Letter to Ford Motor Co.

February 2, 2005

Dear Ford Motor Co.:

We are adults who were sexually abused by priests, as children or as adults. We have just learned of your TV ad to be shown during the Super Bowl this Sunday. We ask that you do not run the ad.

Your ad selling the Lincoln truck uses the sensational issue of clergy abuse in a manner that trivializes and exploits the Catholic church sex crisis. Further, it is extremely offensive to females who have been molested.

We ask that you withdraw the spot. As you know, it features a priest in a Roman collar longingly rubbing his hands over a new truck, looking at a shy young girl, and posting the word “LUST” on the church marquee. That juxtaposition, in just a few seconds, after years of horrific scandal, is incendiary and insensitive.

We feel that it simply rubs salt into an already very deep and still hurting wound for many of us.

Other organizations and individuals who work with abuse victims share our concerns, as you can see from our news release.

Because much attention has focused on assaults against boys, girls and women who have been sexually attacked and exploited by clergy already feel very marginalized and ignored. This ad will only deepen their pain.

We are leaders of SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a Chicago-based national support group for clergy abuse survivors. We have over 5,300 members from all 50 states and hold support group meetings in 54 cities. For more information about us please see our website: SNAPNetwork.org

We trust you will pull this ad so as not to cause any further suffering to those who have been raped and sodomized by trusted clergy.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Barbara Blaine
President, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
PO Box 6416
Chicago IL 60680
312 399 4747

David Clohessy
National Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
7234 Arsenal Street
St. Louis MO 63143
314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915

Barbara Dorris
Outreach Coordinator, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
6245 Westminster
St. Louis MO 63130
314 862 7688