CALIFORNIA
The Orange County Register
By THERESA WALKER / STAFF WRITER
Age: 45
Role: Author, speaker and advocate for victims of sexual abuse; western regional director for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Bio: Victimized by her high school choir director in the late 1980s, when she was a teenager, Casteix emerged in 2003 as an outspoken critic of the Catholic Church and its handling of child sex abuse cases. In 2005, she won a $1.6-million settlement from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Since then, she’s continued to advocate on behalf of abuse victims around the world. She lives in Newport Beach.
Why she’s an influencer: In August, Casteix published her book, “The Well-Armored Child: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Sexual Abuse.” Earlier, she gave a TEDx talk on responsibility and empowerment and, in June, she was named an Ambassador of Peace by the Violence Prevention Coalition of Orange County. In September, during Pope Francis’ visit to the United States, Casteix made several media appearances, calling for transparency from the Vatican in dealing with abuse.
Biggest challenge: Lingering reluctance to the idea that people who have been sexually abused should speak out and be acknowledged as victims. “There’s a certain closed-mindedness, the idea that these bad things can’t happen here and everything is fine in my home.”
Work philosophy: “It is a series of very, very small vicious battles that are slowly pushing the needle in the direction it needs to go.”
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