Cardinal Pell accuser ‘accepts’ acquittal
A former choirboy who accused Australian Cardinal George Pell of molesting him said Wednesday he accepts the top Vatican cleric’s acquittal, but urged survivors of child sex abuse to keep coming forward.
A day after Australia’s top court quashed Pell’s conviction and released him from jail, “Witness J” said he understood and accepted the court’s verdict.
“There are a lot of checks and balances in the criminal justice system,” the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said in a statement issued by his lawyer. “I respect the decision of the High Court. I accept the outcome.”
The court found that the jury that convicted the cleric of molesting Witness J and his friend, both 13 years old at the time, should have had a reasonable doubt about his guilt.
“It is difficult in child sexual abuse matters to satisfy a criminal court that the offending has occurred beyond the shadow of a doubt,” Witness J said. “It is a very high standard to meet –- a heavy burden.”
Regardless, he said: “I would hate to think that one outcome of this case is that people are discouraged from reporting to the police.”
“I would like to reassure child sexual abuse survivors that most people recognise the truth when they hear it.”
As many activists expressed concern that Pell’s case would compound survivors’ pain, Witness J also said he was doing “OK” and was relieved the y...
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