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IN THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO THE EVENTS
SURROUNDING THE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE OF YOUNG
PEOPLE IN CORNWALL, ONTARIO
AND
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR STANDING AND
FUNDING FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE ABUSE
AFFIDAVIT OF ADRIEN ST. LOUIS
I, ADRIEN ST. LOUIS, of the Village of Apple Hill, in the Township of North Glengarry, in the United County of Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, in the Province of Ontario, MAKE OATH AND SAY AS FOLLOWS:
1. I am one of the group of victims (hereinafter referred to as “Victims Group”) who was sexually abused in the Cornwall area.
2. In 1974, at the age of seventeen, I was sexually abused by Father Donald Scott and Bishop Eugene LaRocque. This abuse continued for three years.
3. The Victims Group seeks standing at this Inquiry to ensure that the perspective of the Victims Group is brought before the Inquiry.
4. As a victim of sexual abuse, my perspective includes the following:
a. When the Church should have known about the abuses committed by their priests they had a duty to stop the continual abuse of other young victims.
b. The Church did not offer me any counselling or support. Had intervention been offered, my life would have been very different. I would not have spent my entire life in crippling emotional turmoil.
Impact of the Abuse
5. I lost my childhood as a result of the abuse.
6. I could not concentrate and subsequently dropped out of
8. To help me cope, I have turned to alcohol.
9. Due to my emotional trauma and lack of education, I have had great difficulty maintaining gainful employment.
10. Since the abuse and the failure of any form of institutional response, I have lost trust in authority figures and institutions. I have not been able to form intimate relationships.
Failings of the Institutional Response
11. When the Diocese became aware of the sexual abuse committed by their priests, they failed to taken any action.
12. At no time have I ever been offered any psychological counselling or support by the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall to help me deal with the consequences of the abuse that I suffered at the hands of Father Donald Scott and Bishop Eugene LaRocque.
13. I believe that further details of my first hand experience as a victim dealing with the Cornwall police and justice system, which is the focus of Part I of this Inquiry, would be beneficial information for the Inquiry. I believe that my experiences and those of other victims must be canvassed by the Inquiry in order for it to fulfill its mandate.
14. My detailed experiences dealing with the police and justice institutions could be obtained by my testimony or the provision of a summary of my experiences. The provision of either would be most effective if counsel were provided to me as it would be to other victims.
Clinical Support
15. Currently, I am receiving limited psychological help in dealing with the abuse.
16. I am not satisfied with the level of support that I am receiving as my options for counselling are very limited.
17. I verily believe that victims of sexual abuse who struggle to deal with issues of trust should be able to seek individual counselling with qualified counsellors of their choosing.
18. I verily believe that I will continue to require psychological support and counselling to help me deal with the emotional trauma I have suffered as a result of the abuse.
Standing
19. As a first hand victim of sexual abuse, I verily believe that it is crucial that my perspective be brought before the Inquiry. Therefore, I have a direct interest in the outcome of this Inquiry and, as part of the Victims Group, have a substantial interest in ensuring the objectives of this Inquiry are met.
20. I further understand that I have the potential for a civil action or application for criminal injuries compensation and that those legal rights may be impacted by my participation within the Inquiry. Accordingly, I believe that I need access to legal counsel, as do other victims like me, in order to fairly participate without detrimental impact upon my civil and administrative remedies.
21. Having personally experienced the depths of the impact of sexual abuse and the related institutional failings, I, like other victims have the greatest motivation to see the system corrected and improved.
22. I strongly believe that there is no greater advocate for systematic improvement of the treatment, handling, and prosecution of sexual abuse cases than the victims themselves.
Funding
23. One of the devastating effects of my sexual abuse has been my inability to maintain gainful employment. I have been clinically diagnosed with a Multiple Disability which stems from a neurological disability that I believe has been caused by the sexual abuse. I am currently employed, but even while receiving disability benefits and Canada Pension Plan I earn a total monthly income of $1,700. Therefore, in order to participate and be adequately represented at the Cornwall Inquiry I require that Ledroit Beckett, as my counsel of choice, receive funding to represent my interests without which I would otherwise be unable to participate in the Inquiry.
SWORN BEFORE ME at the City of Cornwall, i the United County of Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, this 18th day of 0ctober, 2005
A Commissioner, etc. Adrien St. Louis