Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

We are SNAP, the largest, oldest and most active support group for women and men wounded by religious and institutional authorities (priests, ministers, bishops, deacons, nuns, coaches, teachers, and others).

Share Your Story

Get Help Now

Locations

Join our mailing list!

Protect the vulnerable. Heal the wounded. Prevent the abuse.

Survivor

Supporter

Country

SNAP News

Get the latest updates from SNAP Network.

At 50, I had a flashback to a priest abusing me as a child. Then I decided to confront him

April 17, 2024

'I was facing difficult truths – and once you start, you don’t want to stop’ ... Mary Dispenza at home in Washington. Photograph: Annabel Clark, The Guardian by Anna Moore Published by The Guardian Mary Dispenza was almost 50 when she experienced her first flashback. At the time, she was in a workshop entitled Sexual Misconduct on the Part of the Clergy, which she had been asked to attend as part of her job in pastoral support for the Roman Catholic archdiocese in Seattle. To this day, she isn’t sure what words unleashed that memory. She recalls only how clammy her hands became and how the room suddenly started spinning as she saw her seven-year-old self being lifted on to the lap of a priest in a dark, empty auditorium. She knew in an instant who he was. Dispenza urgently wanted to leave that workshop, but she sat through to the end. “I didn’t fall apart, I didn’t tell anyone, but it cracked me open and woke me up,” she says. “It was amazing to me that I could really bury that for so long … but that’s what we do to survive.” Dispenza talks of using two “survival strategies”. At first, she buried the knowledge, hiding it from everyone – including herself – as she built a life at the heart of the Catholic church, even spending 15 years as a nun. She describes it as “splitting” – a dissociation so complete that, even as the horror happened, she could function and move forward without giving it any conscious thought. After that flashback, Dispenza needed a new strategy. She confronted her abuser, joined a class-action lawsuit against him for damages and has spent decades supporting other victims and campaigning to hold the church accountable for covering up sexual abuse. It is what she calls “a truth telling”, a move into the light.

Agreement between the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and the New York Attorney General reached; SNAP reacts

April 17, 2024

For immediate release: April 17, 2024 An independent monitor will oversee the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn’s handling of sexual abuse accusations under a settlement reached with the New York Attorney General. Although we hope that this solution will help to hold Church officials accountable, we worry that a deal like this may sound good on paper, but end up ineffective in reality. The Attorney General’s office began investigating eight of New York’s Catholic dioceses in September, 2018. Today, AG Letitia James announced an agreement with Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan for independent oversight of abuse accusations in the Diocese. Interventions by secular officials can provide a welcome change to “business as usual.” However, it is important to remember that the Catholic hierarchy has enabled, denied, ignored, and concealed heinous crimes against children for decades. Also, the Brooklyn Diocese, like all Catholic dioceses, is run by a man who truly answers only to the Pope. Church hierarchs are almost never defrocked, demoted, or even disciplined, no matter how poorly they handle abuse and cover-ups. Sadly, no agreement between an Attorney General and a Church official will ever change this unhealthy dynamic.

SNAP to MO AG: Investigate boarding schools!

April 15, 2024

April 15, 2024 Dear Attorney General Bailey: As Missouri’s top law enforcement official, we feel strongly that you can no longer ignore the growing crisis involving kids in the essentially unregulated, mostly for-profit, purportedly religious boarding ‘schools’ where dozens of vulnerable kids have been – and likely still are being – abused. Crisis is not an exaggeration given the recent disturbing disclosures of known and suspected child sex crimes that have surfaced at facilities like Agape School in Stockton, Lighthouse Academy in Piedmont, Circle of Hope Girls Ranch in Humansville and Kanakuk Kamps in Branson. Ample evidence already exists in the public record that these institutions lack oversight and sometimes attract predators who hurt kids and supervisors who ignore or hide suspicious or criminal acts.

Another Brownsville priest accused of child sexual abuse; SNAP again urges outreach

April 08, 2024

For immediate release, April 8, 2024 A priest in the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, has been removed from ministry in the wake of an accusation of child sexual abuse. This is the second cleric in the Diocese, that we know of, to be accused this year. The other clergyman was arrested in February. At the time of the arrest, SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, urged the Bishop to do immediate outreach to beg other victims and witnesses to report to law enforcement. We renew our plea as this second case is being investigated by the Diocesan Review Board. Brownsville Bishop Daniel E. Flores received notification on March 15th that Msgr. Gustavo Barrera had been accused of a child sex crime. The priest denied the claim, but submitted his resignation and retirement as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in McAllen, and the Bishop accepted this resignation on March 23rd. However, the accusation was not made public until April 3rd.

