Abusive Priest from Virginia Arrested Thanks to A.G. Investigation
A former Catholic priest who molested a DC Councilman has been arrested and charged with child sexual abuse. We applaud the brave victim in this case and hope his example will encourage other survivors and witnesses to come forward and make a report to police.
Scott Asalone, a former cleric from the Capuchin Friars order, was arrested on Saturday in New Jersey. Despite having been removed from ministry since 1993 due to allegations of sexual abuse, Asalone had been able to walk free. This arrest was only made possible because Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring has been investigating cases of clergy abuse in his state and because victims like D.C. Councilman David Grasso had the courage to come forward and assist that investigation. Thanks to the work done by the A.G. Herring and his team and to the testimony of survivors like Councilman Grasso, children in New Jersey are safer today.
We are disturbed that Catholic officials knew that Asalone was an abuser in 1993 but did not take steps to have the priest arrested and kept away from children. We hope that no other boys or girls were victimized due to this inaction by Church leaders in Arlington. At the same time, we are incredibly grateful to A.G. Herring and the investigators in his office who uncovered this hidden crime and have been able to file charges.
It is highly likely that there are more hidden abusers in Virginia. We hope that this arrest will encourage victims and witnesses in the state to come forward and make a report to the A.G. by calling their toll-free hotline at 1-833-454-9064 or by making a report on their website. More children can be protected and justice can best be served when those with knowledge of clergy sex crimes come forward and contact law enforcement.
CONTACT: Becky Ianni, SNAP Virginia Leader ([email protected], 703-801-6044), Zach Hiner, SNAP 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