Meg Appelgate, founder of Unsilenced, warns that institutions designed to help children can inadvertently harbor individuals with harmful intentions. She highlights that religious affiliations in these settings can increase the risk of abuse, with nonprofit status often complicating accountability.
Appelgate, a survivor of the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI), testified before the Montana State Senate, contributing to landmark legislation for TTI program oversight. She emphasizes that many adolescent behaviors, often labeled problematic, are normal developmental phases, with numerous teens outgrowing risky behaviors naturally without intervention.
The adoption industry also faces scrutiny for its profit-driven nature and minimal regulation. Behavior modification practices in treatment centers can yield long-term negative effects, and wilderness therapy often serves as a precursor to more extended boarding school placements. Programs that strip away individual autonomy raise serious ethical questions, as the normalization of abusive dynamics can obscure the recognition of abuse.
Appelgate stresses the urgent need for increased oversight and accountability across child care programs and advocates for understanding the underlying issues driving adolescent behaviors for effective support.