Priest abuse victims' group founder resigns after 29 years

CHICAGO (AP) — The founder of the group that advocates for priest abuse victims has stepped down after three decades of campaigning to force the Catholic Church to recognize the extent of the scandal and compensate thousands of people affected.

Barbara Blaine, president and founder of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said she was abused herself and the organization was created through her efforts to reach out to other victims, the Chicago Tribune reported (http://trib.in/2jMvDzJ ).

The group gained prominence in 2002 after the Boston Globe's stories on the priest sexual abuse scandal rocked the Catholic Church.