SNAP applauds California bill to prohibit the sexual abuse of adults by clergy
SNAP applauds California bill to prohibit the sexual abuse of adults by clergy
For Immediate Release: January 8, 2024
California Senate Bill (SB) 894, introduced by Senator Dave Min on January 3rd, would criminalize the sexual abuse of adults by religious clergy. If passed, this legislation would bring California in line with 13 other states and the District of Columbia, which have similar laws in place. SB 894 would hold clergy to the same standards expected of those who work in other helping professions, like psychology, social work and medicine.
SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, supports Senator Min's efforts to make California's religious communities safer for adults. Clergy abuse of adults not only affects those in the three major Christian groups in the United States, Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox, but in every other religious community as well.
Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Director, shares that in the years that she's been working with victims, two of those abused as adults, one male and one female, have taken their own lives to end their pain. "There can be no true consent when a religious leader sexualizes a relationship with someone under their pastoral care."
Lucy Huh, a Ph.D. candidate researching abuse in religious settings, and the survivor-advocate who brought the issue to Senator Min, adds, "Women remain the forgotten majority of persons to survive clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse.”
Another survivor and advocate who experienced clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse in Southern California, Katherine Archer, points out that these are not affairs, but are egregious violations that cause life-long wounds. Katherine's abuser was an Orthodox priest.
SNAP thanks Senator Min for his important efforts. The organization hopes that the California legislature will pass this bill in the current legislative session. Adults, like children, deserve to be protected in their faith communities.
CONTACT: Dorothy Small, SNAP Sacramento ([email protected], 530-908-3676), Nancy Fratianni, SNAP Abused as an Adult ([email protected], 518-407-7487) Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Director ([email protected], 925-708-6175), Mike McDonnell, SNAP Executive Director ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board of Directors President ([email protected], 814- 341-8386)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 35+ 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