Gonzaga Awarded Grant to Host Conference on Sex Abuse Scandal
Yet another Catholic university has been awarded a grant to host a conference related to the clergy sex abuse scandal. We hope that in the two years they have to plan this conference that the organizers will ensure that it centers on the voices of survivors and focuses on prevention.
Three researchers from Gonzaga University have been awarded $40,000 to host a conference on the sex abuse scandal. With this money, we hope that these scholars will undertake an extensive outreach campaign to survivors of Catholic sex abuse to ensure that they are representing the voices of victims at this conference that is about the crimes that happened to them. Over the years we have seen many Catholic institutions hold conferences and events that ostensibly involve victims and yet that eschew their experiences and voices in favor of creating a rosier picture of the abuse scandal that is still ongoing today. We hope this will not be the case at Gonzaga.
The conference organizers plan to use their funding to talk about the intersection of clergy sexual abuse and the oppression felt by minorities and marginalized communities. There is no doubt that this is a critical conversation and we are glad that attention is being paid to these underserved survivors of Catholic sex abuse. Hopefully, this conference does not stop its work after amplifying these voices, but will listen closely and implement solutions that will better prevent abuse. Too often have brave victims allowed themselves to be vulnerable and share their experiences with Catholic officials only to receive empty platitudes and a lack of action. Hopefully, Gonzaga learns from those experiences as well.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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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