Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2168

Tonight's special guest is Shari Karney from Los Angeles, a survivor of child sexual abuse and a widely respected legal analyst, expert and commentator. The captivating NBC movie “Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story” starring Melissa Gilbert, followed Shari's story from sexual abuse as a child to championing the rights of all survivors of sexual assault. "I am a survivor of child sexual abuse and helped change the statute of limitations in California," Shari says, "so that child victims of sexual abuse now have the right to sue their abusers. Once the law changed in California, 41 other states adopted similar legislation using California's law as their model. "I am honored to speak on behalf of the millions of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual abuse survivors around the world." Shari's first book, Prey No Longer – Step-by-Step Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, published in 2012 by Voice Publications, was a ground-breaking guide for survivors of sexual assault. Now writing her new book, The Perfect Family — From Pain to Purpose: A Memoir, Shari hopes to bring hope, healing and courage to survivors of sexual violence and assault. She is the founder of the nonprofit “Roar As One” whose mission is to transform society's response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. Shari says, “It's personal for me. I am a survivor of sexual harassment, sexual assault and child sexual abuse. I am proud to stand with survivors to break the silence and send a powerful message. We have suffered enough. It's time for justice. It's time for civil rights for survivors! It's time for a reckoning.”