Priest sentenced to jail for abuse, SNAP calls for legislative action
A priest from Pennsylvania has been sentenced to spend 14 years behind bars for sexually abusing children. We applaud this outcome.
We hope that the sentence handed down to Fr. David L. Poulson will bring some solace to his survivors. We also hope that this case brings hope to other victims who may be suffering in silence and will encourage them to come forward and make a report to police.
Finding justice through the criminal system can often be elusive for victims of sexual violence due to archaic statutes of limitations laws that prevent claims being brought forward. Legislators in Pennsylvania should work to reform these laws and also look to open a civil window that would allow survivors – whose claims are currently barred by the statutes of limitations — to seek justice in the courts.
State Rep. Mark Rozzi had already brought such a bill forward during the last legislative session. We hope that legislators will better understand the importance of the “Real Deal” bill in this legislative session and move quickly to pass it.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(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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Rich, MSW