USC Reaches Settlement with nearly 500 survivors
For immediate release, October 19 2018
Today the University of Southern California announced it has reached a settlement with the nearly 500 former patients of a campus doctor who had accused him of serial sexual abuse.
This is a good day for the survivors of Dr. George Tyndall. We hope that now that this civil action is settled that these survivors will, like the survivors of Dr. Larry Nassar at Michigan State, have their day in criminal court. Currently, prosecutors are weighing their options for criminal charges. We hope that they will follow through and give survivors the chance at justice and accountability that is so commonly elusive for victims of sexual abuse.
What occurred at USC is another reminder that institutions are unable to police themselves, especially when it comes to serious of allegations of misconduct made by institutional employees. As seen in Catholic dioceses around the country and at Michigan State and Penn State in the past, these kind of internal reports tend to go nowhere but secret archives, administrators’ desks, and other places they can stay hidden.
Across the country, the tide is shifting and we believe that the culture that surrounds sexual abuse is changing. It is also sad to say but we believe that more cases like the one out of USC will be coming forward.
We urge anyone who may have seen, suspected, or suffered abuse at the hands of someone who is supposed to care for them to come forward and make a report to law enforcement officials. This is the best way to ensure that reports are seen instead of shuffled away.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(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