ARKANSAS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Group cancels controversial fundraiser
Victims & advocates called event “callous”
It was intended to help a convicted teacher
She refused to report suspected child sex crimes
Organizations wanted bishop to denounce the event
Advocates: “Public displays of support for proven molesters is wrong”
It deters other victims of other child sex crimes from speaking up, groups say
For immediate release: Friday, October 18, 2013
For more information: Barbara Dorris ( 314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com ), David Clohessy ( 314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com )
A group of Little Rock Catholics has cancelled a fundraising event for a teacher convicted of refusing to report suspected child sex crimes.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests was notified of the cancellation by a call and email from Stuart Hiserodt (512-482-0040), a Texas lawyer representing one of the event’s organizers. (A copy of the email, received late yesterday, is below.)
SNAP and NSAC, the National Survivors Action Coalition, had harshly criticized the event as “hurting at least one child sex abuse victim and deters other child sex abuse victims from speaking up.” They had written Little Rock’s Catholic bishop urging him to “rein in” his flock and discourage attendance and future such events.
The fundraiser was to happen tomorrow and benefit Kathy Gene Griffin, a former Mount St. Mary (MSM) teacher who was found guilty last month of failing to report known or suspected child sex crimes by a fellow teacher, Kelly O’Rourke, to authorities.
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