WV--Victims want more outreach in WV Presbyterian child sex case

For immediate release: Wednesday, Feb. 11

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

We’re sad that a youth minister has apparently molested another child. Now that victims are cooperating and law enforcement is taking action, it’s crucial that West Virginia Presbyterian officials work harder to find other who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Timothy Probert.

http://www.bdtonline.com/news/local_news/former-church-youth-pastor-indicted-on-charges-as-more-victims/article_c6b8e6f0-b21f-11e4-b41d-e75f71da8afe.html   

We especially call on Westminster Presbyterian Pastor Jonathan Rockness to more aggressively seek out other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers and get them to call police and prosecutors. We’re glad Rockness apparently called police initially. But he and his staff and his flock can and should do more. They should issue a public call to anyone who may have information or suspicions about Probert to step forward. And they should make calls and send letters to former congregants who may have left the church because of Probert.

 (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