AL – Pastor charged with refusing to report abuse, SNAP responds
For immediate release, Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Statement by Amy Smith of Dallas, Texas, Volunteer Baptist Leader for SNAP, the Survivors Network (281-748-4050, [email protected])
Huntsville Police have arrested a Baptist pastor for failing to notify law enforcement or the Department of Human Resources after receiving a report of alleged sexual abuse. Michael Walker, a pastor at Southside Baptist Church, learned of the alleged abuse in March of 2017, but the alleged perpetrator was not arrested until last month.
SNAP has no direct knowledge about either set of allegations in this case. However, as advocates for child sex abuse victims, we recognize the absolute necessity of reporting all allegations of crimes against children to the professionals in law enforcement. Mandatory reporters are not required to investigate, but they can make a huge difference in the lives of young people who are being abused by reporting allegations to those who are qualified to investigate.
Whether or not the allegations against Pastor Walker are found to be true or not, we applaud the Huntsville Police for investigating them. Mandatory reporters are on the front lines of defending children, and when they fail to do their job they should be held accountable to the full extent of the law.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 25,000 members. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contacts – Amy Smith (281-748-4050, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003, [email protected]), Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175, [email protected]), Joelle Casteix (949-322-7434, [email protected])
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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