Sexual assault: 18 religious sued for$16.2 Million

Carl Vaillancourt

Friday, 9 February 2018 13:45

UPDATE
Friday, 9 February 2018 13:45

Look at this article

GRANBY | A group of 18 brothers of the Sacred Heart are covered by a collective action to have sexually assaulted a 70 alleged victims over several decades, which could cost more than$ 16.2 Million to the religious congregation.

The lawsuit filed on February 5, at the courthouse in Granby by the law firm of Kugler Kandestin alleged that adolescents who have resided in the establishment of the College of Mount Sacred Heart between 1932 and 2008 have undergone sexual assault. The actions would have mostly been committed in the 1970s and 1980s.

According to the legal document, the men referred to by the allegations of sexual assault are alleged to have acted out of favouritism, psychological manipulation on the minors and would have even bet on a false sense of complicity with their alleged victims.

Assaulted more than 300 times

The representative of victims in the document, identified as “A”, would have been sexually assaulted by brother Claude Lebeau at more than 300 times, which is three to six times per week during a period of two years while he was a resident at the school. Brother Claude Lebeau was acting as vice-president of the establishment, and even advise the provincial of the religious congregation during the events.

In total, 18 brothers from the educational institution are referred to in the action. They would have sexually assaulted several alleged victims. So far, 70 people have registered for the use. The religious congregation of the brothers of the Sacred Heart (FSC) would have closed her eyes knowing what was going on inside the walls of the institution which had belonged to them, according to the lawsuit.

“A” also claimed the sum of$ 1.2 Million for the damages sustained, in addition to the pursuit of a collective$ 15 Million. The amount of the lawsuit could increase significantly during procedures, since it is the judge appointed shall determine the damage suffered for each one of the alleged victims, according to the lawyer.

“There are several parameters, including the abuse experienced and the effects on each of the victims who will have to be measured by the judge” explained to Me Kugler.

A similar fashion for all the victims

According to several testimonies reported in the document, the religious invited the students to come in their room. Once the student is in the room, the brother asked him to drop his pants to masturbate the teen.

Some of the alleged victims would have been part of actions to their place among the officers of the establishment, but they have ignored the complaints, one can read in the appeal.

None of the brothers referred to in the claims at the time no had been removed from his duties. On the contrary, brother Jean-Guy Roy, referred to in the appeal for sexual assault on teenagers, would have been promoted as provincial supervisor and administrator of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, the highest-ranking member of the religious congregation in Quebec.