Sex Abuse Victims Start 35 New Support Groups

SNAP Tops 4,500 Members In 44 Active Chapters

The nation's largest support group for clergy molestation victims grew "like wild fire" last year and now has 44 active monthly support groups meeting across the country.

The Chicago-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) started in 2002 with less than 3,000 members and 9 active local chapters. The organization now has more than 4,500 members in virtually every state, and monthly support group meetings in 44 cities.

Last year, new SNAP support groups formed in 35 cities, including Seattle, Denver, Tampa, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Sacramento, San Diego, Houston, and Portland, OR. Chapters currently being organized include Orlando, Detroit, Las Vegas, Cleveland, Buffalo, Dallas and Sitka, Alaska.

SNAP began 2002 with groups that met sporadically became re-invigorated and started to meet more regularly. They include Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and New York City.

"Our self-help groups provide a safe, confidential and independent place for hurting men and women to recover from this traumatic childhood pain," said Terrie Light, a San Francisco social worker and one of SNAP's founding members. "Through our support groups, individual survivors learn they are no longer alone. They learn coping and recovery strategies and become empowered to break their silence, report their abuse to the proper authorities, and protect others at risk."

Roughly 98% of its members are survivors, 2% are family members. More than 90% were victimized by Catholic clergy (brothers, bishops, nuns, priests, and seminarians), the rest by Protestant clergy. The overwhelming majority of victims who contact SNAP hear about the group first through the news media. Others learn about SNAP through the web site www.snapnetwork.org or their therapist.

Survivors needing to someone fluent in Spanish can call: Rita Milla, (310) 834-7033, drasil2000@hotmail.com, Carlos Perez-Carillo, 818-269-1221, muzicman818@juno.com or Sonia Rubino at flowerhealer56@aol.com.

New SNAP support groups formed in 2002 include:

Arizona (Phoenix) - Paul Pfaffenberger, 480-600-7811, paulpfaff@aol.com

California (Glendale) - Steven Sanchez, 818-262-6540, glendalesnap@yahoo.com

California (Long Beach) - Mary Ferrell, , 626-835-9066, snapMaryF@aol.com

California (Sacramento) - Mike Beam, 916-709-1148, mykbeam@pacbell.net

California (San Diego) - Mark Brooks, 800-233-3182 ext. 117, snapsandiego@mail.com

California (Ventura County) - Manny Vega, 805-207-9027, mvega2@adelphia.net

California (San Jose) - Ray Peltier, 408-205-8876, raypeltier@att.net

California (Santa Rosa) - Don Hoard, 707-763-9366, hoards@cs.com

Colorado (Denver) - Connie Ross, 303-988-4500, snapdenver@yahoo.com

Colorado (Boulder)- Marnie Williams, 303-550-9062, snapboulder@yahoo.com

Delaware - Gabi Lindtner, 302-377-6985, 302-832-2994, Joan Dougherty, snapdel@acninc.net

District of Columbia - Bridget Lyons, 301-879-7317, bhmlyons@yahoo.com

Florida (Tampa-St. Pete) - Melissa Price, 727-844-9960, snapperstpete@yahoo.com

Florida (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale) - Judy Rakestraw, 305-926-5858, snapmiami@aol.com

Kansas (Wichita) - Janet Patterson, 620 456 2330, patterson@havilandtelco.com

Louisiana (New Orleans) - Lyn Hayward, 985-630-6638, lasnap@covad.net

Maryland (Baltimore) - Martin Menton, 410-707-1954, mdmenton@yahoo.com

Massachusetts (Norwood) - John Harris, 781-551-8048, hdragoon57@aol.com, or Robert Costello, 617-306-4785, robertcostello@earthlink.net

Massachusetts (Natick) - Ann Hagan Webb, 781-239-1182, annhaganwebb@survivorsnetwork.org

Massachusetts (Worcester) - Bryan Smith, 978-928-4721, brysmi2@aol.com

Massachusetts (Fitchburg) - Bryan Smith, 978-928-4721, brysmi2@aol.com

Michigan (Grand Rapids and Detroit) - Steven Kelly, 616-868-0324, snapgrandrapids@msn.com

Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul) - Mike Wegs 612-823-4576, mdflem@bitstream.net and Belinda Martinez, 651-773-0607, IDGAS999@hotmail.com

New York (Utica) - Joyce Nebush, 315-896-2481, nebushjm@borg.com

New York (Syracuse) - Joyce Nebush, 315-896-2481, nebushjm@borg.com

New Jersey (Mendham) - Pat Serrano, 973-543-4249, pat.serrano@verizon.net

New Jersey (Cherry Hill) - Barbara Polesir, 856-424-4827, Barbara.polesir@pncbank.com

