Twenty New Abusers Exposed in New York Following the Filing of 52 Lawsuits
52 lawsuits were filed against the Diocese of Albany on Monday, and thanks to those lawsuits the names of twenty new abusers have been made public. We applaud these survivors for coming forward and know that children and the vulnerable will be safer because of these filings.
Notably, of the new names of abusers revealed by these lawsuits, seven of them are nuns. This means that 10% of all publicly identified abusers in Albany are nuns. This helps highlight an often-ignored part of the clergy abuse scandal and brings public attention to the fact that sexual abuse is not just a priest issue, but an institutional issue. As more and more windows are opened nationwide, more and more reports about abuse by nuns are coming out and we believe that it is time that bishops publicly address the issue of abuse by nuns.
This story is yet another example that windows are critical to getting hidden information out into the public. Informed communities are safer communities and the more that parishioners, parents and the public are aware of these crimes, the better able we are to protect children and the vulnerable from abuse. Due to COVID-19, New York’s window has been extended to August 2021 and we hope that this story will encourage other survivors who have yet to come forward to stand up, make a report to police, and continue on their path towards justice and healing.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, SNAP 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