adults for the protection of children and it will highlight the National Sexual Assault Hotline, which is operated by RAINN. The hotline provides free confidential support to those impacted by sexual abuse 24/7.
Of great interest should be a prevention training session, which will be conducted by Darkness to Light. This session will feature two of Josh Duggar’s victims: his sisters, Jill and Jessa. The documentary also hopes to show children that if they would like to disclose their abuse, there are anonymous and safe places where they can do that and that they do not have to suffer in silence.
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