CO--Musician accused of abuse to perform in Boulder; victims respond--Updated
For immediate release: Friday, January 14, 2017
Statement by Melanie Jula Sakoda, volunteer member of the board of directors of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (925-708-6175, [email protected])
A musician who is being sued in Massachusetts for allegedly sexually harassing two young women is performing tomorrow night with the Boulder Philharmonic.
http://www.masslive.com/news/boston/index.ssf/2016/04/read_the_complaint_filed_by_mu.html
http://www.dailycamera.com/entertainment/ci_29711433/boulder-phil-announces-next-season
Eric Ruske, a French horn player, was named in a civil lawsuit filed last year by a veteran attorney who has represented hundreds of victims of sexual violence.
We are disappointed that the Boulder Philharmonic is giving Ruske a venue to perform despite the serious allegations against him.
Last April the Wyoming Symphony suspended its contract with the musician after learning of the lawsuit.
No matter what Boulder Philharmonic officials do or don’t do, we hope every person who knows anything about the allegations against Ruske will find the strength and courage to come forward.
Ruske’s alleged victims are represented by Boston attorneys Carmen Durso and Sara Elizabeth Burns (617-728-9123, [email protected]).
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for abuse victims. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were abused in many different types of institutional settings. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact – Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175, [email protected]), Joelle Casteix (949-322-7434, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [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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