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SELF
HELP: |
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| By sharing our stories, we recognize that we are not alone,
and we are not guilty for what happened to us. Gradually coming to a full knowledge
of this empowers us to confront the truth, and to find healthy mechanisms for
healing. |
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EDUCATION: |
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| We work together to educate ourselves and our communities
about the effects of the abuse. |
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PREVENTION: |
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Once we learn the truth about what has happened to us,
we can then use that power to bring about change. When we put our voices together,
we become so strong that we can no longer not be heard. |
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The SNAP Viewpoint |
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| SNAP weighs in -- reaching out, speaking up, seeking justice,
prevention and accountability. |
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| Giving voice to victims' views and hopes. |
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| Weighing in on the discussion, from the rights of victims
to the future of the church. |
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| Executive Director David Clohessy talks about SNAP, the history
of the movement, and where to go from here. |
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Activists'
Corner |
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Silence makes evil possible. Here are a few antidotes: |
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Contact
Your Legislators |
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| Let them know your story and your views. Encourage them to
sponsor legislation that protects children and holds perpetrators accountable. |
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Write
a Letter to the Editor |
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| This is one of the most widely- read sections of the newspaper.
It's a great way to keep an issue in the public eye. |
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Leaflet
at Your Local Parish |
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| Reach out to fellow parishioners with a smile and a handout
that will give them more information about SNAP and the clergy abuse issue. |
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Step
up to the Microphone |
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| Contact your local SNAP rep for advice on speaking out through
the news media or talk radio. If you are a survivor, consider sharing your story
with a local gathering of Voice of the Faithful. |
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Get
To Know Your D.A. |
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| These elected officials have the power to decide who gets
prosecuted and who does not. Let them know why accountability is so important. |
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Conference Programs from SNAP conferences |
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Many patrons have helped SNAP through the years. The SNAP conference program is a way to support our efforts. Click below to see these conference programs from past SNAP conferences.
Conference program 2006.
Part 1. Part 2. Part 3.
Conference program 2007. Click here.
Conference program 2008. Click here.
Conference program 2009. Click here. |
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SNAP Stories for Living |
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| In November 2007, SNAP launched the Stories for Living contest. The contest rules: Write how a person, event or series of circumstances inspired, encouraged or uplifted you as a Survivor on your journey to healing. Click to read the SNAP Stories for Living. |
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Tributes and Memorials |
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SNAP has a section dedicated to Tributes and Memorials. |
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Tribute Index |
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Many people have honored special people in their lives with a Tribute on our SNAP website. If you would like to do the same, click here and see our Tribute pages.
Composite Tribute Video. |
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Memorial Index |
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Make a special dedication to a deceased loved one. Click here to see our Memorials.
Composite Memorial Video. |
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NEWS OF THE DAY - Sat, Nov 28, 2009
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More news headlines
You
can also send check by mail to:
SNAP, PO Box 6416, Chicago, IL 60680
SNAP is a non-profit, certified 501 (c) (3) organization
Paying
Tribute
With
a donation of $100 or more, SNAP will honor the person of your choice in the tribute
section of our
website.
Read about more ways to help here
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Support SNAP with your Amazon.com
purchases! Next time you shop at Amazon, enter their site through our link,
above. Thanks! |
| What to Do When Your Priest is Accused
of Abuse 1)
Remain open-minded.
The natural human instinct is to recoil from alleged
horror, and to immediately assume that the allegations are false. But the overwhelming
majority of abuse disclosures prove to be true. In
every case, the proper and Christian response is to remain open-minded. 2)
Pray for all parties involved.
Every person involved deserves and needs
prayerful support. 3)
Let yourself feel whatever emotions arise.
You may feel angry, betrayed,
confused, hurt, worried and sad. These are all natural, "typical" responses
to an allegation of sexual abuse. None of these feelings are inappropriate or
"bad." Don't "kick yourself" for feeling any of these emotions. 4)
Remember that abuse, sadly, is quite common.
It's far more widespread
than any of us would like to believe. Experts estimate that 1 in 4 girls and 1
in 9 boys will be molested in their
lifetimes. 5)
Don't try to "guess" or figure out who the accuser is.
