News Story of the Day

MOUNT PLEASANT, NY — The state Supreme Court recently dismissed a civil rights lawsuit by a religious group against the town for lack of evidence.

Louis Gigante, a former priest turned New York City councilman who is credited for rebuilding the Hunts Point section of the Bronx in the 1980s, is being accused of sexually abusing a minor while at St. Athanasius Church in Longwood, according to recent court filings.

The state Department of Justice is conducting Wisconsin’s first statewide independent investigation into abuse by clergy and faith leaders. Attorney General Josh Kaul said that since the inquiry was announced in April, the agency has received more than 100 reports of abuse.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon has released details about nine historical cases involving sexual abuse and misconduct that were investigated as part of the Safer Churches, Safer communities Safeguarding Action Plan.

GALVESTON, Texas – A $10 million lawsuit has been filed against Holy See and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and its Cardinal, Daniel N. DiNardo, on behalf of the parents of a child they say was sexually abused by Rev. Phi Thanh Nguyen in November 2018, according to the lawsuit.

A longtime economics and political science professor at Christendom College in Virginia has been charged with solicitation of a minor younger than 16 years old and two counts of taking indecent liberties with a child.

On March 13, 2013, at the age of 76, Jorge Bergoglio was named the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. SNAP Leader Mary McHale and our Communications Manager, Mike McDonnell, participated in Season 2, Episode 1 about Pope Francis. Mary was interviewed as a survivor advocate at the 37:29 mark, and Mike is interviewed beginning at the 43:44 mark in this 60-minute segment.  

https://www.pbs.org/video/pope-francis-bs5uc7/?fbclid=IwAR1GFUXqUt5w6_zB6nxkqic6HRQZ0fLPe7VPyBX_bsp98vKenHJUIoE8e9w   

The Tennessee Department of Children's Services declined to investigate a child abuse complaint against an employee at the Chattanooga shelter housing unaccompanied minors in May, weeks before the state acknowledged alleged abuse at the facility and a month before Chattanooga police charged that employee with sexual battery.

The FBI awarded Utah Navajo Health System for its victim advocacy program as a new domestic violence shelter opens in Blanding.

(Zak Podmore | The Salt Lake Tribune) An agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation poses with Utah Navajo Health System's victim advocates Jessica Holiday (second from left), Tonya Grass, Lynn Bia and Danialle Whitehat, who received a community leadership award from the FBI in Montezuma Creek on Wednesday, July 14, 2021.

"We stand with our allies at The Army of Survivors and join them in calling for an investigation by the Department of Justice into the mishandling of abuse allegations by former USA gymnastics physician Larry Nassar," says Zach Hiner, Executive Director for SNAP. 

(Full Statement from The Army of Survivors below)

Content warning: Mention of abusers’ names and sexual violence.

Okemos, Michigan (July 14, 2021) — Following initial review of Wednesday’s report from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on its investigation into the FBI’s handling of allegations of sexual abuse by former USA Gymnastics phycisian Larry Nassar, The Army of Survivors has issued the following statement:

The Army of Survivors shares our support, care and concern for the many survivors who were today once again reminded of the trauma they experienced by former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar. Our organization was founded by a group of more than 40 survivors of sexual violence, some of whom were impacted by Nassar as young athletes.