SNAP to Newly Elected Attorneys General: Please Keep the Investigations Going
For immediate release, November 13 2018
Since the bombshell grand jury report that revealed the depth of clergy sex abuse and cover-ups in Pennsylvania, 19 other states have begun investigations of their own. Following last Tuesday’s elections, at least six of those states will have new attorneys general and SNAP is pleading with those newly elected officials to not let these investigations fall by the wayside.
Independent investigations by law enforcement are the only way to get to the bottom of institutional sexual abuse scandals. We are grateful that New York, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Florida and Delaware have been among the national leaders in beginning these investigations. We hope that as new attorneys general take office in each of these states they will continue in the footsteps of their predecessors and continue these investigations into clergy sex abuse in their state.
The need for these investigations has become even more critical after the Vatican derailed the USCCB meeting’s agenda this week and prevented bishops from voting on measures that were aimed to prevent and deter future abuse cover-ups. Given that the highest church officials will not even allow bishops to police themselves, we can only rely on our law enforcement officials to do so. We hope that, rather than lose momentum following the change in leadership in their office, the investigations in these states continue with even greater urgency than before.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 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