NY- Yeshiva abuse victims lose again; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014
Statement by Mary Caplan of New York City, SNAP Leader, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (917 439 4187, [email protected])
An appeals court has ruled against child sex abuse victims and in favor of a school that hid child sex crimes.
Our hearts ache for the dozens of brave, wounded former Yeshiva students who still suffer because New York judges slam the courthouse doors to them. Judges couldn't do this, however, if not for callous university officials who insist on exploiting archaic, predator-friendly statutes of limitations so that the complicity of other school staff will remain hidden.
This case is yet another in a long string of examples that clearly show New York continues to be a good place for those who commit or conceal heinous child sex crimes.
We are grateful these courageous victims will keep persisting in their heroic struggle to expose wrongdoers. But now more than ever, New York lawmakers must show courage and reform the statute of limitations. Right now, corrupt employers have an incentive to destroy evidence, intimidate victims, threaten witnesses, discredit whistleblowers, fabricate alibis and protect predators. Why? Because all they have to do is “run out the clock” until it's too late for frightened and confused victims to take legal action. If kids are to be safer in New York, this must change.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 25 years and have more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [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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