Virginia Attorney General Announces Investigation into Clergy Sex Abuse
For immediate release: October 24, 2018
Virginia’s top law enforcement official has announced that he is opening an investigation into clergy sex abuse and cover-ups in Virginia.
We are thrilled to hear that the Virginia Attorney General’s office has launched a statewide criminal investigation regarding sexual abuse by priests. We know that institutions cannot police themselves, so fully independent investigations like these are the best way to get to the truth when it comes to clergy sex abuse and cover-ups. We applaud A.G. Mark Herring for this move.
“As a survivor of clergy abuse from the Diocese of Richmond, I hope that today’s announcement not only brings hope to survivors of sexual abuse, but encourages them to come forward and share their experiences,” said Becky Ianni, SNAP Virginia Leader. “Whether they have never told anyone about their abuse or came forward years ago, I hope that survivors of clergy abuse throughout Virginia will take the time to help advance this investigation.”
Today’s announcement marks Virginia as the 14th state to start their own investigation into dioceses and comes just a day after Washington D.C.’s Attorney General announced their own investigation. Given how important holding perpetrators accountable can be – both for survivors’ healing and the prevention of future cases – we hope that these investigations will not only lead to more survivors coming forward, but will also provide the possibility of legislative mechanisms, such as statutes of limitation reform, that will allow survivors to seek justice.
A.G. Herring’s office has also set up a hotline, email address, and website that anyone who may have seen or suffered abuse can use to share their information. We encourage anyone who may have any information related to sexual abuse by priests in Virginia to add their voice to the investigation and make a report using one of these channels.
- Hotline: 1-888-454-9064
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: virginiaclergyhotline.com
CONTACT: Becky Ianni, SNAP Virginia leader ([email protected], 703-801-6044) 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