North Carolina (Raleigh) - Marigrace Labella, 919-418-2869, snapral@yahoo.com

Ohio (Toledo) - Claudia Vercellotti, 419-382-7373, snaptoledo@mail.com

Oregon (Portland) - Bill Crane, 503-698-4584, snaporegon@aol.com

Pennsylvania (Allentown) - Juliann Bortz, 610-432-2895, juliannbortz@yahoo.com

Texas (Houston) - Miguel Prats, 713-554-5732, snaphoustontx@yahoo.com,

Washington (Seattle) - Tom Keenan, 425-776-0602, snap.seattle@attbi.com

Washington (Spokane) - Molly Harding, 509-991-8834, 509-466-1877, jmharding6@attbi.com

Wisconsin (Racine) - Jon Gillespie, 847-710-9989, jongillespie@sbcglobal.net

More well-established SNAP groups have added new spokespeople who include:

California (San Francisco) - Paul Hessinger, 510-727-1872, terrie@light-hall.com

California (Orange County and Los Angeles) - Lee Bashforth, 949-735-8347, bash4th@cox.net

Illinois (Chicago) - Don Robinson, 847-356-7703, drobinson636@hotmail.com

Massachusetts (Boston) - Ann Hagan Webb 781-239-1182, annhaganwebb@survivorsnetwork.org

Missouri (Kansas City) - Mike Hunter, 913-648-3365, mhunter_mp@accessus.net

Missouri (St. Louis) - Steve Pona, 314-369-8687, spona1@aol.com

New York (NYC) - David Cerulli, 917-757-1791, snapnyc@rcn.com

Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) - John Salveson, 610-525-2678, snapphila@aol.com

Wisconsin (Milwaukee) - Mark Salmon, 414-774-4350, msalmon@yahoo.com

Chapters being organized currently include:

Alaska (Sitka) - James Weis, 907-747-4862, weisguys@ptialaska.net

Florida (St. Augustine) - Jeannie Moore, 904-461-9058, snapstaugustine@aol.com

Florida (Orlando) - Richard Heinkel, 407-228-4038, richardhheinkel@msn.com

Massachusetts (Springfield) - Mark Furnish, 518-366-5842, furnishesq@hotmail.com

Michigan (Detroit) - Claudia Vercellotti, 419-382-7373, snaptoledo@mail.com and Steven Kelly, 616-868-0324, snapgrandrapids@msn.com

Mississippi (Hattiesburg) - Mark Belenchia, 601-818-3003, snapmiss@yahoo.com

Nevada (Las Vegas) - Debbie Tullgren, 702-568-6337, hendmom4@yahoo.com

New Jersey (Pennsauken) - Victoria Cubberley, krayziejen@comcast.net

New York (Albany, Buffalo, Rochester) - Joyce Nebush, 315-896-2481, nebushjm@borg.com

Ohio (Cleveland) - Bennie Pacheco, 440-935-7029, kathyjp@eriecoast.com

Texas (Dallas) - Kris Galland, 817-329-0599, snapdfwtx@yahoo.com

Wisconsin (Green Bay) - Larry Pierquet, 920-897-4918, peterisely@yahoo.com

Wisconsin (Madison) - Patti Merchant, 414-224-0880, marchant@ameritech.net

In other states, SNAP has named coordinators or spokespersons. In most of these, no local SNAP groups currently meet, but may be organized in the future. They include:

Arizona (Tucson) - Anne Keshishian, 520-229-9315, annekesh@aol.com

California (San Bernardino) - Jim Falls, 949-291-5795, jimefalls@msn.com

Idaho (Idaho Falls) - Tim McKenna, 208-524-4087, tmck5@juno.com

Indiana (South Bend) - Lois Myers, 574-289-8579, lmyers000@ameritech.net

Iowa (Des Moines) - John Chambers, 515-993-6820, jsc2597@aol.com

Kentucky (Louisville) - Gerald Payne, 888-888-8876, alteredboys@aol.com

Maine (Portland) - Cyndi DesRosiers, 207-622-4075, cynglcinderella@juno.com

Michigan (Flint) - Colleen Ptak, 810-733-3579, colly029@aol.com

Mississippi (Canton) - Susan Cannon, 601-856-5044, suzn1016@hotmail.com

Missouri (Springfield-Branson) - Phil Pisciotta, 417-546-5861, SNAPMO@yahoo.com

New Jersey (Camden) - Peter Pfister, 863-666-2159, plumbcrazy777777@aol.com

New York (Albany) - Mark Furnish, 518-366-5842, furnishesq@hotmail.com

North Carolina - Neil Evans, 828-299-3972, nealevansfinance@aol.com

Ohio (Cincinnati) - Dr. Michael Hancock, 513-309-8038, mhancockdc@hotmail.com

Rhode Island (Providence) - Phyllis Hutnak, 401-368-1680, sctruememory@yahoo.com

Virginia (Norfolk) - Annette Dickerson, 757-963-8937, apdickerson@transystems.com

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