Another Abuse Lawsuit Filed Against Former Bishop Michael Bransfield
Another sexual abuse lawsuit has been filed against the former Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston, WV. We hope that this news will encourage any other victims who are suffering in silence to find the strength to come forward and start healing.
The complaint against former Bishop Michael Bransfield is centered on the case of a young seminarian who was recent to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Our hearts ache for this seminarian and others like him who were hurt by the men who were supposed to be their mentors and teachers.
A recent study showed that 6% of all seminarians in the U.S. have faced harassment or abuse, and 68% of those seminarians who experienced abuse either did not report or did not report all the harassment they experienced. We hope that this news will encourage other seminarians who may have experienced similar crimes to make a report to law enforcement and help bring more attention to these cases.
When more victims start speaking up, institutions and law enforcement are better able to identify abusers, remove them from their positions of power, and prevent future cases of abuse.
CONTACT: Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Regional Leader, (636-433-2511, [email protected]), Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(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; our Australia website is SNAPAustralia.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