On “White Out” Child Sexual Abuse Day, A New Documentary Releases Offering Hope and Comfort to Victims
Free Movie Premiere Set for April 30 in Nashville
For Immediate Release (Nashville, TN) — The Music for the Soul non-profit organization will be hosting a free movie premiere of their newly-produced documentary, “Innocent Child: Healing for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse.” The general public as well as therapists and counselors are invited to attend the event to be held April 30 at The Carpenter Chapel at Woodmont Christian Church, 3601 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215 at 7:00 p.m.
The date falls on White Out Child Sexual Abuse Day when people are encouraged to wear white to “stand in solidarity with the 42,000,000 reported survivors of child sexual abuse in the U.S.” Music for the Soul founder and director, Steve Siler, says this film has been a work in progress for over 35 years.
“In 1989, I was writing songs for a stage play for sexual abuse survivors,” says Siler. “The song, Innocent Child, was the centerpiece of the play. I was invited to play the song at a survivor conference, and after I sang a woman approached me and said, ‘People have been telling me I was an innocent child my whole life. I never believed it until I heard you sing it today.’ This documentary, the new songs we wrote for this film, and a new book are all the culmination of my desire to produce something to help heal abuse survivors.”
A book entitled “Innocent Child: Devotions for Healing from Childhood Sexual Abuse” is also being released and offered as an additional resource to complement the film. The book’s author is Becky Nordquist, one of the survivors interviewed in the film. It is written directly for people who were abused as children.
“I think there is something deeply meaningful about being comforted by someone who truly understands—someone who has stood on the other side of what once felt like an impossible sea to cross,” says Nordquist. “It creates a connection that feels personal, real, and full of hope. It is an incredible honor to walk with those who are hurting, sit with them, and catch tears like the ones I have shed on my own journey.”
Since its founding in 2001, Music for the Soul has addressed numerous difficult topics through music including eating disorders, pornography addiction, abortion recovery, suicide, and grief, among others. Their work has been endorsed by organizations such as Hope for the Heart, the American Family Association, and the American Association of Christian Counselors, among others. Siler says even the music included in the documentary has intentionality.
“According to the consulting therapists and counselors we have worked with over the years, a song is often able to create a breakthrough moment for clients of abuse,” says Siler. “Music is processed in a different area of the brain than language. Melody engages that portion of the brain where trauma is held. That’s why in addition to the three songs featured in the film, we are offering eleven additional songs available on the www.innocentchild.net website. We know music speaks to the whole brain and can seep through the cracks in an abuse survivor’s wall of defense. And because melody and rhythm are memory devices, whatever we hear in a song is going to have a far greater chance of being remembered.”
To register for the free movie premiere on April 30, click this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-live-nashville-documentary-debut-of-innocent-child-tickets-1981024533708.
About Steve Siler:
Steve Siler is founder and director of Music for the Soul, a nonprofit organization promoting mental and spiritual wellness through music and stories. He is an accomplished songwriter and music producer with over 500 songs recorded in the gospel, country, and pop genres. His songs have been recorded by pop and country artists such as Kenny Loggins, Smokey Robinson, Patti Labelle, Kenny Rogers, and The Oak Ridge Boys, among others. Siler has written extensively for television including theme and underscore work for children’s animation, sitcoms, drama, sports, game shows, and news programming. He has also had songs featured in theatrical motion pictures. He is the author of three books, and the co-host of the Music for the Soul Podcast. For more information, visit https://www.musicforthesoul.org/.
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The date falls on White Out Child Sexual Abuse Day when people are encouraged to wear white to “stand in solidarity with the 42,000,000 reported survivors of child sexual abuse in the U.S.” Music for the Soul founder and director, Steve Siler, says this film has been a work in progress for over 35 years.
“In 1989, I was writing songs for a stage play for sexual abuse survivors,” says Siler. “The song, Innocent Child, was the centerpiece of the play. I was invited to play the song at a survivor conference, and after I sang a woman approached me and said, ‘People have been telling me I was an innocent child my whole life. I never believed it until I heard you sing it today.’ This documentary, the new songs we wrote for this film, and a new book are all the culmination of my desire to produce something to help heal abuse survivors.”
A book entitled “Innocent Child: Devotions for Healing from Childhood Sexual Abuse” is also being released and offered as an additional resource to complement the film. The book’s author is Becky Nordquist, one of the survivors interviewed in the film. It is written directly for people who were abused as children.
“I think there is something deeply meaningful about being comforted by someone who truly understands—someone who has stood on the other side of what once felt like an impossible sea to cross,” says Nordquist. “It creates a connection that feels personal, real, and full of hope. It is an incredible honor to walk with those who are hurting, sit with them, and catch tears like the ones I have shed on my own journey.”
Since its founding in 2001, Music for the Soul has addressed numerous difficult topics through music including eating disorders, pornography addiction, abortion recovery, suicide, and grief, among others. Their work has been endorsed by organizations such as Hope for the Heart, the American Family Association, and the American Association of Christian Counselors, among others. Siler says even the music included in the documentary has intentionality.
“According to the consulting therapists and counselors we have worked with over the years, a song is often able to create a breakthrough moment for clients of abuse,” says Siler. “Music is processed in a different area of the brain than language. Melody engages that portion of the brain where trauma is held. That’s why in addition to the three songs featured in the film, we are offering eleven additional songs available on the www.innocentchild.net website. We know music speaks to the whole brain and can seep through the cracks in an abuse survivor’s wall of defense. And because melody and rhythm are memory devices, whatever we hear in a song is going to have a far greater chance of being remembered.”
To register for the free movie premiere on April 30, click this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-live-nashville-documentary-debut-of-innocent-child-tickets-1981024533708.
About Steve Siler:
Steve Siler is founder and director of Music for the Soul, a nonprofit organization promoting mental and spiritual wellness through music and stories. He is an accomplished songwriter and music producer with over 500 songs recorded in the gospel, country, and pop genres. His songs have been recorded by pop and country artists such as Kenny Loggins, Smokey Robinson, Patti Labelle, Kenny Rogers, and The Oak Ridge Boys, among others. Siler has written extensively for television including theme and underscore work for children’s animation, sitcoms, drama, sports, game shows, and news programming. He has also had songs featured in theatrical motion pictures. He is the author of three books, and the co-host of the Music for the Soul Podcast. For more information, visit https://www.musicforthesoul.org/.
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