The
Survivors Network of
those Abused by Priests
SNAP
Press Releases
Giving Voice to Victims
MEDIA ADVISORY:
Sex Abuse Victims Challenge Upcoming National Catholic
Church Reports at Monday Press Conferences in Washington, D.C.,
St. Louis and Los Angeles
New National Survey of Bishops Called "Flawed"
SNAP Wants More Participation In Second Study in February"
Support Group To Victims: "Stay Hopeful" & "Report
Crimes To Police"
What:
Upcoming new reports on the Catholic clergy sex abuse crisis in
every American diocese (to be released Tuesday morning) will be
challenged at a news conference
When: (See bottom of page for Los Angeles and St. Louis
times)
Monday, Jan. 5 at 1:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Who:
Several leaders and members of SNAP, Survivors Network of those
Abused by Priests, the nation's largest self-help group for clergy
abuse victims, including the organization's founder Barbara Blaine
of Chicago
Where:
Phoenix Park Hotel Ballroom, (First Floor) 520 North Capitol Street
NW, in Washington DC
Visual:
A large map of the US will be shown with 'push pins' highlighting
50+ cities where SNAP has local support groups. Only three SNAP
members (our of 4,600 nationally) were allowed to talk with members
of the so-called "audit team."
Details:
SNAP maintains that the results are largely "glorified, voluntary
self-reporting" that show little substantial progress by bishops.
The group also worries that victims and their supporters will be
further disillusioned by bishops' public relations efforts to mischaracterize
the reports as "independent audits," when they are neither.
In Feb., a second church report will be released, estimating numbers
of abusers and victims and costs. SNAP will urge church officials
to aggressively reach out and solicit information from victims and
parishioners through parish bulletins, diocesan newspapers and websites
to help ensure a more accurate accounting.
Contact:
Mark Serrano of Leesburg (SNAP National Board Member) 703 771 9606
Barbara Blaine of Chicago (SNAP Founder and President) 312 399 4747
David Clohessy of St. Louis (SNAP Natrional Director) 314 566 9790
Events in other states:
Los Angeles, CA at 11 a.m. Pacific Time, call Mary Grant
626 419 2930
St. Louis, MO at 9:30 a.m. Central Time, call Barbara Dorris
314 862 7618 or Bob Swart at 314-865-2112
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