VA-Fairfax Community Church Employs Convicted Child Sex Predator
Victims to leaflet church
Sexually violent predator works there
Only some of the church-goers know about him
“Why put kids in harm’s way?” group asks
WHAT
As congregants leave a service, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will hand out leaflets about a registered child sex offender now working at the church.
WHEN
TODAY, Saturday, August 1 at 5:45 pm
WHERE
In front of Fairfax Community Church, 11451 Braddock Road, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
WHO
Several members of a support group for clergy sex abuse victims called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
WHY
A convicted child molester who is listed as “violent” on the Virginia sex offender registry now works on the staff of a northern Virginia church. A support group is criticizing church officials for “recklessness, callousness and secrecy.”
According to a statement by church officials, Eric Nickle was hired in 2006 and is currently the “care director” at Fairfax Community Church. The church has removed Nickle's profile page from the church website, but it can be found here:
http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2015/07/convicted-child-sex-offender-listed-as.html?m=1
http://thewartburgwatch.com/2015/07/29/fairfax-community-church-statement-on-eric-nickle/
SNAP believes that church officials are being reckless by employing Nickle and telling only some congregants about his past.
Fairfax staff say they’re restricting Nickle’s activities at the church, but SNAP is skeptical.
“It’s dreadfully risky for church staff to claim or try to monitor shrewd sex offenders,” said Amy Smith of SNAP. “The outcome is often more child sex crimes surfacing years later.”
The group also challenges the church’s notion of “forgiveness.”
“We can forgive a drunk driver but shouldn’t give him school bus keys. We can forgive someone who commits violence but shouldn’t give him a gun,” said Becky Ianni of Burke VA. “We can forgive someone who abuses kids but shouldn’t give him any role in a position of trust and authority.”
“Putting a child sex offender in a position of trust and authority endangers innocent kids and hurts abuse victims,” said Smith. “Why take this avoidable risk with the most vulnerable among us?”
CONTACT
Amy Smith 281-748-4050, [email protected], Becky Ianni703-801-6044, [email protected], David Clohessy of St. Louis 314-566-9790, [email protected], Barbara Dorris314-503-0003, [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
Showing 5 comments
If I had ever sexually abused a child I would ask to be castrated so I could never do it again.
I am amazed that this monster Eric Nickle has supporters.
Christ came to save the sinners and redeem. The church is a beautiful example of Gods love in action.