TX--Two preachers did not report suspected child abuse
For immediate release: Wednesday, Dec. 3
Statement by Amy Smith of Dallas, SNAP leader, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (281 748 4050, watchkeepamy@gmail.com)
Two Odessa pastors are charged with not reporting suspected child sex crimes to police. We hope they’re convicted and given the harshest possible sentence. That’s the best way to deter church officials from covering up for child molesters.
At the same time, however, we hope Texas lawmakers will reform the state’s stunningly weak and archaic mandatory reporting law. Failing to report abuse is a misdemeanor. It should be a felony. It’s ironic and sad that a state where politicians often “talk tough” about crime lets those who endanger kids and help predators get off so lightly.
Don and Gina Haislett, the pastor and co-pastor of Life Church in Odessa, were arrested and charged Tuesday. We urge church members and officials at Life Church to set an example but voluntarily turning over all files and documents to prosecutors and using all the resources at their disposal to reach out to current and former members of the congregation, as well as employees and former employees.
Finally, we hope that every single person who may have seen, suspected or suffered child sex crimes by Angel De Los Santos and cover ups by church officials will call police, expose wrongdoers, protect kids and start healing.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We were founded in 1988 and have more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy, 314-566-9790, davidgclohessy@gmail.com, Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003, bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org, Barbara Blaine 312-399-4747, bblaine@SNAPnetwork.org
Barbara Blaine, founder of SNAP, passed away on Sunday, September 24th, 2017. Her dying was sudden and completely unexpected. Words cannot express our sorrow nor are there words to express our gratitude for her relentless advocacy. She truly was a hero. There is an old saying, “well behaved women seldom make history”. Barbara made history and the world is a better place.
We have put together a tribute for Barbara Blaine to honor her memory. If you would like to contribute a memory, please send your favorite memory of Barbara to admin@snapnetwork.org
50 State AG Call for Grand Jury
Write a letter to the attorney general of your state. Demand, request, and beg them to impanel a grand jury.
Any investigation must be:
- independent of and separate from the church
- must have subpoena powers and ability to compel testimony under oath
Anything short of these criteria is a sham and whitewash.
In addition, write letters to the editor, make phone calls to politicians as they can apply pressure to keep them responsive to our demand. We need to make efforts to ensure that they follow up on what the state is doing to investigate these crimes.
The Attorneys General of forty states have inquired about the grand jury process in Pennsylvania. Let's get statewide investigations going in fifty states.
Note to Letter Writers
Use your own words and style of writing. Cut and paste from the templates as you wish. Include your experiences, whether as a survivor or as a member of the community. And relate your letter to the state you were abused in or state now living in.
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