CHELO ALVAREZ STEHLE is a Spanish / American journalist and documentary filmmaker, who has worked close to two decades on exposing stories of sexual exploitation and trafficking. In 2016, she produced her first feature-length documentary, Sands of Silence: Waves of Courage, a film that addresses the full spectrum of sexual violence, from child sexual abuse and priest abuse to sexual assault and sex trafficking.
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IN THIS EPISODE Chelo and I speak about the full spectrum of sexual violence. When are you “allowed” to be considered a victim? I share a very personal story about an encounter, I had with a pedophile 20 years ago, and Chelo also shares intimate and private stories about her own abuse.
It’s hard for us to look at pedophiles as anything but a monster, however Chelo explains us how important it is to humanize the aggressor as part of a way to rehabilitate this person.
We also debate what it means to separate the art from the artist – it’s time to stop glorifying pedophilic rapists like Woody Allen who is clearly trying to control the narrative and normalize inappropriate behavior through his films, and Roman Polanski who is a self-admitted pedophilic rapist.
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Find out more about Chelo and her film Sands of Silence: www.sandsofsilence.org
Follow her
Instagram: @sosdocumentary
Facebook: @chelo.alvarez.stehle
Twitter: @sandsofsilence
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This Interview was recorded Wednesday, May 12th 2021
Created and hosted by: Louise Brix Andersen
Find out more about the work of Louise: www.louisebrix.com
Instagram: @louisebrixa
WATCH ON: https://xotv.me/channels/473-changing-the-narrative