150 calls made to Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown hotline established by AG'S Office

By Jayne Ann Bugda
PA Homepage
March 8, 2016

http://www.pahomepage.com/news/150-calls-made-to-diocese-of-altoona-johnstown-hotline-established-by-ags-office

HARRISBURG, DAUPHIN COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) A special hotline received  more than 150 calls  since last week's report of alleged sexual abuse by priests in a Central Pennsylvania Diocese.  

  According to a grand jury report, many of those calls are from victims themselves.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced on Tuesday the fallout continues after the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown was cited in a grand jury report.
  

  The investigation detailed hundreds of cases of abuse over the past four decades. 

Members of the "Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests" (SNAP) are also lending their support to victims today.  
  

They plan to rally this afternoon outside the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese headquarters.  

The hotline — 888-538-8541 — is being manned by investigators who worked directly on the Office of Attorney General’s two-year investigation of the Diocese.

None of the criminal conduct outlined in the grand jury’s report can be prosecuted at this time. That is because of the statute of limitations being expired, abusers being deceased or because traumatized victims are unable to testify in a court of law.