(Chicago, IL) The founder of a group that fought for justice for abuse victims of Catholic priests has died.
The founder and former president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, died at the age of 61 following a recent cardiac event. Barbara Blaine founded SNAP in 1988 after she was abused as an 8th grader by a Toledo priest who taught at the Catholic school she attended.
According to the group's website, her pleas for help to the bishop of the Toledo Catholic diocese were ignored. SNAP gained prominence 15 years ago after a series of stories on a priest sexual abuse scandal by the Boston Globe.
Blaine resigned as SNAP president last February without giving a reason-- but there were accusations by a former employee that the group was referring potential clients to attorneys in return for donations.