Washington D.C. Opens Hotline for Survivors of Clergy Sex Abuse
For immediate release, October 22 2018
Today, the U.S. Attorney’s office for Washington D.C. has announced that they are opening an hotline and email address that survivors of clergy sex abuse and those that have knowledge of abuse can use to report their experiences.
The opening of this line of communication – directly between survivors of sexual abuse and criminal investigators – is an excellent step taken by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu. Creating this confidential avenue for survivors to report what they may have seen, suspected or suffered in Washington D.C. area gives survivors a new chance to come forward with their experiences and may potentially lead to the justice that is so often elusive for survivors of institutional sexual abuse. Given how important holding perpetrators accountable can be, both for survivors’ healing and the prevention of future cases, we hope that today’s announcement is the first step towards an independent investigation into the Archdiocese of Washington D.C.
We are especially grateful for the sensitivity that the U.S. Attorney’s office is displaying in asking for this information. They are not only interested in reports of wrongdoing, but also in helping survivors along their healing journey. In order to do so, they have put together a website that lists some resources that may be helpful to survivors and their loved ones.
We encourage anyone who may have been abused in Washington D.C. to call the U.S. Attorney’s hotline at 202-252-7008 or send an email to [email protected].
CONTACT: Becky Ianni, SNAP Treasurer, Local DC SNAP leader ([email protected], (703) 801-6044), David Lorenz, SNAP Maryland leader ([email protected], 301-906-9161) Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Secretary (925-708-6175, [email protected]) 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