CA--Victims applaud second woman who sues Cosby
For immediate release: Wednesday, Dec. 10
Statement by SNAP leader Peter Pollard of Springfield MA, 413-335-9969, [email protected]
In A Springfield MA court, a woman has filed a civil lawsuit against Bill Cosby, this time for defamation. We applaud Tamara Green and hope her move inspires others who were hurt by Cosby to take similar legal action to expose his heinous crimes and deter his hurtful comments.
Many people dislike lawyers and lawsuits. But often our archaic laws (like the statute of limitations) stops victims of sex crimes from filing criminal charges. Civil lawsuits can then help expose wrongdoing and protect others.
Dozens of women and girls say they have been raped by Cosby. Only one police agency, we believe, is actively investigating him. So it’s up to others who have been violated to use the civil justice system to hold him accountable and show other offenders that the passage of time won’t necessarily guarantee them a “free pass.”
The Catholic church’s on-going clergy sex crisis has shown the value of civil lawsuits in revealing and discouraging dreadful crimes and cover ups. We beg others who saw, suspected or suffered Crosby’s crimes to speak up and, when possible, take legal action against him or those who hid his crimes.
We must overcome our shame, silence, self-blame and aversion to litigation if society is to be safer from those who hurt the young and the vulnerable.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We were founded in 1988 and have more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy, 314-566-9790, [email protected], Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003, [email protected], Barbara Blaine 312-399-4747, [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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