Movie spotlights clergy abuse

By Mj Thim
KTUU
December 14, 2015

http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/movie-spotlights-clergy-abuse/36958430

ANCHORAGE -

A new movie called "Spotlight" is literally putting the spot light on clergy sexual abuse.

It covers the 2002 Boston Archdiocese sexual abuse scandal but the issue impacts people all the country, including here in Alaska.

Trevor Storrs, Executive Director with the Alaska Childrens Trust, and Elsie Boudreau, a clergy sexual abuse survivor, talked about it on Monday's Morning Edition.

"The movie looks at the history," Storrs said. "That concept of breaking silence."

Storrs said the most powerful line in the movie is about the saying 'it takes a village to raise a child.'

"It takes a village to abuse a child," he said. "If we all stay quite and ignore the signs, it can happen. We can break the cycle by breaking the silence."

Bourdreau said she was abuse by a priest when she was 10-years-old and it continued for nine years.

"In breaking the silence, it's really important to find your voice as a survivor," she said.

She said it's also really important for survivors to know they aren't alone.

"That's the key for many survivors. They think they are the only one," she said.

Knowing she wasn't the only one gave Bourdreau the permission to come forward with what had happened to her she said.

"Spotlight" is in theaters now.