Bethany Mandel is a victim of Rabbi (sic) Barry Freundel who secretly videotaped her in a state of undress while she was undergoing conversion at the mikveh (ritual bath) under his control. She has now announced that she will not join any lawsuits by other woman who were also videotaped by Freundel. I always respect […]

Originally posted on In Others’ Words…: Our intention was to dance on his grave. My beautiful cousin, who I’d not seen in 35 years, and I set out to dance on our grandfather’s grave. Our first dilemma was, of course, song choice. You have to have the right song. We bandied a few song titles […]

He’s innocent until proven guilty During the recent holidays, it seems as if I heard that phrase over and over again whenever the name of Bill Cosby surfaced in a news article or in a conversation.  Just recently, I read a report about a Bill Cosby concert that was interrupted by people heckling him about […]

For immediate release: Tuesday, January 13th Statement by Melanie Jula Sakoda of Moraga, California, Orthodox Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (925-708-6175, melanie.sakoda@gmail.com) A website offering “Orthodox Christian healing and counseling” was launched earlier this month. According to the website, Seeds of Hope is a national, non-profit organization of licensed […]

It’s Not Just You, by Mally Tamale-Sali, offers 100 insight to child sex abuse (CSA) survivors, from CSA survivors, experts and advocates from around the world. Thoughts from one of the founders of Pokrov.org, Melanie Jula Sakoda, are included in the book. It is available to read and download here.  

As an attorney who represents survivors of campus sexual assault, I was riveted by Rolling Stone’s account of “Jackie,” a UVA student who reported being gang raped by her classmates in September of 2012. When I read the Washington Post’s exposé of discrepancies and follow-up reporting on the Rolling Stone story, like many advocates, I […]

Donations received before the end of the year will be matched dollar for dollar up to $60,000! SNAP has raised over $42,000 for the matching campaign with 1 day still to go. We hope you will join us in supporting this worthwhile cause, and this great organization which does so much with so little. https://snap.nationbuilder.com/2014matchinggift […]

For immediate release: Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014 Sex abuse victims’ group to hold first support meeting in Stockton All adults abused in a religious setting, as child or adult, are welcome Special outreach to 34 survivors who are part of Stockton Diocese bankruptcy SNAP hopes meeting will “help heal the wounded and protect the vulnerable” […]

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.  If he refuses to listen […]

The story dominated the local news for more than a week, as horrific stories like this do. A fourth-grader from San Jose had been kidnapped and held captive for three days in her abductor’s house, where she was repeatedly raped and nearly killed before being left at a market in East Palo Alto. She is […]