Category: Uncategorized

While the majority of adults working in schools across Canada are unequivocally dedicated to making schools a safe, positive environment for children, there are those who seek to use their position of power for more nefarious purposes. Tragically some teachers have used the positions of trust and authority to abuse the children in their care. The survivors of childhood teacher sexual abuse, often carrying the burden and shame of these encounters for the rest of their lives.

In 2014, Statistics Canada conducted a general social survey of Canadians which included a sample size of approximately 33,000 individuals over the age of 15. Specific questions asked respondents to self-report abuse taking place in their childhood (before they turned 15). The results revealed that 8 percent of the respondents self-reported childhood sexual abuse — a figure that corresponds to approximately 2.4 million Canadians having been sexually abused as children.

Survivors: An Underrepresented Minority

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The nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States has dominated headlines in the last week due to allegations of sexual assault brought forward by Christine Blasey Ford. Even as Kavanaugh vehemently denies the allegations made against him, and President Trump openly mocks her allegations, what makes her heroic testimony so important for survivors of sexual assault in Canada and beyond?

Ford’s willingness to come forward and break her silence as a survivor teaches us an inspiring lesson about tenacity in the face of public adversity, as well as the hurdles that many survivors must overcome to share their stories. In an era of unprecedented visibility for survivors, it is important now—more than ever—to listen to survivors whenever they are ready to share their stories.
Why Did Dr. Ford Wait So Long to Come Forward?
Many of the questions/concerns voiced about Dr. Ford’s allegations center around why it took so long for her to disclose an incident that happened decades ago during her and Kavanaugh’s teenage years.

In addition to public skepticism, Ford was openly questioned by Republican Senators regarding the credibility of her disclosure during and after her September 27th testimony.

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A recent report published by the New York Times found that more than 300 Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania had sexually abused over 1,000 children over a period of 70 years. The report covers six of the state’s eight Catholic dioceses, the Grand Jury Report is the broadest investigation ever carried out by a government agency of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Evidence of Cover-up Within the Church

Even more unsettling than the horrifying number of victims is the fact that bishops and other church leaders—well aware that sexual abuse was happening within their ranks—covered up the abuse by persuading victims against reporting their abusers, and convincing law enforcement officials not to investigate any claims made.

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On Tuesday I posted an article about my concerns surrounding proposed legislation introduced by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax .

The legislation would grant unusual powers to the Bishop to be able to create and control parish corporations. The stated intention was to transfer assets currently held by the Diocese to the newly created parish corporations.

My concern was that the Archdiocese could, if it wished use these parish corporations to divest itself of all of it’s assets and make itself “judgement proof”. In other words, if an abuse survivor obtained a judgement against the Diocese for compensation for childhood sexual abuse the Diocese might be able to avoid paying the judgement, claiming that it had no assets.

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Today I appeared before the Private and Local Bills Committee at the Nova Scotia legislature. Why?

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax has introduced legislation through a private members bill that, if passed, would give the Archdiocese sweeping powers with respect to the way in which it manages it’s corporate affairs and could have drastic effects on the ability of survivors of sexual abuse by priests of the Archdiocese to receive compensation for their injuries.

The proposed legislation can be found here.

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