Another Abuse and Cover-up Lawsuit Filed Against a Catholic School, this time in Oklahoma City
For Immediate Release: May 20, 2022
A lawsuit against a prominent Catholic high school in Oklahoma City that was filed by ten current and former students alleges that the school fostered a “rape culture” that has persisted since at least 2011. We applaud these brave students and their parents for coming forward and using their experiences and voices to force a change and create a safer school for future students.
According to the lawsuit, administrators and officials at Mount St. Mary’s Catholic High School have known for more than a decade that rape and sexual assault was rampant at the school, but rather than take action to protect students, those same employees instead worked to keep these incidences hidden to protect the reputation of the school. It is notable to us that the school’s president, vice president, and school counselor all resigned last year when the allegations started to surface. We believe this is a clear sign that there is merit to these allegations and call on police and prosecutors will look deeply into this case to see if any crimes were committed and to mete out justice.
It is disappointing, but not surprising, that once again the weight of the fight for justice and truth must be borne by these young victims and their families. Instead of choosing to protect these young girls and foster their growth as a school is supposed to, they were shamed and are now having to advocate for themselves. It is impossible to understate their courage and we know that schools throughout Oklahoma will be made safer thanks to the powerful voices of these young women. We hope that their actions will reverberate and will encourage others who have experienced sexual assault and been silenced to find the strength to come forward and start healing.
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578), 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
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