Sex abuse victims want
whistle-blower priest honored
Christian Brothers
transferred predator to Wollongong
Was a teacher and the
headmaster of a local school
A fellow priest worked
to expose abuse
SNAP: urges anyone who
saw, suspected, or suffered child sex crimes to come
forward
WHAT
Holding signs and
childhood photos at a
footpath news conference, clergy sex abuse victims
and their supporters will urge anyone who saw, suspected, or suffered child sex
crimes to;
--come forward, make a
report and start healing,
--SNAP will urge the
current Wollongong Bishop to find more victims
--SNAP will also honor
the memory of the priest who worked so hard to expose
abuse
WHEN
Friday
November 30 at 2:00
p.m.
WHERE
Outside Edmund Rice
College 112 Mount Keira Road, West Wollongong
WHO
Two to three members
of an international support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those
Abused by Priests) including an American woman who is the organisations president and
founder.
WHY
In 1994 police in
Wollongong were prepared to lay charges against Brother Michael Evans for sexual
assault against a boy. Brother Evans was the headmaster of a local school,
Edmund Rice College. Brother Evans committed suicide before police were able to charge him.
Brother Evans was also
accused of abusing a boy while he was working in Sydney, prior to moving to
Wollongong. Upon learning of the allegation against Brother Evans, his Christian
Brother superiors moved him to Wollongong.
When Father Maurie
Crocker was told by a seminary student that he was abused by Brother
Evans, Crocker went to the police and encouraged the victims to make a
statement. Father Crocker was later found dead.
Victims
want to see Crocker’s memory honored. They question why other priests are not
taking similar actions to expose predators and protect children. They will ask
that other priests and church officials who know of or suspect sex crimes to
speak up.
They want
to ensure the cover-ups stop, those responsible are held accountable and that
those who worked to expose abuse and protect kids are honored.
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC19980407044
CONTACT
Barbara
Blaine, SNAP President and Founder (0449 018 594 or +1 312 399 4747, bblaine@snapnetwork.org)
Nicky Davis,
SNAP Australia Leader ( 0422 538 440, nicky@nickydavis.com.au)
Mark Fabbro,
SNAP Australia Leader ( 0411 390 850,
survivorsclergy@gmail.com)