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Ex-seminarian who used seminary's IP address to upload child sexual abuse videos sentenced to probation

Judge Jennifer Branch sentenced 28-year-old Broderick Witt to five years probation; Prosecutors were seeking 12 years in prison. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 9 to eight counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor; he'd initially faced 15 counts. By: Felicia Jordan Posted 11:44 AM, Sep 12, 2024 and last updated 5:46 PM, Sep 12, 2024 CINCINNATI — A former seminary student who pleaded guilty to charges tied to child sexual abuse materials he uploaded using the IP address of Mount St. Mary's Seminary has been sentenced to probation.

NC Supreme Court holds hearings on look-back window; survivors group wants justices to support the law

For Immediate Release: September 11, 2024  On September 18, 2024, the North Carolina Supreme Court will hold hearings concerning the constitutionality of the state's civil window for survivors of child sexual abuse. SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, urges the Supreme Court to uphold the look-back legislation. The SAFE Child Act was unanimously adopted by state legislators on October 31, 2019. It allowed victims of child sexual abuse to file lawsuits in 2020 and 2021 against their perpetrators and the organizations who employed them. Delayed disclosure of child sexual abuse is the rule. Some trauma-informed experts say more survivors disclose between the ages of 50-70 compared to any other age group. When archaic laws limiting victims’ access to the courts are overturned or even lifted for a time, communities are safer. Knowledge about who the hidden predators and their enablers are not only helps to safeguard today’s children, the exposure of perpetrator names can also be the first step to healing for those still suffering alone and in silence.  Many of those who initiated litigation in the state have waited for decades to expose their abusers, as well as the groups that protected them. We hope that the North Carolina Supreme Court will not dash their hope for justice and accountability.  We also hope that the Court will take into account the value of innocent lives that might be spared the life-long consequences of child sexual abuse if they uphold the window. CONTACT:  Carol Yeager, North Carolina SNAP ([email protected]), Sue Bailey, North Carolina SNAP ([email protected], 315-657-3446), Charles Bailey, North Carolina SNAP ([email protected], 315-657-5073), Melanie Sakoda, Survivor Support Director ([email protected], 925-708-6175), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386) (SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Norwich Diocese files Chapter 11; SNAP responds

For Immediate Release: After declaring bankruptcy three years ago due to abuse lawsuits, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich has announced a plan for moving forward. The diocese announced that it’s filing a joint Chapter 11 Reorganization Plan, in agreement with The Association of Parishes of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich and the Catholic Mutual Relief Society of America. The plan includes a $30 million trust for survivors of clerical abuse… https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2024/09/diocese-of-norwich-to-file-chapter-11-plan/ From Connetitcutt to California,  the same page is being used by Catholic bishops. Minimize and cover-up child sex crimes, investigate to assess liability. All while keeping abusers in ministry. Then, fight against changes to the statute of limitations which would expose those crimes. Finally, when secular laws provide a window to justice, church officials go to federal bankruptcy courts and pretend that they are out of money We can’t help but think of how many victims have yet to step forward. 20 years is a short time for reporting abuse as young person, and we are likely to be hearing from Norwich victims for another 20 to 30 years as most typically need until age 50 and above to come forward.  CONTACT:  Gail Howard, SNAP Connecticut ([email protected], 203-644-0387), Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Director ([email protected], 925-708-6175), Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Director ([email protected], 267-261-0578),  Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board of Directors President ([email protected], 814- 341-8386) (SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)  

Catholic Church Abuse Survivors Publish Open Letter To Pope In Oceania

Survivors of child sexual assault and other abuses by priests and religious in the Catholic Church throughout Oceania have published an Open Letter to Pope Francis. The letter was published on the SNAP Oceania website and it is reprinted below.   Dear Pope Francis,   Welcome to our region of Oceania.     You will be aware that your church’s leaders in New Zealand, Australia, Britain, and the United States moved child sexual predators from within your church into poor and vulnerable countries in Oceania where they continued to abuse helpless and innocent children.   Such countries included Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati, and Samoa, to name a few.   This has now been substantiated by court documents, state inquiries, and the media.   Apart from apologies to the public from you and only some bishops worldwide, there has still not been redress for the victims, or even personal apologies to them.  They and their families continue to suffer.   While your church is decentralised in dioceses around the world, your global corporation, The Holy See, operates on the shores of all these countries in a matrix of mutual relationships with the countries’ leaders.   Why do you not tax your local dioceses and your Holy See to pay compensation to the victims and their families?   This would make your Church more just and your words more credible than simply offering apologies.   As you know, perhaps better than anyone else in the world, in order for anyone to take your apologies seriously, your words need to be backed up with actions.   Sincerely,   The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests in Oceania • Felix Fremlin for Fiji and the Pacific Islands • Christopher Longhurst for Aotearoa New Zealand • Donald McLeish for Australia   7 September 2024

