Inquiry work lauded at Phase 2 session

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

19 October 2005

Posted By Greg Peerenboom

The Cornwall Public Inquiry continues to create ways to help prevent further childhood sexual abuse, those in attendance at a meeting said Thursday.

A group that counsels and educates male survivors of sexual abuse and their families is satisfied with the inquiry's progress.

"It was a good day, there was a good atmosphere where we heard from different points of view," said Rick Goodwin, executive director of The Men's Project, which has standing at the inquiry.

He said the inquiry is showing signs of encompassing the community as a whole.

"There are more people (participating) than staying outside," he said of Phase 2 of the Inquiry - Building Hope, Trust and Pride: Prevention and Community.

Several examples of programs already in place were discussed, as well as proposals which show some promise.

Goodwin declined to single any out as a priority, instead he suggested that, with patience, The Men's Project will see more results.

Clients of The Men's Project were among some of the 60 people - including social agency professionals and concerned citizens - who interacted with several speakers during the six-hour meeting in salon B at the civic complex

Inquiry Commissioner Normand Glaude echoed Goodwin's view during the keynote opening address that patience would be rewarded.

"Because this is about being open, we'll set out the worries and the caveats - the 'yes, but' areas - as well as the areas of vision and potential," Glaude said in describing the public's input from a number of previous open neighbourhood meetings so far.

Glaude mentioned earlier that more meetings will be scheduled, including - strangely - a "closed" meeting for sex abuse survivors and their families.

Survivor Jamie Marsolais said it was the first he heard of a survivors' "closed" meeting, surmising a victim might have requested it.

One of the "worries" Glaude alluded to was that "trust is growing but it is fragile."

He said "proof of change" such as an action plan could cement their trust.

The public is also differing on how the Inquiry is progressing, he said.

One view is that there hasn't been enough time set aside for survivors to share their experiences.

Meanwhile, other people argue for more dialogue which encompasses the whole community.

The provincial government has allocated millions of dollars for the inquiry, so its impact could be felt beyond the city and area.

"The success of this community can be a model for others. (It can) lead in a way that helps other communities prevent childhood sexual abuse or teaches others how to reduce the harm when it has already happened or show others how a community can choose a future and make it happen."

The morning and afternoon were each dominated by sessions on abuse prevention.

Inquiry advisory panel member Richard Allaire, a former top city administrator, told participants about the program, Respect-ED, he presents to local grade 7 and 8 students.

Respect-ED illustrates, through a series of videos, examples of spousal and childhood abuse, both by a parent and teenaged babysitter. Not only does it show the victims' emotional damage, but how they eventually repeat some form of abuse as the result of their suffering.

The two-hour workshop tries to alert minors what are forms of abuse, so they may come forward.

"When (I'm) at the front I see some very (disturbing) expressions," Allaire said.

He said the students learn that abuse is all-too-common and that one in three students experience some sort of abuse.