Canada- Child molesting Orthodox archbishop out on bail, SNAP responds
For immediate release: Thursday, July 17, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
A Canadian Orthodox archbishop, who was convicted of child sexual abuse and sentenced to 8 months in jail last week, has been released on bail. We are disappointed the judge granted this request.
Archbishop Seraphim Storheim was found criminally guilty of sexually abusing a child. Child abuse victims rarely report their abuse lightly and Storheim has two victims speaking publically. Child molesters rarely abuse only once or change their ways. We hope no other children will be hurt while he walks free.
It is not too late to report what you know to police. If you were abused or you know someone who was abused by Storheim please contact law enforcement and get help. We also urge the Orthodox Church of America to alert parishioners that Storheim has been released and is still a convicted child molester.
NOTE - in an earlier statement, we wrote "The OCA opposes his release." We meant to say "The OCA should oppose his release." We regret the error.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 25 years 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, as well as those abused in other settings, such as the Boy Scouts and the military. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact: Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175 cell, [email protected]), Cappy Larson ([email protected]), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected])
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