SNAP Looks to Empower Victims

By Aaron Beswick
The Chronicle-Herald
January 24, 2012

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/55117-snap-looks-empower-victims

Susan Schnier and Dave Mantin of SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, were in Port Hawkesbury setting up a chapter of their organization on Monday. Photo by AARON BESWICK

PORT HAWKESBURY — If Dave Mantin gets your cell number, you'd better have a good service plan.

If he doesn't have it yet and you are a possible tool in his campaign to haul sexual abusers to justice, he'll have it soon.

And he will call you and call you and show up at your work­place and your house, if neces­sary.

"I used to be submissive and I'd get the run-around from people in authority, like other victims," said Mantin. "No more."

The maritime director of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) was in Port Hawkesbury on Monday meet­ing with victims of sexual abuse, as well as Mayor Billy Joe Mac-Lean, Cape Breton-Canso MP Rodger Cuzner and Richmond MLA Michel Samson.

Mantin was also training two victims of abuse to run a Port Hawkesbury chapter of the in­ternational organization that has expanded its services to include counselling and advocating for all victims of sexual abuse.

"It's fallen on individual abuse victims to right the wrongs be­cause the institutions of our society aren't getting the job done."

Mantin pointed to the recent overturning of former Port Hawkesbury businessman Er­nest Fenwick MacIntosh's con­victions on sex crimes by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal due to delays in bringing him to trial.

Mantin said he's been in con­tact with two former residents of an orphanage in India from which MacIntosh was banned after allegations that he was abusing boys while taking them on trips around the country. The men allege they are victims of MacIntosh. Mantin said a lawyer is lined up to sue Passport Cana­da on behalf of the men for re­newing MacIntosh's passport in 1997 and 2002 despite a Canada­wide warrant for his arrest.

While in Port Hawkesbury, Mantin was also speaking to members of a class action against the Diocese of Anti­gonish whose sexual abuse settlements have been drastically cut due to the amount of victims who have come forward.

"I've gone through the cycles of addiction, failed relationships and inability to trust anyone that many of these survivors of sex­ual abuse have gone through," said Mantin, who claims to be a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.

The Saint John, N.B., native went to police in 2009 to press charges against a man there. He alleges he was abused between the ages of nine and 15.

"SNAP has given me my voice back," said Mantin, who repre­sents SNAP's 271 members in the Maritime provinces.

He has plans to establish a chapter in Halifax next month.

Contact: abeswick@herald.ca