Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1708

Tonight's guest is Brian Cardoza from New Bern, North Carolina, a survivor of child abuse and an activist. Brian suffered repeated sexual assault and physical abuse as a child. He left home at the age of fifteen, nearly freezing to death the first night on his own. Brian knows the trauma and despair victims must overcome to survive. He not only chose to survive, he chose to give voice to an unspeakable topic and to challenge the stigma and shame often associated with male survivors of abuse. Among other things, Brian runs the 'Broken Knee Club' which helps those who want to speak out about their pain. He notes that every two minutes in America a child is sexually, physically, and mentally abused in America. Brian says he formed the Broken Knee Club, "because all of us walk with pain in our lives." He goes on, "Sometimes it is physical, as in a broken knee, and most often its emotional trauma that we suffer." Brian founded 'The Broken Knee Club' as a non-profit organization, created to provide a safe haven for all sexes to comfortably speak out about their experience of childhood and adult sexual assault. In collaboration with others, Brian is building 'Survivor Knights,' a community healing through creative expression. It will highlight the enormity of the journey from trauma to healing through dark and bright works of art. Now an inspirational speaker, author, and artist, raising awareness and money to fight against childhood sexual assault and physical abuse. A believer in the potential to change, Brian's motto, "Don't let this moment dictate the next moment," is familiar to many he inspires.