FL- Startling win for victims in high profile FL child sex case

For immediate release: Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])

In an unusual ruling, a judge is letting alleged child sex abuse victims see secret government records about a disturbing plea deal between prosecutors and a prominent Florida millionaire, Jeffrey Epstein.

We applaud the brave and determined women who have won this unprecedented legal victory.

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/rich-mans-accusers-press-to-reopen-sex-abuse-case 

All too often, powerful predators exploit their influence and win special treatment and consideration from governmental officials. Such favoritism endangers kids. It also makes adults cynical about the justice system and deters them from reporting known and suspected child sex crimes in the future.

We hope these women will be able to persuade a judge to make these secret records public and let more charges be filed against Epstein. Secrecy is a child predator's best weapon. 

And we hope that this startling victory will prod other victims and their legal advocates to keep pushing for more openness and transparency from the justice system. Ever so slowly, in child sex cases, the tide is turning away from the guilty adults and toward the innocent kids and wounded victims. So those who were sexually assaulted in childhood must be persistent and creative in our efforts for justice, prevention and healing.

(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 18,000 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 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])  


Showing 3 comments

  • @ tweeted this page. 2014-06-04 08:06:04 -0500
  • Timothy Egan
    commented 2014-06-03 22:23:14 -0500
    This is not cynicism, it’s caution.
  • Timothy Egan
    commented 2014-06-03 22:21:50 -0500
    Don’t be placated into complacency by a token gesture of “good faith”. All too often throughout history an occasional victory for the good guy will happen to foster malaise among the masses who in turn say “see? the corruption’s not so bad after all!”. Do not fall for it. These are mere tokens of appeasement and I for one am not fooled.

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