Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, established in 1989, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization support group of survivors of clergy sexual abuse and their supporters in the United States. SNAP’s mission is to protect those who are vulnerable to child sexual abuse, heal those who have been wounded, and to prevent future abuse. It exposes predators and those who shield them, helps members share stories so they are empowered, and educates communities about the impact of abuse.[1]

Barbara Blaine, a victim of sex abuse by a priest, is the founder and president. SNAP has 12,000 members in 56 countries.[2] It has branches for religious groups, such as SNAP Baptist, SNAP Orthodox, and SNAP Presbyterian, for non-religious groups (boy scouts, families), and for geographic regions, e.g., SNAP Australia and SNAP Germany.

Activities

On June 13, 2002, SNAP’s David Clohessy addressed the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at its high-profile meeting in Dallas, Texas. He asserted that many church-going Catholics had strong concerns about the way in which bishops were handling the growing child sexual abuse scandal. Clohessy said, “We’re not here because you want us to be. We’re not here because we’ve earned it or have fought hard for it. We’re here because children are a gift from God, and Catholic parents know this! That’s why 87% of them think that if you’ve helped molesters commit their crimes, you should resign.”[3]

On August 8, 2009, former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, who served as the first chair of the National Review Board established by the U.S. Catholic bishops to investigate clergy sex abuse, addressed SNAP’s annual gathering. He admitted he was at first naïve about the scope of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and urged bishops who covered up crimes to be prosecuted.[4]

In 2009 SNAP supported a legislative bill in New York that would push Catholic Church dioceses to disclose the names of all clergy who have been transferred or retired due to "credible allegations" of abuse.[5]

On June 9, 2009, a group of survivors of clergy abuse protested the appointment of Joseph Cistone as bishop of the Saginaw, Michigan diocese.[6]

Retired Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of the Archdiocese of Detroit is a member and strong supporter of SNAP and has helped SNAP do fundraising work.[7] According to the National Catholic Reporter, Gumbleton was punished by the Vatican and removed as a parish pastor because of work he did with SNAP and concerns he had about the Church’s response to child sexual abuse.[8]

Controversy

In 2002, SNAP advocated for a bill in California that lifted the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases. The bill was drafted by Laurence E. Drivon, a lawyer who had represented 320 plaintiffs in clergy abuse cases and who had contributed to SNAP. The lifting of the statute of limitations allowed Drivon and other lawyers to file hundreds of new lawsuits.[9]

In 2004, SNAP acknowledged accepting donations from leading attorneys who had represented clients in abuse cases, but maintained that it did not direct clients to these attorneys.[10]

SNAP's support for Steve Taylor, a psychiatrist convicted on child pornography charges, has been criticized .[11] There was inappropriate material about children on Taylor’s computer, how it got there is uncertain and Taylor drew attention to it himself wanting it removed. The state medical board concluded "no one, including (the Atlanta psychiatrist) testified that Dr. Taylor was a pedophile." Suspicions exist that the material may have been planted. Louisiana examiners knew Taylor had suffered two brain trauma, was sometimes confused and could have poor judgement, they ruled, "We do not believe that the evidence preponderates to the effect that Dr. Taylor intentionally downloaded child pornography, and we so find". Many people fear there was a miscarriage of justice in this case.[11]

In 2015 SNAP was ordered by US District Court Judge Carol E. Jackson to release information on alleged sex abuse victims,[12] during the discovery process of a defamation suit by an accused priest against whom charges were dropped.[13][14] This information has been requested because it is believed that an attorney for the plaintiff in a sex abuse case violated a gag order in leaking information to SNAP.[15] SNAP refused SNAP's founder has been deposed, and the Missouri state Supreme Court refused to intervene.[15] According to David Clohessy, the director and spokesman, it is the most significant legal battle facing the organization in its 23 years and that he personally may be fined or jailed.[12] SNAP refused to provide the judge's order, claiming “rape crisis center privilege”.[16][17] In August 2016, Judge Jackson found no such privilege exists and imposed sanctions against SNAP. The judge found that SNAP had defamed him and conspired against the priest, and order that SNAP pay the priest's legal fees. SNAP's attorney stated they were considering an appeal.

In August 2011, the Catholic League criticized SNAP for what the Catholic League said was libel against then-Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan. The League also called SNAP a "phony victims' group". SNAP had accused Dolan of covering up allegations of sexual abuse.[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ “SNAP Mission Statement,” http://www.snapnetwork.org/mission_statement. Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  2. ↑ “Advocate warns on church’s silence strategy,” http://www.snapnetwork.org/advocate_warns_on_church_s_silence_strategy. Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  3. ↑ "Impact Statement of David Clohessy,”. U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  4. ↑ “Keating recalls service on review board,”. National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  5. ↑ Catholics have mixed reactions on sex abuse bill
  6. ↑ http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=6856472
  7. ↑ "SNAP Call to Action,” http://ccrjustice.org/files/SNAP%20Fundraiser%20Event_4-11-2013.pdf. SNAP website. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  8. ↑ “Vatican moved quickly to punish Gumbleton,”. National Catholic Reporter website. Article dated November 5, 2011 and retrieved 2013-07-10.
  9. ↑ Daniel Lyons (September 15, 2003). "Paid to Picket". Forbes. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
  10. ↑ "The Beaufort Gazette". December 19, 2004. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  11. 1 2 Bruce Nolan (7 August 2011). "St. Tammany doctor convicted in child porn case has startling set of backers". The Times-Picayune.
  12. 1 2 http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2012/01/03/snaps-david-clohessy-could-face-jail-time/
  13. ↑ Currier, Joel (26 June 2015). "Federal lawsuit filed by St. Louis priest cleared of child sex abuse charges". St Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  14. ↑ Fowler, Lilly (17 June 2015). "Charges dropped against St. Louis priest accused of abuse". St Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  15. 1 2 https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jL3yi_tHCTE0UhpjV4HRJzEvkCpQ?docId=952451c7bd0c4050b7aeaf4dcccf2cd1
  16. ↑ Currier, Joel (21 July 2016). "Victim advocates plan to defy court order in lawsuit filed by once-accused St. Louis priest". St Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  17. ↑ Currier, Joel (24 August 2016). "Federal judge sides with St. Louis priest in SNAP defamation case". St Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  18. ↑ Gratitude to the Catholic League
  19. ↑ Lombardi, Kristen (October 31 – November 6, 2003). "Phil Saviano Founder of the local Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests". Boston Phoenix. Retrieved March 4, 2016.

External links

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