I’ve been digging around for a piece of information which I just can’t seem to lay my hands on right now.
I give up. As much as I would prefer to have it hand I know it’s there so will just carry on.
The elusive document in question is guidelines from the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, and in those guidelines those with allegations of sexual abuse are directed directly to a Dr. Raymond Legault. The document is recent – since the arrival of Bishop Paul Andre Durocher (2002). This Dr. Legault has been involved with previous diocesan sexual abuse policies.
Now, to the point:
Mrs. Juliet Seguin, mother of sexual abuse victim Larry Seguin, testified yesterday.
Larry Seguin’s allegations were not part of the Project Truth investigation and if his molesters are/were connected in any way shape or form to those “alleged” molesters the inquiry staff aren’t about to let us know. But the obligatory question was put forth and we know that there is no Perry Dunlop connection here!!!
Perhaps we’ll learn more about Seguin’s molesters at some future date from the Cornwall Police Service? And although there has been not a boo here about the Children’s Aid Society I would be shocked if they were not notified and/or involved. So, we’ll see.
BUT, back to my point. There is a rather interesting piece of information related to Dr. Legault in Mrs. Seguin’s heartbreaking account of the sexual abuses (yes, plural) of her boy and the abysmal failure of authorities at every level to help this child and his family.
Mrs. Seguin testified that back in the 70s when six-year-old Larry was kidnapped and sexually molested he was returned to his home and had “something like glue” coming from his mouth. Mrs. Seguin knew immediately what it was and immediately called the police and the child was off to the hospital. (click here for Seguin articles posted on theinquiry.ca)
And now listen to this.
The child was seen by his family doctor, Dr. Legault.
Now Legault apparently couldn’t find anything wrong with the child, but according to Mrs. Seguin “they knew that he was disturbed, that something happened.” But, nothing was done!!! Not by the police. Not by the doctor. Not by anyone.
Presumably there was no evidence! Mrs. Seguin assumes the boy must have washed out his mouth, or had a drink. But she knew what was in his mouth and to this day can’t understand why there was no evidence!
Anyway, back home they go. Listen to this
as soon as he come in the house, he went to bed and he didn’t want to let me go. I had to lay beside him until he fell asleep.
Then when he woke up, he came out and he was talking baby talk and he was saying, “Wawa. I want some wawa.” And he wanted — instead of calling me “Mom”, he was calling me “Mommy”.
Obviously she was concerned. Away she went again, back to Dr. Legault. Mrs. Seguin told Legault what was happening to her son “and he explained to me that — just to ignore him because it’s going to go away. So I took him home.”
And that was that! It’ll just go away!! This from the man chosen by the diocese to be the point of contact for victims of sexual abuse!!!
Of course “it” didn’t go away. Larry did as most victims of man-boy sexual abuse do – he turned to drugs and alcohol and started getting into trouble with the law. So very very stereotypical.
His problems continue to some degree and his poor mother is doing what she can to help him get his life back on track, always loving him more than I would guess he could possibly imagine.
And so, three questions:
(1) How did Mrs. Seguin, a hair dresser and mother, know what to do without a manual of policies, practices and procedures to guide her?
(2) Did Mrs. Seguin, a hairdresser and mother, need a course from a cabal of “experts” to know that her boy had been sexually molested and therefore needed help?
(3) Is a mother’s testimony not corroborating evidence?
(4) How many six year old boys can independently fathom let alone relate such a deviant scenario as man/boy oral sex culminating with ejaculation in the child’s mouth?
(5) Why did the diocese pick Dr. Legault as its ‘resident’ expert?
(6) What particular qualifications does this doctor have that warrants making him the first point of contact for every victim of sexual abuse?
This is all too disgusting for words. And the operative question for the witness at the Weave Shed is did the Seguins know Perry Dunlop?!!
I have lots more to cover and will get to it, but this truly is
Enough for now,
Sylvia
(cornwall@theinquiry.ca)