New boarding school abuse suit & upcoming big trial-SNAP presser Fri. Sept. 6 @ 1:15 p.m.

Young abuse victim files unusual suit vs. sheriff’s department He charges staffers 'committed & concealed' crimes against kids The victim, now 23, was assaulted in 2015 & speaks for the 1st time And a criminal trial vs. Christian school's co-founder starts next month Missouri’s 'most prolific female predator' faces dozens of charges & civil suits In last minute plea, SNAP says 'victims, witnesses & whistleblowers must speak now' WHAT Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, a 23 year old abuse victim will speak publicly for the first time and will announce his unusual new lawsuit. It charges that a southern Missouri sheriff’s department repeatedly ignored, concealed and committed abuses at a Christian facility for 'troubled' children and seeks four unprecedented reforms that will help prevent similar crimes. Separately, next month, a long-awaited criminal trial against Missouri’s most notorious serial boarding school abuser begins. So abuse victims are making 'a last-ditch plea' to 'anyone who saw, suspected or suffered wrongdoing' by the female defendant to 'help prosecutors lock her up by coming forward to law enforcement now.' And they will beg anyone with information or suspicions about crimes at Christian boarding schools to 'come forward, protect others and get healing.' WHEN TOMORROW, Friday, Sept. 6 at 1:15 p.m. WHERE On the sidewalk just south of the Charles E. Whittaker US Federal Courthouse, 400 E. 9th St., corner of Oak, (in Ilus Davis Park) in Kansas City, MO WHO The 23 year old plaintiff and victim who is suing, two other survivors/advocates and a St. Louis man who was abused as a boy and is the volunteer Missouri director of a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

