BishopAccountability.org
	Billboard Seeks Abuse Victims By Jeff Bernthal CW11 September 27, 2006 http://cw11tv.trb.com/news/kplr-news-092706-01,0,4040839.story South St. Louis — The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests has for the first time taken their advocacy for abuse victims to a billboard. The billboard asks victims to contact S.N.A.P. It will stay up for three months. The cost was covered by an anonymous donor. The billboard went up near the intersection of Watson and Chippewa in South St. Louis. That's because S.N.A.P. believes the pastor of nearby Watson Terrace Christian Church should be removed. Reverand Carl King was not available for comment Wednesday, but S.N.A.P. doesn't feel he should be in charge of a congregation. "Reverand King has been sexually inappropriate with a mentally-challenged adult and while this woman has reached the age of maturity, she certainly doesn't function as an adult," said Barbara Dorris, with S.N.A.P. The female congregant filed for a protection order claiming King coerced, stalked, harassed and sexually assaulted her. No criminal charges have been filed and S.N.A.P. isn't saying King committed a crime. The group did provide documents that show King left the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, Illinois, in 1993 after accusations he had an affair. An official with the church confirmed King left before a church investigation was completed. "We question how did he resurrect in a church as a minister again," said Dorris. The billboard isn't just about priests. S.N.A.P. says it finds abuse in other religions as well. The group hopes the billboard convinces all victims to come forward. "That seems to be one of the biggest problems with victims is that they feel they are to blame, they're the only one, they're isolated so they don't talk. Once they find out there is others they have a chance to heal," said Dorris. There are some 8,000 S.N.A.P. members worldwide and there are only 4 staff members, 2 of them are in St. Louis. S.N.A.P. once operated on a few thousand dollars a year, but following highly publicized abuse cases it's been able to raise as much as $600,000 in a year. The money goes to help provide support for victims, put pressure on churches to do more, and create awareness in the community. For more information about S.N.A.P. go to www.snapnetwork.org.
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