More than 900 child sex abuse claims were filed against the Diocese of Buffalo; SNAP does the math.
Over 900 claims of child sexual abuse have been filed against the Diocese of Buffalo, a number that is reported to be the largest number of claims ever filed against a single Catholic diocese in bankruptcy. These staggering numbers will surely rock the public.
The sheer number of claims reported is mind-boggling. However, we believe this will become a common theme across the country as ‘windows to justice’ continue to be passed by state legislatures. Sadly, given what we have seen over the course of our history, we are not surprised at the numbers, nor are we surprised at the content and description of these claims.
Based on the number of claims, and including the cases previously settled by the Diocese through a voluntary compensation program, there are at least 1030 victims in this one single diocese alone. Given that these cases span the past 75 years, that means that roughly 14 children were abused every single year in Buffalo. In other words, for nearly a century. more than one child per month was victimized by someone who was supposed to care for them. In the Buffalo Diocese, it is clear that no boy or girl was safe.
History has also shown us that it is more likely than not for a perpetrator priest to have multiple victims. The Diocese of Buffalo quickly filed bankruptcy in February 2020, when it was faced with 260 lawsuits. At the time, Diocesan leaders said that they anticipated about 400 additional claims. We wonder if they chose bankruptcy because they knew the true extent of the crimes, and wanted to keep as much information hidden from the public as possible?
It is past time that Catholic officials stop enjoying a free pass. They need to put victims first and face the task of cleaning up the wreckage of the past.
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578), 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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