The Mission of Stop the Silence is to expose and stop CSA and help survivors heal worldwide. Our overarching Goals are to:

1) to promote healing of victims and survivors; and
2) to celebrate the lives of those healed.

Through our work, we aim to address the relationships between CSA and the broader issues of overall family and community violence, and violence within and between communities. Our focus underlines the importance of a shift in focus on positive development within our social complexes (e.g., the relationships between men, women, adults and children, cultural groups) to support peaceful - and to hinder violence-prone - relationships.

Thank you for 'your' personal guidance and involvement toward my brother and their daughter; this has affected their immediate family terribly. It has affected all of us. I cannot begin to express the hopefulness you have helped restore in us. Thank you, it will not be forgotten.

Stop the Silence began in 2002 as a coalition of multi-ethnic and state groups that came together to comprehensively address CSA. Pamela Pine, PhD, MPH, an international health and development specialist, began the programming to address the pandemic and the critical need for comprehensive programming for this very complex issue. In 2003, as a result of an obvious lack of funding and awareness on the part of the public and policymakers alike, Dr. Pine conducted research with the University of Maryland's Department of Communication to better understand what the public knew about CSA and what would motivate them to action. Drawing on that research, the annual, National (now International) Race to Stop the Silence was born in 2004. This event generated forward movement of the organization. A grant from DHHS for a comprehensive CSA focus in Maryland followed.

Pamela Pine incorporated Stop the Silence in 2004 given the need for a structure from which to provide adequate, essential, and comprehensive programming. Activities include research, media advocacy, training, community outreach and education, policy development, and support for direct services. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, with Dr. Pine serving as CEO. Funding levels continue to grow steadily from various foundations, (e.g. FORD FOUNDATION), private donations (e.g.., through the SCHWAB CHARITABLE FUND), government organizations (DOJ), corporations (PEPSI BOTTLING GROUP), and private individuals, and now stands at approximately $350,000 per year. Stop the Silence functions with a small staff, low overhead, and a force of volunteers, the total for which varies from four to 150, depending upon the time of year and ongoing projects.

Stop the Silence has proven its drive and capabilities and plans to push forward on all fronts to ensure that children are protected and that survivors get the help they need to thrive.