When it's Time to Get Help

Sexual Assaults in the Military: The Armed Forces dirty secret

by John McKiggan

Can sexual assault or rape ever just be incidental to a job? Is it conceivable that someone can sign up for a job where a high risk of sexual assault would be considered somewhat normal? According to the American Military sexual assault is, essentially, just part of the job.

The astonishing statement is part of a response to a lawsuit filed by American soldiers against the Pentagon alleging sexual assault and harrassment by other members of the Armed Forces.

According to Neil MacDonald at the CBC there is a severe lack of accountability within the American military. Last year almost 3,500 people formally complained of sexual assault in the U.S. military. The Pentagon admits that only 238 of these complaints resulted in convictions. The remaining complaints were either dismissed or resulted in minor administrative punishments.

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Posted in: Armed forces sexual abuse, Military sexual abuse, Uncategorized

Brown v. Canada: Court Puts Brakes on Aboriginal Class Action

by John McKiggan

For close to twenty years I have had the privilege of representing Nora Bernard and the survivors of the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School. I was a member of the steering committee that negotiated the landmark National Indian Residential Schools Class Action settlement and I have had the great honour of helping hundreds of former residential school students in the claims process.

The Residential Schools Class action was the largest class action settlement in Canada, effecting nearly 70,000 aboriginal people across Canada. but even that massive court case hasn’t addressed all of the harms that aboriginal people have suffered as a result of actions of various federal and provincial government actions.

So I have followed with great interest the various claims that have been filed on behalf of aboriginal people across Canada based on issues similar to the loss of language and culture arguments that we pursued in the National Residential School claims.

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Posted in: Nora Bernard, Residential School Claims, Uncategorized

Are Pedophiles born that way?

by John McKiggan

As a sexual abuse claims lawyer I have learned more than I want to about the deviancies that cause adults to prey on children. New research coming out of the University of Toronto suggests that Pedophilia may be the result of predisposed brain deficiencies, meaning they were born ‘wired’ that way.

Disconnection

As this video explains, for two years, researchers scanned the brains of pedophilic men using Functional MRI machines. The researchers discovered that, when compared to other men, pedophilic men had significantly less tissue in two regions of the brain. These tissue areas are responsible for connecting other brain regions. The researchers conclude:

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Posted in: Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

N.S. Colored Home Settles Abuse Class Action: But no apology

by John McKiggan

Proposed Settlement in Class Action

The Chronicle Herald reported last week that a class action launched by former residents of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children has been settled for $5,000,000.

According to the media reports, there are about 140 former residents participating in the class action. The residents’ claim against the Province of Nova Scotia has not been settled, and it is still making its way through the Courts.

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Posted in: Uncategorized

How Will Pope Francis Respond to the Catholic Sexual Abuse Crisis?

by John McKiggan

Newly ordained Pope Francis has certainly started his papacy by making the headlines. He turned down the luxurious Papal housing in the Apostolic Palace in favour of a simple hotel room, he travelled to a juvenile detention centre to wash the feet of the inmates, and he has issued what is seen as a strong statement against sex abusers in the clergy.

Pope Francis, the head of 1.2 billion followers of the Roman Catholic faith, called on the Church to act against clergy sex abuse. He demanded that the Bishops’ conferences around the world need to step up to disciplining the priests and assisting the victims. USA Today reports, :

“This could be an indication that he will move from a strongly centralized government of the church of 1.2 billion people to one that places increased authority locally.”

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Posted in: Child Abuse, Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized, Vatican

Is solitary confinement a form of institutional abuse?

by John McKiggan

Can you go a whole day without any human interaction at all? What about a week? How about four years?

Canada a leader in solitary confinement?

A recent article in the Globe and Mail caught my attention. Unlike the trend in other countries, the controversial use of solitary confinement in Canadian prisons is increasing. The number of prisoners sent to solitary last year was approximately 8,600 – up from 8,000 in 2010.

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Posted in: Prison Abuse, Uncategorized

Breaking the Silence

by John McKiggan

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God

For those of you that have not seen the “Explosive” Documentary About Sexual Abuse at a School for the Deaf CBC is now showing the documentary Mea Maxima Culpa online.

Given the widespread media attention given to priest sexual abuse scandals around the globe I am concerned that the public is becoming desensitized to the issue.

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Posted in: Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Sex Abuse Charges Against Ontario Priest More of the Same

by John McKiggan

A retired Roman Catholic priest faces charges of sexually assaulting a seven year old boy between the years of 1971 and 1973. Father Jacques Faucher of Quebec is alleged to have assaulted the boy in Ottawa.

Due in court on March 12th, Faucher is charged with gross indecency and indecent assault on a male.

The Archbishop of Ottawa issued an official statement indicating that Faucher was suspended from the ministry, and banned from representing himself as a Catholic priest:
“On learning that Fr. Jacques Faucher has been charged with criminal misconduct in relation to a minor, I want to advise our Catholic faithful, and the wider community, that I have suspended him from all ministry and prohibited him from representing himself as a Catholic priest.”
Old News

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Posted in: Uncategorized

Sexual Abuse by Doctors Continues to be a Problem in Canada

by John McKiggan

Sexual Abuse By Doctors

Google analytics tells me that the section of my blog is devoted to addressing the topic of Doctor Sexual Abuse tends to be the most frequently read of all the articles I have posted over the six years I have been writing this blog.

What that tells me is that there are a lot of people out there searching for information about this issue.

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Posted in: Doctor Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized
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