Director Weighs-In & Gives Behind-the-Scenes Insight
“This isn’t a film about something that ‘happened.’ This [sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts] is HAPPENING. We have an ‘active shooter.’ It was only exposed because survivors spoke their truth.” – Anthony Edwards, actor & child sexual abuse survivor
What: In two exclusive discussions, leaders in the child safety movement talk with actor Anthony Edwards and Brian Knappenberger, the Director of the Netflix documentary Scouts Honor.
In the first, Scouts Honor Director Brian Knappenberger and former Boy Scouts of America Youth Protection Director, Michael Johnson discuss the making of Scouts Honor and the insight Knappenberger gained into the organization, the bravery of the survivors, and the tenacity of whistleblowers like Johnson.
In the second discussion, actor and survivor Anthony Edwards and Michael Johnson talk to experts and advocates from Zero Abuse Project (Jeff Dion, Victor Vieth, and Joelle Casteix) and discuss the unique experience suffered by male survivors of child sexual abuse, how to get help, and what viewers can do to help survivors and create change to keep children in the Boy Scouts (and other institutions) safer.
Where: Press and the public can view the EXCLUSIVE interviews here:
- Discussion with Director Brian Knappenberger and Michael Johnson can be viewed here.
- Discussion with actor and survivor Anthony Edwards, Michael Johnson, boy scout abuse survivor Jeff Dion, Victor Vieth, and Joelle Casteix can be viewed here.
Background: Last week, Netflix released Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of The Boy Scouts of America, a documentary directed by Brian Knappenberger that investigates how the Boy Scouts of America attempted to cover up one of history’s most horrific child sexual abuse scandals.
“This documentary is about far more than abuse,” said Michael Johnson. “It’s about an extensive cover-up that goes back more than 100 years. It’s about how the Boy Scouts allowed boys to be abused and created an environment where abuse thrives and victims are shamed into silence. And it’s about the brave men who stood up against insurmountable odds and demanded justice.”
“If you are a perpetrator, the Boy Scouts of America is an unsupervised gold mine,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. “There is no enforced policy on background checks and leaders may have quick and unsupervised access to kids who are bound by obedience, honor, and secrecy. This is a perpetrator’s dream and a child’s nightmare.”
“A policy means nothing if it is not implemented. A policy can look great on paper, but if nothing is being put into action, the policy may as well not exist.” – Michael Johnson
For interview inquiries, please reach out to media@andersonadvocates.com.
Relevant Links
Interview with Director of Netflix Documentary, Scouts Honor
Panel Discussion: Top Gun/ER Actor & Former Boy Scout Youth Protection Director Discuss Documentary
Former Director of Youth Protection Warns Public About Boy Scouts of America