KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An organization aimed at helping victims of sexual abuse committed by church leaders now asks for any potential victims to step forward following the arrest of a Missouri man.
SNAP stands for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. The organization says Paul Cool has past leadership roles in churches with Missouri ties.
Cool lives in Amity, Mo. He is charged in Vermont with two counts of lewd and lascivious crimes, including one count against a child.
Vermont authorities say the crimes happened between 2006 and 2008.
Judy Jones of SNAP says clergy sexual abuse is especially traumatic. “Your body and your mind gets abused. When it gets to your spirituality, it takes away everything,” Jones says.
Cool has waived his extradition to Vermont.
