Update on the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in France
The independent commission on sexual abuse set up by the French Catholic Church estimates that at least 3,000 people have been victimized by abusive priests since the 1950s. The real number could be closer to 10,000 according to other sources.
On March 2 the commission was releasing its initial findings following two years of interviews with hundreds of survivors. One is left with the usual grim picture of a "mass crime" in the words of Jean-Marc Sauvé, the commission's president. Sauvé insisted on the role of restorative justice and the need for the church to sanction guilty priests but also to take into account survivors' needs for recognition and reparation which go beyond financial compensation. The complete report should be released in September and SNAP will bring it to you in the second of its two-part series on the subject.
For more information, here is an article from France on the commission.
If you have any general questions, feel free to reach out to Marc Artzrouni, SNAP Europe Coordinator.
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
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