www.SNAPnetwork.org
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

URGENT !

COMMENTS NEEDED.

NSW parliamentary motion proposing justice for victims of catholic clergy sex abuse.

For more information click HERE

Comments on the consultation page close on February 6th.

RESEARCH PROJECT PARTICIPANTS NEEDED

“Sexual Assault in the Catholic Church:
Are Victims Finding Justice?”

To get information on how to participate

[ CLICK HERE ]

SNAP Legal Action

For all things related to the
SNAP and Center for Constitutional Rights lawsuit filed against
the Vatican and Pope Benedict
for violations of human rights
[ CLICK HERE ]

Video: Moves to Put the Pope in Court

We invite clergy abuse victims, family members of victims, and supporters of victims to be involved and to join SNAP. Click Here To ...

Join SNAP

Joining SNAP is free and completely confidential. We never sell nor share our membership list with anyone.

We are also looking for survivors to start SNAP chapters. Chapter leaders must be able to conduct a monthly self-help support group meeting in their local area and promote the missions of SNAP.

Contact Mark Fabbro, Nicky Davis,
Barbara Dorris, or Steven Spaner
for details.

FEELING DESPONDENT?
CALL THE SUICIDE HOT LINE.
TELE: 13 11 14

Click on a heading below to see information on the topic:

Meeting Announcements

& Contact Information

Where To Report Your Abuse

Victims' Stories (listen and read)

Headlines / News Archives

Public Awareness Presentations and Radio Interviews

Information and Support

Other Australian organisations concerned with child abuse prevention.

PUBLICLY ACCUSED CLERGY

Partial List

Pedophiles and Impunity

[ 9 part documentary ]

SNAP

AUSTRALIA

HEADLINES/NEWS STORIES

Group Demands Bishop Disclose Alexander Allegations

Chad Blair January 24, 2012

A group called Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests held a press conference outside of the Honolulu Catholic Diocese. Judy Jones, SNAP’s midwest associate director, delivered a letter to the diocese asking Bishop Larry Silva to “disclose all allegations against Fr. Marc Alexander and why he left his priesthood.”
... [click HERE for complete story]

Celibacy in priesthood is 'soon to be a thing of the past'

Lynne Kelleher January 23, 2012

A MISSIONARY priest who has saved hundreds of children from a life of sexual abuse has described celibacy in the Catholic Church as a "business arrangement" that will soon be a thing of the past.
... [click HERE for complete story]

Prayers, Protesters Mix At Red Mass

Jill Kuramoto January 19, 2012

Governor Neil Abercrombie and state lawmakers gathered for Mass Thursday as part of a tradition in Hawaii for more than half a century. But this year, the annual Red Mass was met by protesters angry over the church's teachings and actions.
... [click HERE for complete story]

Catholic church denies negligence over Hunter paedophile

JOANNE MCCARTHY January 17, 2012

THREE men are suing the Catholic church over allegations they were sexually assaulted by a paedophile teacher whose child sex convictions were known to Maitland-Newcastle diocese.
... [click HERE for complete story]

SNAP subpoenas harm key ally for victims

NCR Editorial January 13, 2012

... Despite assurances that most cases of abuse are in the past and that reporting procedures have been strengthened, the clergy sex abuse scandal continues. That is why the work of groups like the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP) is invaluable. And that work is now under threat.
... [click HERE for complete story]

Actor's play exposes Irish hell

Retta Blaney January 13, 2012

... “a church that profited from the forced manual labor of 150,000 children, and a state that supplied them with these child workers,” he writes. “This is not James’ story, it is the story of all the children that went through to rooms of hell and horror in institutions run by the congregations of religious brothers and nuns, under the license of the state. It is the story of those who suffered in these cruel places and those who were witness to that suffering. We all had a childhood. Let this be our common bond when we read ‘James X’ or Nothing to Say.” ... [click HERE for complete story]

Archbishop Martin pays tribute to Irish journalist who exposed child abuse in Ireland (video)

