RI--National group blasts officials over school shrink
For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home, [email protected])
We share the outrage of those hurt at St. George School over delays in acting against an allegedly callous therapist who reportedly refused to call police about suspected child sex crimes. The officials in charge simply must do better.
The state Health Department and state Board of Psychology must move more quickly to at least suspend Peter Kosseff. It doesn’t take a year to investigate the charges that he hurt kids by refusing to call 911.
In the years since his alleged wrongdoing at St. George, one wonders how many other possible cases of sexual violence has he kept silent about. How many other known or suspected child sex crimes is he hiding right now?
If wrongdoing is ignored, wrongdoing is repeated.
Many blame victims of sexual violence for not reporting promptly. But few express outrage when authorities don’t respond to such reports promptly. This is an unjust and unhealthy “double standard.”
Those who commit child sex crimes are sick and compulsive. They can’t be deterred. But those who conceal child sex crimes CAN be deterred. As a society, we must simply expose, ostracize and “throw the book” at them. When therapists, doctors, teachers and lawyers lose their license for endangering kids by keeping quiet, this kind of irresponsible inaction will end.
No matter what officials do or don’t do, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in churches, schools or other institutions to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling law enforcement, get justice by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has 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])
St. George's abuse victims frustrated by R.I. inaction on complaint
Posted Dec 12, 2016 at 2:49 PM - By Michelle Smith, Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Nearly a year after receiving a complaint that a former boarding school psychologist did not do enough to address sexual abuse reports, Rhode Island licensing officials have not resolved it, leaving victims of abuse at the school frustrated at the slow pace.
Two women who were among at least 31 girls abused by a now-deceased athletic trainer at St. George's School in Middletown asked that psychologist Peter Kosseff's license be revoked. They tell The Associated Press they are . . .
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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