Repressed memories: Veteran alleges sex abuse by Catholic priest. He's suing decades later.
When he was 12, Robert McGowen went to catechism class. His mother was Southern Baptist, but his father was Catholic, so he attended classes at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hattiesburg.
It was the mid-1980s and his priest was the Rev. John Scanlon.
Some days, McGowen's dad would be late picking him up from class. When that happened, McGowen said, Scanlon would take him into the rectory. For 35 years, McGowen said he repressed the memories of what happened to him.
Now he can't forget.
His attorney, John Hawkins, believes McGowen's repressed memories of sexual abuse have delayed the statute of limitations. Under that unique approach, a civil suit was filed last month against Scanlon's estate, Church of Sacred Heart and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Biloxi, which the church falls under.
"In this case, the statute of limitation could not have started running against him until he was aware of the wrong that was done," Hawkins said.
Now 47 and living in Benton County, Arkansas, McGowen said the only thing he remembered for decades from catechism classes was being told "masturbation was considered self-abuse."
"For years, I always thought, 'Why is that sticking out in my mind?'" But the military veteran and county official pushed the question out of his head.
Then, one day late last year, he was sitting at his desk at work when a thought unexpectedly occurred to him.
"Something with you and Scanlon, somethi...
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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