Virginia and Washington D.C. Consider More Inclusive Mandatory Reporting Laws
For immediate release: December 27, 2018
We support any effort that would compel more people to report suspected child abuse or neglect to authorities. Often, such reports are the best way to inform police and child protection professionals that a child is in danger and in need of help. At the same time, we would argue that any such proposal should not give special exemptions to situations where “faith’s doctrine requires the report ‘to be confidential.’” While such an exemption is intended to ensure the sanctity of confession, we are afraid that such an exception would allow church officials to hide behind technicalities and avoid reporting abuse even when learned of outside of the confessional booth.
As shown by the Charter of the Protection for Children and Young People, simply requiring that church officials report abuse is not enough. We hope that any proposal that is passed, whether in Virginia or in the District of Columbia, will contain strict penalties for anyone who is found to have held information related to child abuse instead of reporting it to authorities. Such penalties are necessary to ensure the authority of this much-needed reform.
CONTACT: Becky Ianni, SNAP Virginia leader ([email protected], 703-801-6044)
(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
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