Spgfld MO event: Horrific new boarding school abuse case filed & big trial looms

New horrific abuse suit filed vs. Christian boarding school   As a 13 year old, the victim suffered ‘torture’ in 2019 & 2020   She’s now just 18, making her the youngest to take legal action   Prominent local pastor reportedly ‘hid children’ from state authorities   He’s named as a defendant and SNAP says he should be fired or resign   A high profile criminal trial against school’s co-founder starts next month   She faces dozens of charges & civil suits; case will be heard in Stockton   In last minute plea, SNAP says ‘victims, witnesses & whistleblowers must speak up now’   WHAT At a sidewalk news conference, holding signs and childhood photos, abuse survivors will -- announce the filing of a “horrific” new abuse and cover up lawsuit against a controversial Christian boarding school for girls in southwest Missouri, -- call for a prominent local pastor, named as a defendant in the suit, to resign or be fired, and -- urge others to help prosecutors convict a female serial abuser by contacting law enforcement before her trial next month if they “saw, suspected or suffered her crimes.” WHENWednesday, Sept. 4, at 1:15 p.m. WHERE On the sidewalk outside the federal courthouse at 222 S. John Q. Hammons Pkwy (between Broadway and Washington) in Springfield MO WHO Two-three victims and anti-abuse advocates, including a Drury University graduate and child sex abuse survivor who for 30 years headed SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) WHY --1) The suit is being filed by girl who - as a 13 year old in 2019 and 2020 - was repeatedly subjected to “torture” and “physical, sexualized and mental abuse” at Circle of Hope Girls Ranch in Humansville (in Polk County, 40 minutes north of Springfield.) Now 18, she’s the youngest victim to sue the facility. Among the offenses alleged in the suit: trafficking, involuntary servitude, brainwashing children, defrauding parents, child sexual abuse, and negligently hiring staff, negligently supervising staff and kids and intentionally inflicting emotional distress. One of the defendants is Rev. Jeff Ables of Berean Baptist in Springfield (507 East Norton Rd, [email protected], 417.833.1529). He allegedly “hid children” from DCFS,” according to the suit, and refused to report abuses to authorities even though he’d been told of the crimes as far back as 2008. Some of the abuses were sadistic and bizarre, the suit says, such as withholding food as punishment and force-feeding kids until they threw up and then forcing them to eat their vomit. Staffers shoved the victim’s face into manure, put Wasabi sauce in her mouth and forced her to watch as other girls were “punched in the face, choked, beaten and whipped.” The victim, identified only as Jane Doe, will NOT be at the news conference. She lives in Kansas City and is represented by KC attorney Rebecca Randles (816 931 9901). 2)) Next month, Missouri’s most notorious Christian boarding school abuser goes on trial facing 22 counts of child abuse and neglect. She is Stephanie Householder who, for years, along with her husband, ran two Christian boarding schools for ‘troubled kids’ in southern Missouri. (Before he died in June, her spouse Boyd was charged with 79 similar counts.) https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article289535052.html SNAP is begging other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to contact the FBI or the Missouri attorney general’s office before the widely-anticipated trial begins next month in Stockton. “Over decades, hundreds of kids suffered because of the Householders,” said David Clohessy of SNAP. “So please, don’t sit back and be silent. If you saw, suspected or suffered abuse at these schools, help prosecutors get her locked up by coming forward now to the attorney general’s office, local law enforcement or SNAP.” Dozens of ex-students accuse the Householders of using “brutal restraints, excessive workouts in extreme temperatures, psychological and sexual abuse” and withholding food and water as punishment. According to the AP, 16 former residents said they were handcuffed, whipped with belts, had their mouths taped shut and were punched for minor offenses such as singing. https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2024/05/15/774285.htm https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2024/06/after-ex-mo-boarding-school-owner-accused/ In recent years, criminal charges, civil lawsuits, and media reports have exposed shocking and severe abuse of kids in at least three similar facilities in Missouri (Agape School in Stockton, Kanakuk Kamp near Branson and ABM Ministries, a.k.a. Lighthouse Christian Academy, in Piedmont.) https://www.davidclohessy.com/blog/2nd-letter-to-mo-ag-bailey-re-boarding-schools CONTACT David Clohessy 314 566 9790, [email protected] (davidclohessy.com)

Press Conference Friday August 16th Houston Texas - Powerful Community Leaders and Advocates for sexual abuse survivors gather this weekend at SNAP Conference 2024

Press Conference:  Wyndham Hotel NRG Houston, Texas. 2 pm Friday, August 16th. Ballroom Lobby SNAP, www.snapnetwork.org, is proud to host our annual conference this weekend at Wyndham Hotel NRG Houston, TX. The conference runs from August 16th to 18th. This event allows us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We are so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and hear powerful messages from keynote speakers such as Cindy Clemshire. Cindy is the courageous Baptist survivor who last month told The Wartburg Watch that Dallas megachurch founder and pastor, Robert Morris, began sexually abusing her on Christmas Day, 1982, when she was only 12 years old. Cindy said that the assaults continued for four-and-a-half years. Although this was not the first time Cindy had spoken out, the blog piece launched a media storm that ultimately resulted in Pastor Morris stepping down from his pulpit. Cindy has transformed her experiences into a powerful mission to educate others about grooming and the prevention of sexual abuse. She is a passionate advocate for changing laws to eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual abuse victims, making these changes retroactive to ensure justice for all. Through the great work to make our conference and network a success, we are continuing our mission for survivor voices. Our work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors continues as we gather this weekend.   CONTACT: Eduardo Lopez de Casa, SNAP Board of Directors, SNAP Houston ([email protected], 832-641-6319); Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Director ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board of Directors President, Interim Executive Director  ([email protected], 814- 341-8386)                                                                                             ###  

Take Action and Stop Child Sexual Abuse

If you see child sexual abuse, or have a reasonable suspicion of sexual abuse or your child has been sexually abused, call 911 or your local police immediately. 

If you suspect abuse, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or visit the Child Help Hotline. Trained crisis operators staff the lines 24/7 to answer your questions. If necessary, they will show you how to report in your local area.

Child pornography is a federal crime. If you see or suspect images that may be child pornography, report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTip Line

 

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