Massachusetts Church Officials Announce 15 New Cases
We are grateful that victims are stepping forward and making reports of their abuse and we applaud the bravery of those who are speaking up today. By coming forward about what happened to them, victims help protect children and prevent future cases of abuse. When these survivors do come forward, we hope they will first seek independent sources of help like police, therapists and support groups, before contacting church officials.
Based on revelations from recent investigations into clergy sexual abuse, we are not confident of the claim that ‘all new cases have been referred to the relevant district attorney.’ While we hope this is the case, we believe that victims, witnesses and whistleblowers should play it safe and call law enforcement authorities directly.
Nor are we confident that ‘Only eight incidents are listed as having happened in this century,’ as the diocese claims. Church officials have long and troubling track records of being dishonest or disingenuous about this continuing crisis.
Regardless of what Catholic figures claim, church goers and staff should not get complacent. Complacency protects no one, and so we urge anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered abuse – in Massachusetts or elsewhere – to come forward and make a report to secular authorities.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(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