Abuse
victims, like rape victims, need their privacy to recover from their trauma. Openly
speculating about who is alleging abuse is essentially gossiping, and helps to
create a hostile climate that will keep other victims
(even those abused by
non-clerical perpetrators) from coming forward. 6)
If you do know the victim(s), protect his/her confidentiality.
There
are many good reasons why abuse victims are unable to publicly come forward. Often,
the person wants to keep his/her elderly parents or young children from suffering
too. Don't compound the pain he/she is in by disclosing his/her identity to others.
7) Understand
that abuse victims often have "troubled" backgrounds (i.e. drug or alcohol
problems, criminal backgrounds, etc.)
Instead of undermining the credibility
of accusers, these difficulties actually enhance their credibility. (When someone
is physically hurt, there are almost always clear signs of harm; so too with sexual
abuse. The harm is reflected largely in self-destructive behaviors. One might
be skeptical of a person who claimed to have been run over by a truck but showed
no bodily injury. Similarly, one might be skeptical of an alleged molestation
victim who always acted like a "model citizen.") Points
8 - 21 on inside page. |
SNAP leaders author newly released books
SNAP's President and Founder Barbara Blaine has authored a chapter in Amy Neustein's "Temptest in the Temple."
Click here for details.
SNAP Baptist Leader Christa Brown has just released "This Little Light: Beyond a Baptist Preacher Predator and His Gang."
Click here for details.
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Want to help improve society's understanding of abuse?
Most survivors want to help prevent future abuse. One way to do this is to help researchers
who are trying to better understand abuse and its impact. And one way to do that is for survivors to participate in surveys by academics who are working to
learn more about abuse victims. If you are interested in helping by filling out an anonymous survey, please click here. . .
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Ko3bbTYl_2f_2fI7vfzugyfXVg_3d_3d
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| Welcome | |
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If
you've been victimized by clergy, please know that you are not alone. You can
get better. You can reach out to others who've been hurt just like you have. Together,
we can heal one another.
We are SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused
by Priests. We are the nation's largest, oldest and most active support group
for women and men wounded by religious authority figures (priests, ministers,
bishops, deacons, nuns and others). We are an independent and confidential organization,
with no connections with the church or church officials. We are also a non-profit,
certified 501 (c) (3) organization.
And we are here to help.
Full Welcome Statement
SNAP Ground Rules
CONTACT
OUR NATIONAL OFFICE
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NEED HELP NOW? | |
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FEELING
DESPONDENT? CALL THE SUICIDE HOT LINE.
If
you are having thoughts about suicide, call 1.800.SUICIDE 800
(784-2433). Your call will be connected to a certified crisis center nearest
your location. | | SNAP
SUPPORT GROUPS:
In over 60 cities across the country SNAP provides support,
comfort and healing. Call us. We're here to help. | |
SURVIVORS'
WISDOM:
Helpful advice from someone who has "been there." This is a compil-ation
of things that SNAP members have learned and shared at SNAP meetings, with advice
on healing, contacting the church, and staying emotionally healthy.
View our March 2009 newsletter
View our 2008 Annual Report
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| BULLETINS
& NOTICES | |
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Survivors' Quilt Outreach
We are continuing to add panels to the “Survivors'
Quilt”. The quilts will be displayed at various snap outreach events. It
is comforting and validating to many survivors as well as a tangible way to expose
the cover-ups and decades of isolation in the survivors' community perpetrated
by complicit bishops.
More
Details Here. Bishop Accountability
Site Documents the Crisis:
This Web site,
based in Boston, offers an extensive on-line archive of once-secret church and
Vatican documents. A vital and growing resource for survivors, reporters and historians
nationwide.
Bishop-accountability.org "Hand
of God" Film Gets PBS Broadcast
Web Site "Deliver
Us From Evil" Documentary
film site with reviews, screenings schedule, etc. |
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| SNAP
IN THE NEWS | |
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LINKS | |
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SNAP Leaders Pages
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HOME 
