Independent Compensation Program Exposes Identities of Victims
A mis-addressed email exposed the names of nearly 50 survivors who were taking part in a compensation program run by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. Reports indicate that those victims were never notified that their identities had been exposed.
Mistakes happen, there is no doubt. However, when they do, the appropriate response is to make apologies and rectify the situation. In this case, it appears that none of the survivors whose identities were revealed were even informed, much less given an apology. This situation speaks very poorly as to how victims’ trust and confidentiality are viewed by these compensation programs.
What is especially disappointing in this situation is that while the survivors who had their information leaked were left in the dark, Catholic officials in the Diocese of Pittsburgh were notified. Once again, when it comes to the Church and clergy abuse, it feels like victims are an afterthought. A sincere and immediate apology to these survivors is the bare minimum step that should have been taken, and we hope that it happens immediately now that the leak has been exposed to the world.
We call on the Diocese of Pittsburgh and the IRCP administrators to immediately inform the victims who were affected and to take extra steps to compensate or support those survivors. We also believe that there should be a thorough investigation and update by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to ensure that this breach is not repeated.
This is one more reason why it is always better when victims are able to pursue justice and accountability through the secular court system as opposed to church-run programs. We hope that legislators in Pennsylvania and across the country will work to open windows to justice and provide opportunities for survivors to expose perpetrators and enablers and find compensation through the courts and not the Catholic Church.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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