The Problems with “Credibility” and Review Boards
The Diocese of Buffalo continues to be among the nation’s leading dioceses in terms of obfuscation and minimization of abuse. The latest news from upstate New York shows that the diocesan review board in Buffalo had examined the cases of 27 priests – at least 13 of whom had been accused of abusing children – but declined to substantiate the claims.
Attorneys for the diocese argue that the claims were found unsubstantiated because the priests in question were deceased or only had one claim against them. But just because someone has since passed away does not mean they never hurt children or vulnerable adults. Even worse, to dismiss a claim because it is the only one that has been brought forward flies in the face of what we know about the reporting of sexual violence: it is often after the first accusation has been made public that others who experienced abuse are empowered to come forward and share their own stories.
The standard for credibility should not be “two or more complaints.” The standard for credibility should be “is this person’s claim credible.” Lay review boards are meant to be trusted to examine each allegation on its own merits, but the Buffalo review board was derelict in this duty. Each person who had a hand in keeping these claims hidden should immediately resign or be fired.
Bishop Robert Malone says that he has “made significant strides to increase transparency.” Clearly, those significant strides have not been enough. We look forward to the result of the Federal Grand Jury that has been empaneled to examine abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo and for secular authorities to give us the transparency that communities in the Diocese of Buffalo deserve.
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