SNAP Applauds the Passage of Assembly Bill 218
A bill that will support California survivors of child sexual abuse and help protect today's children has just passed in the California Assembly. It now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature. We applaud California lawmakers for passing this bill and hope that the governor will sign it immediately.
Assembly Bill 218 will extend the statute of limitations for lawsuits for damages. Victims of childhood sexual violence will have until they are 40 years old to file a civil suit, a significant increase from the current age of 26 and a serious help to survivors who may be suffering in silence. The bill will also open a three-year “window” that would allow anyone, no matter how old they are or how long ago their abuse occurred, to file a lawsuit, even if their claim is already beyond the statute of limitations.
This “window to justice” will allow important information about abusers and their enablers to be exposed, helping to create safer, more informed communities. In cases where the criminal statute of limitations has expired, this may well be the only avenue to expose these "hidden predators" and those who covered up for them.
We are grateful to Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez for introducing and championing this bill from its inception to today’s passage. Her leadership was critical in getting it across the finish line, and we hope that other legislators around the country will follow in her footsteps and introduce needed reforms in their own states.
CONTACT: Esther Hatfield Miller, SNAP Los Angeles ([email protected], 562-673-9442), Dan McNevin, SNAP Oakland ([email protected], 415-341-6417), Joey Piscitelli, SNAP Northern California ([email protected], 925-262-3699) Melanie Sakoda, SNAP San Francisco ([email protected], 925-708-6175) 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