A local group of survivors of sexual abuse by religious figures plans to call for Mayor Ed Murray's resignation this afternoon.
SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is a volunteer organization that offers resources, support groups, and a helpline for survivors of sexual abuse. Members of the local chapter of the organization plan to deliver a letter calling for the mayor's resignation to City Council members during a 2 pm meeting today. Ahead of that action, SNAP will hold a press conference outside City Hall. The group does not plan to release its letter until then. See update below.
SNAP calls itself "the largest, oldest and most active self-help group for clergy sex abuse victims, whether assaulted by ministers, priests, nuns or rabbis." The organization has more than 20,000 members, according to its website.
In April, the Seattle Times reported on allegations from three men, one of whom had filed a civil lawsuit, accusing Mayor Ed Murray of sexually abusing them in the 1980s, when they were teenagers and Murray was in his 30s. A fourth man came forward in May. One of the four men, Jeff Simpson, had been Murray's foster child in Portland in the 1980s. The Times recently uncovered documents showing that a Child Protective Services investigator in 1984 found Murray had abused Simpson and should "under no circumstances" be a foster parent again. Murray did not face criminal charges. He has denied the allegations.
Like council members, candidates for office, and other organizations, SNAP is coming forward with a call for Murray's resignation after the most recent revelations. In the weeks immediately following the allegations, very few elected leaders or advocacy groupsâincluding sexual assault organizationsâissued statements or agreed to comment. At the time, Mary Dispenza, director of SNAP's Northwest chapter, told KUOW she wasn't surprised by the silence.
âClergy abuse in Seattle has been very quiet and very silent, more so than other states and places,â Dispenza told KUOW. âThatâs always been a puzzle to me.â
UPDATE: SNAP Northwest Director Mary Dispenza and other members of the organization spoke to reporters in front of City Hall today. After that, they planned to deliver a letter to the city council.
âWeâre here to make our voices known and to speak out,â Dispenza said. âWeâre a group of persons who have often kept silent because of shame and guilt because of sexual assault as a child, teen, [or] adult. We canât afford to not speak out.â
âWe arenât investigators,â Dispenza continued, âbut when several allegations or accusations are raised against a prominent leader, we canât remain silent. We do believe that Mayor Ed Murray needs to resignâand do it now.â
SNAPâs national organization, which counts 20,000 members, stood behind the call for Murrayâs resignation, said Dispenza, herself the survivor of childhood sexual abuse. When it was founded, the group focused on abuse by religious figures, but has since expanded to support all victims of sexual abuse, she said. The organization is calling for either Murrayâs resignation or the city councilâs removal of him from office.
Robert Fontana said his brother was raped as a child and âkept silent for 35 years,â terrified to tell even those closest to him.
âSurvivors have a history of people not believing them, particularly people in power,â Fontana said. âAnd theyâre very terrified of speaking out⊠Survivors need to know that when people in power are credibly accused of abuse and thereâs documentationâas in Oregon that something terrible happened where Mayor Murray as a foster parent broke his fiduciary relationship with a young manâthere needs to be consequences.â
SNAP joins the call for Murrayâs resignation from the Seattle LGBTQ Commission and others. âAs members of SNAP we know how systems and organizations cover up, protect, obfuscate, blame, and try to protect their assets and reputations,â the group writes. âEven offenders wield a certain power over victims, often silencing their voices, accusations and stories, at times, forever.â
âIt is not a time for politics as usual,â the letter reads. âIt is time to give victims of sexual abuse the respect and support they deserve.â