When it's Time to Get Help

Update on Criminal Charges Against William Hodgson (Hod) Marshall

by John McKiggan

I saw an interesting article in the Toronto Star last weekend.

Reverend William Hodgson (Hod) Marshall is facing 2 dozen criminal charges of sexual assault and indecent assault involving 16 boys (now men) who say they were sexually abused by Marshall while he was teaching in Catholic schools in Windsor, Toronto and Sudbury.

The current Roman Catholic Bishop of London Ontario is Ronald Fabbro. The article traces the relationship between Fabbro and Marshall.

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Posted in: Child Abuse, Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Rev. William Hodgson Marshall, Uncategorized

Canadian Abuse Survivors Speak up on Oprah Show

by John McKiggan

Perhaps it goes without saying, but childhood sexual abuse is a world wide problem.

Lat week I posted about Oprah’s show about male survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Since the show aired there have been a number of news stories about Canadian men who survived childhood sexual abuse who participated in the show.

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Posted in: Child Abuse, Clergy Abuse, Doctor Sexual Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Teacher Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Bathurst Diocese Sexual Abuse Compensation Program Cloaked in Secrecy

by John McKiggan

The Diocese of Bathurst has taken the unusual step of applying to the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench for an Order sealing all information pertaining to the compensation process the Diocese of Bathurst has put in place to “help” victims of sexual abuse by priests of the Bathurst Diocese.

The Diocese also requested that the fee paid to former Supreme Court Judge Bastarache be sealed.

Former Bathurst priests Levi Noel and Charles Picot have been convicted of sexually abusing boys from various parishes in the Diocese.

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Posted in: Father Levi Noel, Uncategorized

Oprah Sheds Light on Male Childhood Sexual Abuse

by John McKiggan

My wife is a big fan of Oprah Winfrey. She is certainly one of the most influential people in North America (Oprah, not my wife). So I was pleased when my wife told me that Oprah had devoted two days to a show about male survivors of sexual abuse. The first part aired last week. Part two is scheduled to be aired today.

The show is about the stories of 200 adult men who were molested as children. I applaud Oprah’s efforts to encourage male survivors of sexual abuse to come forward.

Disclosure Painful

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Posted in: Child Abuse, Clergy Abuse, Doctor Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Teacher Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Supreme Court of Canada Sends Time Limits Case Back to Court

by John McKiggan

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled today on Christensen v. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Québec, an important case out of the province of Quebec that addresses the rights of sexual abuse survivors in that province to pursue compensation for their injuries.

Quebec has the shortest statute of limitation (time limit) in Canada for filing sexual abuse compensation claims. In Quebec, if sexual abuse survivors wish to pursue a compensation claim, they must sue their abuser (or the abuser’s employer) within three years of the sexual assault!!

In other words, if a child is sexually abused when they are 7 years old, they must file a claim before they turn 11 years of age. Does that sound crazy?

Takes Time to Discover Effects of Abuse

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Posted in: Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Statute of Limitations, Time Limits, Uncategorized

Sexual Abuse in Nursing Homes

by John McKiggan

I have been representing survivors of childhood sexual abuse for almost 20 years.

Typically these claims involve allegations of historical sexual abuse that happened years ago. Recently, I have been receiving more and more complaints from seniors (or their family members) who allege that they have suffered sexual abuse in nursing homes.

What is Nursing Home Sexual Abuse?

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Posted in: Nursing Home Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Convicted Sex Abuser Donald Grecco Arrrested for Violating Parole

by John McKiggan

Convicted sexual abuser and former catholic priest, Donald Grecco has been arrested again. But this time it’s not for sexual abuse. It’s for violating the terms of his parole.

One of Grecco’s victims has filed a sexual abuse compensation claim against Grecco and former Bishop James Wingle. But when lawyers tried to serve notice of the lawsuit on Grecco, the former priest wasn’t living where he was supposed to be under the terms of a court order.

Grecco was charged with sexual abuse in September 2008. He pleaded guilty in April 2010 and heis scheduled to be sentenced this month.

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Posted in: Clergy Abuse, Father Donald Grecco, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Canadian Archbishop resigns Over Sexual Abuse Allegations

by John McKiggan

Seraphim Storheim the Canadian Archbishop of the Orthodox Church in America, has resigned from his duties and requested a leave of absence after police began investigating Storeim for allegations of sexual abuse involving pre-teen boys.

The Orthodox Church in America (OCA), has released a public statement saying Archbishop Seraphim Storheim is on a leave of absence while police investigate the sexual abuse claims.

The Church has indicated it is cooperating with the police investigation and that the Church is conducting it’s own internal investigation.

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Posted in: Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Seraphim Storheim, Uncategorized
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