Mitchell Garabedian
Mitchell Garabedian represented more than 130 clients during this time where lawsuits were being brought upon the catholic church for sexual abuse. Garabedian was the lawyer that started the case against former priest John J. Geoghan.
He eventually would go on to represent 118 alleged victims of Geoghan, and he and his firm have obtained millions of dollars in other settlement cases for survivors against the archdiocese of Boston.
Garabedian started hearing these cases of sexual abuse and cover ups after a woman came in with her three children and they told one of abuse by a trusted priest. According to the Boston Globe article on Garabedian, one of the children was so traumatized that he continuously washed his hands until they bled.
''The very institution that is supposed to protect people allowed them to be ravaged. ... How could the church leaders allow this to happen?''
Garabedian's work for survivors was one of the driving forces to get these stories told during the time where people had just started paying closer attention to the stories of abuse, and he was able to reach large settlements with the church for the survivors.
''What's the point of being a lawyer, of being a human being, if you can't help these people?''
In the movie Spotlight, Garabedian is played by oscar nominated Stanley Tucci. Garabedian, who in this interview with Greater Boston accompanied by SNAP Leader Phil Saviano, said Tucci and the Spotlight team did an excellent job in capturing the story and his character and also told some of the complexities of the case not seen in the film.
Also for more on Garabedian and the cases he worked for survivors of abuse during this time read the Boston Globe's profile of the lawyer which tells more about about his life, work and the law.
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