MN- Victim gets threatening letters
For immediate release: Thursday, May 15, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
The woman who “outed” a Twin Cities predator priest is getting threatening letters and prosecutors suspect the cleric is behind them.
Prosecutors are seeking DNA from Fr. Mark Huberty of Maplewood who is charged with fourth- and fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
We hope a judge grants their request. And we hope that Archbishop John Nienstedt harshly denounces this intimidation right now - no matter who is responsible for it. It is his duty to help foster a climate that welcomes, not discourages, abuse reports.
We applaud the prosecutors for seeking DNA samples from Fr. Huberty. And we applaud this brave woman who is persisting in her effort for prevention and justice, despite such awful tactics.
Our hearts break for her. She has to be re-victimized by such emotionally violent reactions to stepping forward and bravely speaking up. We know all too well the damage and pain that is caused when an accused priest receives support because they are “innocent until proven guilty” which somehow leaves the victim “a liar until proven abused.”
We applaud her courage. And we hope her actions will inspire others who were hurt- by Fr. Huberty or other clerics - to step forward and protect future women from being sexually abused. We hope it will also inspire law enforcement officials to investigate and prosecute anyone who tries to interfere with clergy sex cases.
(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 (314-503-0003 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
Showing 1 comment
Sadly, it seems that very often liars, “caught out” in their lie, first retaliate with threats of more violence or slander, against the “whistleblower”.