Australia -- Case against Cardinal Pell will go to trial, SNAP responds
For immediate release Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Statement by Tim Lennon, SNAP President, [email protected], 415-312-5820
We are very grateful that the Australian magistrate has decided that there is enough evidence for Cardinal George Pell to stand trial on multiple counts of historical sexual abuse.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/30/asia/cardinal-george-pell-trial-may-intl/index.html
While we do not know whether or not the charges against the cardinal are true, we do know that research shows that false allegations are extremely rare.
In this case three men originally came forward with complaints against the cardinal. One of them, Damian Dignan, unfortunately passed away. Mr. Dignan played a pivotal role in pressing law enforcement to move forward against the cardinal, the most senior figure in the Vatican to face criminal charges for alleged assault.
We urge anyone who has information concerning the charges against Cardinal Pell and who has not yet come forward to do so now. Damian Dignan will not have his day in court, but it is not too late to help ensure that his efforts are not in vain.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world's oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 25,000 supporters. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - Steven Spaner, SNAP Australia Coordinator, [email protected]; Tim Lennon, 415-312-5820, [email protected]; Melanie Jula Sakoda, 925-708-6175, [email protected]
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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