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The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests SNAP
Press Releases
For immediate release: For more information: Sex Abuse Victims Hold Support Group Meetings in Dozens of Cities On the eve of a new self-survey from America's Catholic bishops on sexual abuse, the nation's largest self-help group for clergy molestation victims today announced that it will hold support group meetings in dozens of cities tomorrow night. Selected news media will be invited to attend part of the sessions. At the same time, the group will also an online support group chatroom for survivors who do not have a local support group in their area. The chatroom will be operated out of Raleigh, N.C. The organization, SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), has 55 chapters across the country, that meet monthly or bi-weekly to give victims and their families a safe place to cope with their pain and move beyond it. "So much focus is being put on these days," said Barbara Blaine of Chicago IL, President and Founder of the group. "We felt that opening up our support groups would be a good way to remind people that this crisis is about thousands of individual shattered lives, not estimates and figures and dollars." Meetings will be held in the following cities: Anchorage, Tucson, San Diego, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Boulder, Tampa, Chicago, Wichita, New Orleans, St. Louis, Kansas City, Central New Jersey, Mendham, New York City, Cleveland, Portland, Philadelphia and Spokane. In a few locations, where SNAP chapters do not yet exist, individual abuse victims may hold silent vigils as an expression of support for fellow victims elsewhere across the country. Candlelight vigils will be held in Connecticut and Canada. SNAP also plans to hold a news conference in Washington DC on Friday
when the John Jay survey is released. It will be held at the National
Press Club at 9:15 a.m. (Eastern) Leaders of the group will also
be available after both the National Lay Review Board's news conference
at 10:00 a.m., and the bishops' news conference at noon.
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Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests www.snapnetwork.org | ||