Shaun Dougherty, victim advocate and survivor of clergy sex abuse, makes a bid for the state Senate
One of the most outspoken and recognizable faces in the clergy sex abuse survivor community is taking his public advocacy up another notch: Shaun Dougherty is making a bid to represent the state’s 35th Senatorial District.
Doughtery, a Democrat from Johnstown, on Friday officially filed his candidacy with the state, and by Monday expects to launch his campaign.
The 35th District represents Cambria and Bedford counties, along with parts of Clearfield County.
Dougherty’s candidacy brings him full circle to a pivotal moment that changed his life and, he said, marked the beginning of his healing.
Four years ago, Dougherty had not ever been to the state Capitol when he agreed to meet there with PennLive to finally come out and share his story of sexual abuse as a child at the hands of a priest.
The visit and the revelations he shared propelled Dougherty to become a public figure within clergy sex abuse survivor community, and one of its most ardent advocates.
Since that time, Dougherty has advocated on behalf of victims and has pushed for legislative reforms that would address justice for victims. He has appeared on dozens of major TV networks, including CNN,MSNBC and NBC; and has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and such overseas outlets as News 24 France.
Time and again over the past four years, Dougherty was a fixture under the Capitol Rotunda, where he could be found pacing the marble hallways as lawmakers in the two chambers deliberated critical proposals poised to impact the lives of thousands of child sex abuse victims.
The irony is not lost on him.
“What’s the historic value for me personally?,” said Dougherty, 50. “Everybody asks what’s healing. Everyone heals in different ways and healing is different to everyone. That’s powerful healing for me. The separation of church and state is important. If I get to cast a vote along with all the other votes that I would cast over a four-year term, it would be an honor. A true, true honor.”
The district is currently represented by Sen. Wayne Langerholc, a Re...
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