The nonprofit organization Unsilenced has launched a new mobile application called Unsilenced Impact, designed to combat institutional child abuse within the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI). The app, available for both Apple and Android devices, provides survivors and allies with instant access to crucial resources and support. This initiative addresses the long-standing criticism of the TTI, which encompasses thousands of programs and facilities for 'troubled youth' and has faced numerous reports of abuse due to lack of regulation.
Meg Appelgate, CEO of Unsilenced and a survivor of TTI abuse, emphasized the app's importance, stating it serves as a digital resource for healing, education, reform, and involvement. Appelgate, who endured severe brainwashing and abuse at two TTI facilities during her teens, views the app as a crucial step in equipping the community and facilitating social change. The TTI is a multi-billion-dollar industry affecting between 120,000 to 200,000 children and teens annually in the United States and abroad, including programs like 'boot camps,' 'wilderness therapy,' and 'residential treatment centers' that have been accused of delivering abuse instead of promised rehabilitation.
The Unsilenced Impact app offers a range of resources, including connections to expert help, justice, and support; resources for professional development; opportunities for activism; and access to a supportive online community. By providing these tools through a mobile platform, Unsilenced aims to make support more accessible and immediate. This launch coincides with growing public awareness of TTI issues, highlighted by media productions such as HBO Max's "Teen Torture, Inc." and Paris Hilton's "I Am Paris" documentary, which have shed light on industry abuses.
Appelgate's upcoming book, "Becoming UNSILENCED: Surviving and Fighting the Troubled Teen Industry," set to release in April 2024, is expected to further expose the need for reform. Unsilenced, founded in 2021 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit by survivors and allies, focuses on promoting healthy alternatives to the unregulated TTI through education, awareness, community support, and access to justice. The app represents a significant advancement in this fight, leveraging technology to connect survivors and allies, provide resources, and facilitate activism, potentially playing a crucial role in reforming the industry and protecting vulnerable youth from abuse and neglect.