KATE HICKEY January 12, 2012

Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin paid tribute to journalist and documentary maker Mary Raftery, who passed away on Wednesday. ... Her work was widely viewed as having led to the establishment of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. The Commission reported its findings in May of 2009.
... [click HERE for complete story]

Archbishop asks his priests to pay into fund for abuse victims

B Duggan and M Hilliard January 9, 2012

... Up to 80 priests in 46 parishes across Tipperary and Limerick have been asked to contribute to the Clergy Contribution Fund. If every priest complied with the request, it would raise approximately 50,000 for the diocese per annum. ... [click HERE for complete story]

Nicola Roxon promises new laws will be scrutinised to meet the UN standard

Piers Akerman January 8, 2012

... Section 129 of the Queensland Criminal Code deals with destroying evidence and states: “Any person who, knowing that any book, document or other thing of any kind, is or may be required in evidence in a judicial proceeding, wilfully destroys it or renders it illegible or undecipherable or incapable of identification, with intent thereby to prevent it from being used in evidence, is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for 3 years.” It is incontrovertible that it is illegal to destroy documents before court proceedings commence.

Readers of this column well know some of the most senior legal minds in Australia have expressed their gravest concern at the Queensland Goss government’s shredding of evidence concerning the rape of Annette McIntosh when she was a ward of the Queensland government. ... [click HERE for complete story]

Church finally says 'Sorry' to victms of Fr Thomas O'Keeffe

Broken Rites January 1, 2012

After action by Broken Rites Australia, the Melbourne Catholic archdiocese has apologized to former altar boys of Father Thomas O'Keeffe(his surname has also been spelt as O'Keefe).
... [click HERE for complete story]

Church harboured Fr Victor Rubeo for 3 decades after his offences

Broken Rites January 1, 2012

The Catholic Church in Australia harboured a priest, Father Victor Gabriel Rubeo, for three decades after he indecently assaulted two boys in one of his earliest parishes (in Melbourne in the 1960s). In 1996 he pleaded guilty in court after these two victims finally spoke to police. On 28 October 2011, Rubeo appeared in court again, charged with 30 additional offences (in the 1960s) against the same two boys.
... [click HERE for complete story]

'If you tell, you go to hell'

During Pope Benedict's visit to Britain in the north of England (16 September 2010) Channel 4 News Nick Martin meets three clerical sex abuse victims who tell him their harrowing stories.

Welcome to SNAPAustralia.org
( Created by and for survivors of sexual abuse by clergy )

This site is all about the TRUTH
...and there is plenty of it, so
KEEP ON SCROLLING DOWN.
We try very hard to always update and post items on this web site, with complete integrity.

We realize it takes a lot of courage to reach out for help, and we thank you for visiting our site. We also realize this trauma reaches family members and those who are concerned and frustrated about the sex abuse crisis within the religious community.

This web site is a place to find information about our SNAP support meetings in your local area, plus we are constantly updating news stories and information about clergy who have been publicly accused of sex abuse within the Australian dioceses. Our goal is survivor support, public education, and protection of kids.

We also plan to post survivor video stories. Sometimes it helps to listen to these stories to better understand the trauma and life pain of those who have been harmed by clergy and those who are related to these survivors: family and friends.

We post on this site many links to other self help groups and information to support victims. SNAP leaders' email addresses and phone numbers are posted for you when you need direct help and support, please feel free to contact any of these compassionate people who care about survivors. SNAP leaders know that the principle wish of every survivor is healing and the desire to see that their experiences never happen to another child, young person, or vulnerable adult.

You, who are survivors of sex abuse did NOT deserve this, did NOT ask for this to happen to you, and it was NOT your fault. There is healing when you are able to speak up and get this burden off your shoulders, and free from your heart. ... give it to the universe to carry for a while.... Just maybe, your life will be much more at peace.

Our ultimate goal is to open up the secrets, stop the silence, support those who have already been harmed, and thereby protect children.

Thank you for making the decision to visit our SNAPAustralia.org web site.