Woman assaulted by priest wins court ruling, SNAP responds
Late last week, a Little Rock Circuit Judge Wendell Griffin (6th Judicial District) ruled that a clergy sexual abuse case will not be dismissed and can proceed toward trial.
We are grateful that this case will move forward. Fr. Charles Kanu apparently used his powerful position as a clergyman to counsel, then assault, this brave woman. After gaining her trust, he attacked her. We fear this is not an isolated incident and suspect that others hurt by Fr. Kanu are still trapped in guilt and self-blame.
We applaud this woman for having the courage to come forward and the wisdom to report these crimes to civil authorities.
We hope that anyone who has seen or suspected Kanu’s misdeeds will contact law enforcement and that anyone who has been harmed by a member of the clergy will contact a support group or therapist and begin healing.
(The victim is represented by Jessica Arbour (305 931 2200, [email protected]) and Adam Horowitz from Miami (305 931 2200, [email protected]).
Read the story here: http://www.fox16.com/mostpopular/story/Woman-says-priest-sexually-abused-and-exploited/eZ_tA6qVa0S4z97Jk_M4rw.cspx
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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