The Silenced Truth

When survivors of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention refused to stay silent, they exposed decades of institutional cover-up and sparked a reckoning that once had the promise to reshape one of America's most powerful faith communities. But as people who experience sexual abuse know all too well, they are frequently victimized twice—first in the physical violation, and then a second time when they seek justice by disclosing what happened to them. The Silenced Truth goes beyond the headlines to offer a roadmap for confronting abuse in institutions everywhere.

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Guest

Robert Downen

Robert Downen is a senior writer at Texas Monthly who often focuses on the intersection of politics and religion. Before joining TM in 2025, he covered politics and extremism for The Texas Tribune, where his work on the influence of far-right megadonors and white supremacists on the Texas GOP won or placed for numerous national investigative awards. A native of the Chicago suburbs, Robert arrived in Houston the day before Hurricane Harvey, and soon after, he began leading the Houston Chronicle’s groundbreaking coverage of sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention—coverage that led to historic reforms, new laws in Texas, and a Department of Justice investigation. He is now based in Austin.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/contributors/robert-downen/

Guest appearance on:

"You Always Knew!" (Tiffany's Story)