UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
By David Clohessy
It may feel that way, but you’re NOT powerless
“I can’t prosecute. I can’t sue. I’m powerless.”
We hear some version of this from a survivor nearly every day.
It’s a horrible feeling: powerlessness.
It’s especially horrible if you’ve felt it before, when you were being abused.
But while most of us who have been sexually victimized may feel powerless, we really AREN’T powerless.
We have the truth. And often, we have determination. That alone can sometimes prevail.
It did for one brave, eloquent and caring survivor. She has “outed” her perpetrator, a Mennonite pastor and former Conference leader named Vernon Leis.
Not through criminal prosecution or civil litigation.
But by being brave and determined and confronting church officials. This didn’t happen overnight. She first went to them 6 years ago. When they became aware of more information, church officials were compelled to go public – even though the perpetrator died 21 years ago.
Below, you can read the Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) statement, released this past Sunday to congregations where Leis pastored. In a few ways, it’s disappointing. They talk of Leis’ abuse of this courageous woman as “sin and failure.” (To me, this kind of vague language always feels inadequate to convey the devastating effects of sexual exploitation and abuse.)
And there’s no mention whatsoever of the possibility or probability that current or former Mennonite officials ignored, minimized or concealed Leis’ horrific misconduct.
Still, the “take away” is encouraging: Without legal action, this strong survivor hung in there and eventually she succeeded in getting church officials to “out” her perp.
Let’s hope her success inspires others to step forward, speak up and expose wrongdoers. That’s how we prevent clergy sex crimes and sexual misconduct. And that’s how we deter church cover-ups of clergy sex crimes and sexual misconduct.
Finally, for Mennonites who have been abused by clergy or other Mennonite church leaders at any age, there is now new SNAP chapter to support them in seeking healing and justice. This chapter just formed in July of this year and offers confidential help at Mennonite@SNAPnetwork.org See also: SNAPnetwork.org/Mennonite
I’m proud that because of this survivor’s concern and her persistence, others who were hurt by Leis – or other Mennonite predators – now feel less powerless and less alone than they did before.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.