Victims and researchers challenge new bishops report

“It didn’t last long & wasn’t our fault,” it “conveniently” suggests

SNAP: Document focuses on clergy child sexual crimes, not cover ups

“Predictably and conveniently” bishops exonerate themselves, groups say

WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and researchers will:

- blast a new bishops’ report issued today on child sex abuse, and

- outline specific steps they believe should be taken to stop future clergy abuse & cover ups.

They will also

-point out specific ways in which they believe the bishops’ document is flawed and

-urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes to contact secular officials (like police and prosecutors), not church officials

WHEN
TODAY, Wednesday, May 18, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE
Outside the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ headquarters, 3211 4th Street Northeast, Washington D.C., DC (near 7th Street & Jackson NE)

WHO
--Several clergy sex abuse victims including leaders of a self-help group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (www.SNAPnetwork.org), including a Chicago woman who is the organization’s founder and president
--A Boston researcher who co-directs BishopAccountability.org, an online archive that documents the Catholic abuse and cover up crisis

WHY
This afternoon, America’s bishops will release a new document about clergy child sex crimes.

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP president 312 399 4747 cell, SNAPblaine@gmail.com
Anne Barrett Doyle of Boston, Co-Director, BishopAccountability.org, 781 439 5208, barrett.doyle@comcast.net
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director 314 566 9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP outreach director 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com