Saskia Niño de Rivera defends the purpose of Penitencia amid media controversy

Following public questions about the inclusion of names in a recent episode of her podcast, Saskia Niño de Rivera issued a statement reaffirming the educational nature of her project. The activist emphasized that Penitence is not a space for entertainment or speculation, but an initiative designed to understand the deep roots of violence and crime in society.

The controversy arose when a segment of the podcast showed an interviewee identified as “Beto” mentioning actress Carmen Salinas, while other names were censored. This contrast raised questions about the intent behind the editorial decisions, leading some relatives of the individuals mentioned to speak out.

The project goes beyond entertainment

Saskia Niño de Rivera took the opportunity to clarify that Penitence operates under fundamental premises very different from those of a celebrity or gossip podcast. In her public statements, the creator emphasizes that the project has gone beyond the media sphere to become an educational tool implemented in police academies, criminology and criminal justice faculties, as well as in training programs for legal and psychology professionals.

“What we seek is to understand what happens in a society where thousands of minors grow up in contexts marked by extreme violence. We are talking about sexual abuse, family abandonment, educational exclusion, addictions, and deep trauma,” the activist explains in her statement.

Individual narratives as a central focus

The inclusion of personal names in testimonies responds to a specific narrative need: the stories presented are an integral part of the life stories of those who share them. According to Saskia Niño de Rivera, the goal has never been to blame or stigmatize others, but to illustrate how violence is perpetuated through complex social structures.

“Beto’s story represents millions of minors currently experiencing extreme violence in our country. Children who suffer physical and sexual abuse, who develop in environments where trauma is normalized as part of their growth,” she highlights.

Reorienting the debate toward structural issues

Through her statements and visual communications, Saskia Niño de Rivera has urged that the public conversation not drift into speculation about individual identities, but remain focused on the crisis of vulnerable children documented by the podcast. The creator argues that reducing these testimonies to a guessing game dilutes the central message of social urgency.

“Understanding how untreated trauma can generate repetitive criminal patterns is essential. That is what Penitence tries to communicate,” the activist concludes in her defense of the project.