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First of its kind report outlines
students Canadian schools e
past two decades
By ROBERT CRIBB Investigative Reporter
Wed., June 13, 2ol8
CanadianMore than 700 ..
abusecommitting — child sexual
decades, says a new report from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection released to the
Toronto Star.
involvingThe first-ever national inventory of sexual assault cases
charges, employees of
kindergarten to Grade 12 schools identified 714 school staffers linked to sexual abuse
between
https://www.thestar. com/news/investigati o ns/201 8/06/1 3/fi rst-of-its-ki nd-repo rt-outl ines-sexual-abuse- agai nst-nearly-1300-students-in-canadian-school s- over- past-twc
6/14/2018 First of its kind report outlines sexual abuse against nearly 1,300 students in Canadian schools over past two decades I The Star
A new report from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection released to the
Toronto Star identified 714 school staffers linked to sexual abuse charges,
convictions and disciplinary actions between 1997 and 2017. (LYLE
STAFFORD / FOR THE TORONTO STAR)
11
"That's 1,300 victims whose lives have been absolutely damaged, said Noni Classen, the
centre's director of education. "We know the impact of this type of offence, the betrayal
of trust by someone who holds such a privileged position of power for children. The
fallout and corrosion of that on their development is devastating. And we know this is
M -a
Eighty-six per cent of the perpetrators were certified teachers. Educational assistants,
student teachers, special -needs assistants, lunch monitors, custodians and school bus
drivers made up the remaining 14 per cent. Nearly 140 of the offenders had secondary
occupations providing them with added access to children including roles as sports
coaches, tutors, community youth workers and guidance counsellors.
In all, the perpetrators were overwhelmingly men — 87 per cent — preying on girls — 75
per cent.
Victim impact statements filed with courts in the cases gathered by researchers reveal
"the betrayal of trust and use of power" that has "serious, lasting impacts on the
victims,55the study reads.
https://www.thestar. com/news/investigati o ns/201 8/06/1 3/fi rst-of- its-ki nd -repo rt-outl in e s-sexu al -a b use- ag a i nst- n ea rly- I 300 -stud ents- i n- ca na d i a n -school s- over- past-twc
6/14/2018 First of its kind report outlines sexual abuse against nearly 1,300 students in Canadian schools over past two decades I The Star
Read more -
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"My mind will be forever scarred," reads a court -filed statement from one survivor. "You
took my childhood and my hope for happiness. I went from a child to an adult in a
matter of moments and there is no way back."
Another reads: "Depression has been a large portion of both my child and adult life. It
has caused me to self -direct my anger, wreaked havoc on relationships, and hindered my
career.
The range of victims who detail their anguish in court statements cited int e report also
includes parents and family members.
"The moment I found out my son was sexually abused by a man we called his teacher,
his mentor, but worst of all, our friend, was the day my life was shattered," wrote one
mother of a victim quoted in the report.
https://www.thestar. com/news/investigati o ns/201 8/06/1 3/fi rst-of- its-ki nd -repo rt-outl in e s-sexu al -a b use- ag a i nst- n ea rly- I 300 -stud ents- i n- ca na d i a n -school s- over- past-twc
6/14/2018 First of its kind report outlines sexual abuse against nearly 1,300 students in Canadian schools over past two decades I The Star
sexual offences.
InTIF�71 71- Uf =6 T710P, 777=77 rm "TTT
is under -reported since disciplinary records are not made public by most teacher
regulation bodies across the country.
Only three provincial teacher licensing bodies — in Ontario, B.C. and Saskatchewan —
u lish
ublish disciplinary decisions publicly.
