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The
Survivors Network of
those Abused by Priests
SNAP Press
Statement
Statement
Regarding
Federal Settlement with
Boston Archdiocese
SEE
RELATED NEWSSTORY
November 18, 2005
Statement by David Clohessy of
St. Louis,
SNAP National Director, 314 566 9790
We've become very skeptical of deals between prosecutors and church officials.
At first glance, they sound good. But later, church officials often are
able to split hairs and renege, leaving DAs frustrated, victims betrayed
and kids vulnerable.
For example, New Hampshire prosecutors struck a deal in which they were
supposed to do 'audits' of how the Manchester diocese handles sexual abuse.
Years later, no audits have happened.
There's one yet untested approach: criminally charging a complicit church
official. Virtually everything else has been tried: parishioner pressure,
victims' lawsuits, predators' prosecutions, media exposes. . . .Still
church officials lie, deceive, and cover up clergy sex crimes. Maybe if
just once a bishop or vicar general or chancellor was really prosecuted,
just like other criminals, we might finally see real reform.
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Survivors Network
of those Abused by Priests
www.snapnetwork.org
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