Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Deals Major Blow to Survivors of Childhood Abuse, SNAP Reacts
We are very disappointed in the 5-2 decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which ended plaintiff Renee Rice's pursuit of justice. Her strength and conviction to hold the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown responsible for covering up and enabling sexual abuse speaks volumes. It inspires others to continue their path to justice. Rice alleges abuse at the hands of the alleged abuser, Fr. Charles F. Bodziak; in the 1970s, Rice was then the church organist at St. Leo's church in Altoona, Pa.
In 2016, Rice filed a lawsuit but was denied due to the Pennsylvania statute of limitations. A Superior Court panel ruled in 2019 that there was enough discovery to let a jury decide if Rice had been prevented from learning of the alleged cover-up by church officials.
In today's ruling, the Supreme Court overturned this claim, and Justice Christine Donohue wrote, "We need not resolve the issue as it is clear the statute of limitations expired decades ago."
We stand loudly with survivors and advocates in Pennsylvania who will continue their pursuit of truth and justice when the State Senate returns after the summer recess. We know that victims deserve to have the courtroom doors open to them and believe that day will soon come.
SNAP Board President Shaun Dougherty weighed in to say that the news is “profoundly heartbreaking, but not surprising news for survivors of childhood sexual assault here in Pennsylvania. For decades the predators and those who have enabled their behavior have long been protected in Pennsylvania. Victims have struggled to have our collective voices be heard in our courts. Today is just another example of our struggle.”
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Zach Hiner ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(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
Showing 1 comment