Statement Regarding Privacy
of Shanley Victim

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis,
National Director of SNAP
314 566 9790

January 8, 2004

We ache for all of Shanley's victims, whether they were abused as children, as teens or as adults.

We are grateful that at least four of them found the strength and courage to do what every citizen who is sexually assaulted should do: turn to the criminal justice system to try and protect others.

It's terribly sad that in 2005 protecting the privacy of men and women who were raped and sodomized by Catholic clerics is still somehow up for debate. The victims of sex crimes deserve better.

Should Shanley's hardball defense lawyer prevail, it will have a chilling effect on rape and abuse victims even beyond Massachusetts. It will hamstring efforts by police and prosecutors to safeguard the vulnerable from serial predators, and will contradict and undermine years of progress made by the victims' rights movement.

We remain hopeful and confident that justice will be done, others who were wounded and are still suffering will come forward, Shanley will be prosecuted, and families will be safer when he is behind bars.