NORTH CAROLINA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Monday, March 24, 2014
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com )
An Asheville Baptist church is behind reports of “suspicious activity” directed at teenage girls. SNAP calls on church officials to use common sense and better train their volunteers on how to interact with kids.
As part of an effort to boost church attendance, several “well dressed men” tried to lure young girls to their cars. Most parents in America teach their children to never get into a car with a stranger, so to have a church group attempt to get congregants by baiting minors to approach strange cars is appalling.
The pastor, Rev. Keith Shelton of Gospel Baptist Church, said they would “review their policies” on interacting with children, but that’s too little too late. Church officials should apologize to the community, post clear guidelines on such “outreach” on their website and harshly discipline any church employees or members who do this in the future.
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