Abuse victims presser MONDAY 11:15 am (4/15) in Jeff City MO

April 12, 2024

Victims beg MO AG to intervene in growing scandalFour Christian boarding schools now face abuse reportsSNAP to Bailey: “Investigate, warn parents & prod local prosecutors” Group also asks lawmakers to reform MO's 'predator-friendly statute of limitations' WHATAt a sidewalk news conference - with signs and childhood photos - child sex abuse victims and their supporters will --hand-deliver a letter to Missouri's attorney general – signed by seven victims - urging him to investigate and warn the public about recent reports of abuse at largely unregulated ‘faith-based’ boarding schools in Missouri, --urge anyone who saw, suspected or suffered abuse there to come forward, and --beg lawmakers to reform Missouri’s ‘archaic, arbitrary and predator-friendly’ statute of limitations on child sexual abuse. They will also testify at a legislative hearing in the afternoon and ask legislators to reform outdated child safety laws and give more abuse victims the chance to expose their predators in court. WHENMonday, April 15 at 11:15 a.m. WHEREOn the sidewalk outside the Missouri Attorney General's office, 207 W. High Street (between Broadway and Washington) in Jefferson City

Clergy abuse victims leafletting & news conf Wed 3/20 @ 1:00 p.m. in Alton

March 19, 2024

Victims to leaflet church where accused priest was ousted With little attention, cleric was suspended 6 months ago A 2nd predator priest, now deceased, also worked there SNAP: ‘Bishop must do outreach to seek others in pain’ WHAT Six months ago, a priest was quietly suspended after being accused of sexually abusing a child. Clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will hold a brief sidewalk news conference and then leaflet around a Catholic parish and school where he worked and reportedly molested. WHEN Wednesday, March 20 at 1:00 p.m. WHERE Outside Immaculate Conception-St. Mary's Church, 519 East 4th Street in Alton, IL (618 465 4284)

The Archdiocese of Washington DC (ADW) wants to thwart the will of the people of Maryland by declaring the CVA unconstitutional.

March 04, 2024

The Archdiocese of Washington DC (ADW) wants to thwart the will of the people of Maryland bydeclaring the CVA unconstitutional. ADW speaks out of both sides of its mouth after relying on funds obtained by the retroactiveapplication of asbestos civil cases. The CVA was passed unanimously in the Maryland legislature and rapidly signed by the governor WHAT: A sidewalk news conference, abuse survivors and advocates who are part of SNAP, the SurvivorsNetwork of those Abused by Priests, will demand that the ADW stop their immoral and unethicalpractices of re-abusing and re-traumatizing survivors by attempting to have the Child Victims’ Act (CVA)declared unconstitutional. In 2017 the ADW, along with the other two dioceses in Maryland quietlysnuck in a provision to the child abuse statutes that seemingly treated child abuse under statute ofrepose restrictions. This seemingly prevented the ability for child abuse lawsuits from EVER beingresurrected through any retroactive changes in the statutes. However, even first year law studentsunderstand that you can pretend to call a pig a duck, but that doesn’t make it a duck. Child abuse simplydoes not follow the definition of repose. The ADW is doing this despite the fact that about 25 years ago,they not only benefited from but actually encouraged the legislature to amend the existing statute ofrepose for asbestos so that they, the ADW, could sue for retroactive damages, which they did. WHEN: Wednesday 3/6/24 at approximately noon (immediately following the hearing scheduled to startat 10 AM)

Take Action and Stop Child Sexual Abuse

If you see child sexual abuse, or have a reasonable suspicion of sexual abuse or your child has been sexually abused, call 911 or your local police immediately.

If you suspect abuse, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or visit the Child Help Hotline. Trained crisis operators staff the lines 24/7 to answer your questions. If necessary, they will show you how to report in your local area.

Child pornography is a federal crime. If you see or suspect images that may be child pornography, report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTip Line.

Spread the Word!
Sign in if you'd like new recruits to be credited to you.

Donate Report Abuse to your AG

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

Share Your Story Get Help Now Locations

Donate Today

Your donation today ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us tomorrow.

Choose Amount:

$10

$25

$50

$75

$100

$150

Donate