Victims of crime: the government’s lack of compassion, believes a Sherbrooke

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Jean-François Desbiens

Wednesday, 14 march 2018, 16:12

UPDATE
Wednesday, 14 march 2018, 16:12

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SHERBROOKE – Sherbrooke denounces the lack of empathy and compassion from the quebec government in respect of victims of crime.

Unfit to work due to an accident of tractor, and an operation to the spine, Denis Poulin was sexually assaulted when he was a child.

A recipient of social assistance, it receives the maximum benefit for a person living alone, or 1035 $, as well as an additional $ 80 for the slot.

For the damages incurred as a result of the assault, the IVAC paid him in 2016 compensation totalling a little over 7200 $.

He was told that it was not taxable. What he didn’t know however, is that the allowance is considered income.

The income exceeding the ceiling of $ 200 that he has the right to receive per month in addition to his performance, the ministry of social Solidarity has ceased to pay him a housing supplement and a reduced $ 80 in her monthly cheque.

The man, 58-year-old complained to his member of parliament, Guy Hardy, who did the audits. The response he obtained, however, is not the one he had hoped for. “The Law on the security of the income is made, we can’t do anything,” said Denis Poulin.

The man considers that this reflects a lack of compassion to the place of the victims of crime. “The government says: “We are going to help you”, but, in the end, he is punishing us. Is it going to discourage people from reporting crimes? Yes, I think so. It’s hard enough to be a victim once, twice, it is even more difficult,” he said.