Terri Saunders


Local News - Antoine Quenneville is cautiously optimistic a pilot project aimed at reintegrating adult survivors of child sexual abuse into society will be successful.

"I'm hopeful the project will accomplish what it sets out to do," said Quenneville Thursday. "It will be a challenge."

Quenneville works as a clinical associate with the Cornwall office of The Men's Project, an Ottawa-based counselling program which includes a specialized healing program for men who have experienced sexual or physical abuse as children.

Quenneville said a local project being administered by the Toronto-based Gatehouse Adult Support Network may work, although he believes it could be an uphill battle.

"Cornwall is not Toronto," said Quenneville. "In Cornwall, there's going to be a lot of suspicion about any kind of project like this one, especially when it's coming from outside the community."

Quenneville said he's hopeful the plan to enlist local mentors will ensure the project's success.

"This would be great if it's being set up in the right way," he said. "For survivors, counselling is kind of a lifeline for them and they need so much. If the project was successful, I think survivors would benefit as would professionals."

Quenneville said he's concerned the success of the project may serve as an indicator a reduction in non-volunteer programs is acceptable. "There is still a great need for professional counselling services in Cornwall," he said. "I wouldn't want this project to be misunderstood by politicians who will then believe they no longer have to lobby for more money for more professional programs in Cornwall."

Quenneville said the project will succeed if the matches between mentors and survivors are complementary.

"For men who are adult survivors of abuse, this is a secret they've kept hidden for many years, and they've kept people at a distance because of that secret," he said. "They are embarrassed, they feel shameful and they feel as if other people are looking upon them as if they're damaged in some way.

"If they can find someone to talk to and spend time with who can understand them and understand that they're not crazy and that's just how it happens to be, I would hope it could work."