MO- Predatory preacher is guilty; SNAP responds

For immediate release: Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014 

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

We are deeply grateful that now women and girls will be safer because a jury has found that a woman who reported being assaulted by Rev. Stan Archie will be paid $350,000. While no amount of money can adequately compensate a victim of clergy sexual violence, this sum makes it clear that an impartial jury found that church officials acted recklessly with the safety of their flock.

We are also deeply grateful to every woman who found the courage to speak up about this predator and testify against him in court. They are to be commended for acting bravely and responsibly. Because of their strength, others will be spared the trauma caused by clergy sex crimes. 

Rev. Archie's lawyer claimed the minister could not have committed the crimes because of a window in a door to the room where he assaulted this woman. The notion that a window would stop a predator is just silly. Many times, clergy who prey on the vulnerable are 'out of control' and sometimes act impulsively and in ways that defy common sense.

We hope every single person who saw, suspected or suffered Rev. Archie's crimes will come forward, get help, call police, protect others and start healing. Every single church or agency that ever gave Rev. Archie access to innocent kids and vulnerable adults should now work hard to find others he has hurt. We especially call on the KC police department, where Rev. Archie was a chaplain, to seek out anyone he may have assaulted using his police title or position. 

(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 20,000 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])