SNAP Stands with Survivors from the Boy Scouts of America
A new lawsuit is alleging ongoing cover-up of cases of child abuse within the ranks of the Boy Scouts of America. Survivors and advocates from SNAP stand in solidarity with these survivors of institutional sexual abuse and hope that they will have the chance at justice they deserve.
Attorneys Tim Kosnoff and Stewart Eisenberg made public files showing that there have been at least 350 “previously unknown” abusers within the BSA. In response to the news, leaders from the BSA said that they have filed at least 120 reports to local law enforcement.
This case is another example of an institution attempting to police itself and failing miserably. The BSA’s own internal database of “ineligible volunteers” is all too similar to the “secret archives” or “bishop’s files” that have been used in the Catholic Church to keep allegations of sexual abuse from becoming public. We hope that law enforcement across the country are looking closely at this news and will be finding ways to obtain and investigate those files and claims for themselves. Police and prosecutors should be the ones tasked with reviewing and storing information about child abusers, not independent institutions.
We hope that this news will encourage others who may have been abused during their time as Boy Scouts to come forward, make a report to police, and find independent sources of help to start healing. We in SNAP stand in solidarity with these survivors and hope that they, too, will get a chance at justice and accountability.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(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