News Story of the Day
SNAP Leader Mary McHale and Communications Manager Mike McDonnell participated in a PBS documentary episode about Pope Francis
On March 13, 2013, at the age of 76, Jorge Bergoglio was named the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. SNAP Leader Mary McHale and our Communications Manager, Mike McDonnell, participated in Season 2, Episode 1 about Pope Francis. Mary was interviewed as a survivor advocate at the 37:29 mark, and Mike is interviewed beginning at the 43:44 mark in this 60-minute segment.
Tennessee dismissed child abuse allegation, did not interview children at Chattanooga shelter a month before employees there were arrested
The Tennessee Department of Children's Services declined to investigate a child abuse complaint against an employee at the Chattanooga shelter housing unaccompanied minors in May, weeks before the state acknowledged alleged abuse at the facility and a month before Chattanooga police charged that employee with sexual battery.
‘We’re going to tell our stories’: Diné victim advocates are overcoming stigma and limited resources to develop a community-based response to sexual violence
The FBI awarded Utah Navajo Health System for its victim advocacy program as a new domestic violence shelter opens in Blanding.
(Zak Podmore | The Salt Lake Tribune) An agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation poses with Utah Navajo Health System's victim advocates Jessica Holiday (second from left), Tonya Grass, Lynn Bia and Danialle Whitehat, who received a community leadership award from the FBI in Montezuma Creek on Wednesday, July 14, 2021.
THE ARMY OF SURVIVORS STATEMENT ON U.S. DOJ’S INVESTIGATION AND REVIEW OF THE FBI’S HANDLING OF ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY FORMER USA GYMNASTICS PHYSICIAN
"We stand with our allies at The Army of Survivors and join them in calling for an investigation by the Department of Justice into the mishandling of abuse allegations by former USA gymnastics physician Larry Nassar," says Zach Hiner, Executive Director for SNAP.
(Full Statement from The Army of Survivors below)
Content warning: Mention of abusers’ names and sexual violence.
Okemos, Michigan (July 14, 2021) — Following initial review of Wednesday’s report from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on its investigation into the FBI’s handling of allegations of sexual abuse by former USA Gymnastics phycisian Larry Nassar, The Army of Survivors has issued the following statement:
The Army of Survivors shares our support, care and concern for the many survivors who were today once again reminded of the trauma they experienced by former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar. Our organization was founded by a group of more than 40 survivors of sexual violence, some of whom were impacted by Nassar as young athletes.
DOJ gives update on Wisconsin clergy abuse inquiry, receiving more than 100 reports since April
MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) - The Wisconsin Department of Justice says it has received more than 100 reports of abuse by clergy and faith leaders since opening a statewide inquiry in April.
Priest guilty of 25 sexual abuse charges
A Catholic priest has been found guilty of numerous historical abuse charges including three counts of having homosexual sex with young boys.
NDP calls for criminal probe into residential schools
The federal New Democrats are calling on Ottawa to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate potential crimes committed against Indigenous people at residential schools, and their alleged perpetrators.
N.J. Catholic diocese sells archbishop’s controversial ‘luxury’ retirement house for $910K
A sprawling retirement house used by former Newark Archbishop John J. Myers — that drew protests from some parishioners for being too lavish for a Catholic priest — has been sold, church officials said.
Federal probe of American Indian boarding schools reflects dark chapter in U.S. history
'It’s a very important chapter in our history that needs to be addressed. You just can’t sweep it under the rug and forget about it'
Among the crumbling ruins of the former St. Boniface Indian Industrial School in Banning is a fenced enclosure where broken, weathered and worn grave markers lie. A white, wooden cross looms over the cemetery, where the remains of more than a dozen Indigenous children remain buried and forgotten.
Nestled against a hillside, it is a somber reminder of the atrocities that once occurred there.
Tennessee abuse case settled after allegations 'one of the most respected priests' exploited adult converting to Catholicism
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville has settled an abuse lawsuit against "one of the most respected priests in the diocese" who was accused of sexually exploiting an adult woman he converted to the Catholic faith in 2000.
In the lawsuit, Celeste Arnone accused the Rev. Michael Sweeney of sexual assault and exploitation, severe psychological distress, defamation, the loss of faith in God and the loss of her marriage. She also accused the diocese of negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress for its handling of her allegations after they were first reported.
"I hope my case will help survivors to, first of all, realize that this is not your fault, even if you might think it is, and it may take years to realize what actually did happen to you," Arnone said in a statement to the Times Free Press.
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