Michigan AG Charges 5 Priests with Criminal Sexual Conduct as Clergy Abuse Investigation Moves Forward
We are grateful to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel for updating the public on her investigation and for her and her team’s steadfast pursuit of justice for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The charges announced today will bring not only healing to survivors in Michigan but will also help keep the vulnerable safer.
By charging five priests with these 21 counts of criminal sexual conduct, AG Nessel and her team have shown that secular investigations work and that survivors who do come forward and make a report have a real shot at justice. We hope that today’s news will encourage other survivors who have yet to speak out to call in to the AG’s hotline at 844-324-3374 or send an email to [email protected].
AG Nessel said that she and her team were only about ten percent of the way through the more than 450 tips they have received, so we are especially hopeful for the results of this investigation based on the progress announced today. We hope that as the investigative team in Michigan work their way through the remaining tips that other charges will be filed, communities will be safer, and survivors throughout the state will feel believed and be encouraged to come forward.
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