Winter 2020

All Survivors Day; 2020 SNAP Conference Sessions on Youtube; Notice of Upcoming Deadline in Boy Scout of America Cases; Remembering Jerry Arnal; Catholic Uprising: New Series Available on Youtube; Unique Ways to Support SNAP; Christa Brown on Stopping Baptist Predators; SNAP Leaders in the News

All Survivors Day

We hope you will join us in recognizing All Survivors Day on Saturday, November 7, 2020. Due to the ongoing situation with COVID, we are not going to promote in-person events, but instead are focusing on a digital engagement campaign with our ASD partner organizations. We need your help to make this year’s ASD special, so click here to learn more how you can use your social media account to help spread the word about #AllSurvivorsDay.

2020 SNAP Conference Sessions Now Available on Youtube

As highly requested, we have now made all the sessions from our first-ever virtual SNAP conference available to view on Youtube! Special thank you to the speakers, breakout leaders, SNAP Leaders, staff and survivors that helped make this possible. 

Notice of Upcoming Deadline in Boy Scout of America Cases

Were you or someone you know abused in the Boy Scouts of America? If so, you should know that the deadline to file a Proof of Claim form in the Boy Scouts of America case is November 16, 2020. If you are interested in learning more about this upcoming deadline, we encourage you to contact a local attorney you trust or get in touch with the SNAP National Office for more information.

Remembering Jerry Arnal

A longtime SNAP Leader, supporter, and friend passed away on September 9, 2020 at the age of 58. Jerry Arnal supported survivors in the Youngstown, OH area and was a warm and kind presence to all who knew him. We are saddened to lose Jerry and our hearts go out to all of his loved ones during this challenging time.

Thank you for all that you did to support survivors and protect children, Jerry. Our network is lesser without you.

Click here to read Jerry's obituary.

“CATHOLIC UPRISING” – New Series now Available on YouTube!

A new advocacy website and series called Catholic Uprising has recently been launched by survivor-advocate Ryan Gilligan. A former monk, Ryan has a unique perspective on the clergy abuse crisis and is launching a new series where he talks with survivors about their stories, trying to bring more awareness to the world about abuse in the Church because there is a lot of misinformation. If you are interested in getting in touch with Ryan and being a part of his series, you can email him at [email protected] and you can check out CATHOLIC UPRISING on YouTube here.    

Unique Ways to Support SNAP

If you've been looking for ways to support SNAP, look no further. SNAP offers a variety of ways through which charitable donations may be made. Beyond the traditional check and credit card donations we receive on a regular basis, there are other unique options that you might like to consider to help support SNAP and they can all be found here.

SNAP Leader Christa Brown contacted 18 Baptist leaders to seek help after she revealed that she had been repeatedly sexually abused as a kid by a Southern Baptist pastor. They ignored her and sent their high power attorneys after her. Her music minister told her to keep quiet about the abuse. These responses sparked a fire inside of Christa and she's been working to hold Baptist leaders accountable ever since. In this podcast of "Speaking Out on Sex Abuse", Christa talks about the database that she created to identify predator preachers in the Southern Baptist church. In a separate episode, Christa shares her own story of being sexually abused by a Baptist pastor, and of the shaming and cover-up that followed when it came to light.

SNAP Leaders in the News

• SNAP Leader Janet Klinger reacts to news that the Diocese of Rockville Centre has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection because of financial pressure from lawsuits over past sexual abuse by clergy members.
• “I don't think it's enough... It was a very short window... Less than two months [were given] and this is in the middle of the Coronavirus,” said Virginia SNAP Leader Becky Ianni in response to the Richmond Diocese settlement. 
• Canadian SNAP Leader Brenda Brunelle was featured in an original CityTV documentary, Veracity: Unrepentant, that examines sexual abuse allegations against an order of Catholic priests based in Toronto.  
• P.K. Hill shared her story as a survivor with the Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County in an incredibly moving video that you can view on YouTube here.
• A letter written by SNAP Leader Kevin Bourgeois and Executive Director Zach Hiner was sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C., and Pope Francis, calling for the removal of New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond.
• SNAP Leader Dianne Couts gave an online presentation about the long-term effects of childhood abuse for the organization A Better Way. 
• SNAP Aotearoa spearheaded a Loud Fence protest in front of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. SNAP Leader Chris Longhurst said the movement began as a protest but is now "an acknowledgment of the wrongdoing."
• “I’ve never been a politician in my life...I’m not a legislator, and I successfully was an active part of changing the statutes of limitations in Pennsylvania.” Check out this interview on SNAP Leader Shaun Dougherty's campaign for the 35th Senatorial District Seat and what he is bringing to the table in Pennsylvania.