OH- Dayton pastor wants suspended sentence for child molester, victims respond
For immediate release: Monday, March 24, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
A Dayton pastor has failed in his bid to persuade an Iowa judge to avoid jailing a child molester. We're glad the pastor lost and think he should be ashamed for his effort.
The pastor wrote to a Des Moines judge who was handing Ryan McKelvey’s child molestation case. He asked that McKelvey's sentence be suspended so he could move back to Ohio. The pastor is apparently close to McKelvey's father.
Kids are safest when predators are imprisoned. During and after a molester's incarceration, pastors can and should provide support. But they should not intervene in judicial proceedings and seek special favors for their congregants or colleagues, especially special favors that leave children at risk for being sexually assaulted.
No matter what the relationship, it is wrong to ask that an admitted sexual predator be given special treatment. He belongs in prison where he has no chance to hurt another child. It is especially wrong for the pastor of a church to make a request like this. His concern should be the safety of children, not the comfort of a predator.
The pastor should apologize for his irresponsible behavior.
We hope that anyone who may be struggling in shame, silence and self blame will find the courage to speak up, report to police and start healing.
(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 15,000 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])
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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