In the other provinces and territories, media reports were the only source of information
available to researchers. For example, the media was the sole source of information in 33
per cent of all the cases, including 86 per cent of Manitoba cases, three quarters of the
cases in Prince Edward Island, Alberta and Nunavut and around 70 per cent of cases in
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
"It is ... troubling the media alone is responsible for providing most information about
cases int os rovinces that do not publish details about offenders employed or
formerly employed intheir schools," the study reads. "Much greater transparency is
required."
https://www.thestar. com/news/investigati o ns/201 8/06/1 3/fi rst-of- its-ki nd -repo rt-outl in e s-sexu al -a b use- ag a i nst- n ea rly- I 300 -stud ents- i n- ca na d i a n -school s- over- past-twc
6/14/2018 First of its kind report outlines sexual abuse against nearly 1,300 students in Canadian schools over past two decades I The Star
Sexual assault and Canadian school employees
By the numbers (1997-2017)
......... ......... All
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aHegedy o,,,)l7sexua, t f f agah-ist c:1 "I � dI twl I
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-*,ercentage of all victims who were in
high school.
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rt IliII'r'IL, ka�,,:e with
Without it, abusive conduct that fails to trigger criminal charges or convictions can
remain entirely unreported tot e public.
"It is crazy how we cannot
.......... access to information," said Classen. "This profession
involves public trust. It's mandatory for kids to attend school. In every other profession
that involves public trust — doctors, lawyers and others — that disciplinary information
Nearly three quarters of offenders — 73 per cent — were charged with at least one
criminal offence, including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual interference and
child pornography -related offences. Just over half — 52 per cent — were charged with
multiple offences and five per cent were charged with lo or more offences.
https://www.thestar. com/news/investigati o ns/201 8/06/1 3/fi rst-of- its-ki nd -re po rt-outl i n e s-sexu al -a b use- ag a i nst- n ea rly- I 300 -stud ents- i n- ca na d i a n -school s- over- past-twc
6/14/2018 First of its kind report outlines sexual abuse against nearly 1,300 students in Canadian schools over past two decades I The Star
on those cases is that of former Hamilton teacher Giuseppe Graziano who was
convicted twice for sexual offences involving students — in 2013 and 2015 — for offences
that included engaging in sexual activities with one student in Graziano's classroom, his
home and a trailer Graziano owned over a three-year period and touching another
student's penis over his pants.
A disciplinary committee of Ontario's teacher's college, in a 2o16 decision revoking
Graziano's licence, wrote that the teacher, "abused his position of trust and authority in
the gravest manner."
That distinction belongs to former Oshawa teacher Jeremy Raymond Pike who was
eventually convicted on io counts of sexually assaulting eight young boys between the
ages of two and 14, which included the recording of child pornography.
Pike restrained the boys'legs during sexual intercourse and touching, filmed hours of
video and snapped thousands of photographs documenting I He gained the
trust of faes by becoming a close friend, taking the children on trips to the park and
even applying to be a foster parent to young boys.
In a 2oo8 disciplinary decision revoking Pike's teaching licence, the Ontario teachers
collee called his "planned and •deliberate" actions "he
ginous."
In all, 78 per cent of all school employees charged with a criminal offence were convicted
through a guilty plea or trial. The remaining 22 per cent were acquitted or had charges
stayed or withdrawn.
Half of the guilty verdicts resulted in sentences of less than two years in Custody; 21 per
cent received sentences of two years or more and 30 per cent received absolute
discharges, suspended sentences and jail time as little as one day, according tothe
findings.
MMI ITUM"IMM M,
Seventy per cent of the offenders used "grooming behaviour," including manipulating
children into becoming a "co-operating participant" in the activities to reduce the
chances of disclosure, the study found.
"M RON
https://www.thestar. com/news/investigati o ns/201 8/06/1 3/fi rst-of- its-ki nd -repo rt-outl in e s-sexu al -a b use- ag a i nst- n ea rly- I 300 -stud ents- i n- ca na d i a n -school s- over- past-twc
6/14/2018 First of its kind report outlines sexual abuse against nearly 1,300 students in Canadian schools over past two decades I The Star
understanding that the relationship was manipulative or exploitative," the report reads.
Another quarter of offenders used "opportunism" to sexually abuse children — taking
advantage of a situation for one-time sexual assaults.
"They did not appear to have a made a concerted effort to build a relationship with the
child," the report reads. "Opportunistic offenders often take less time and have less of an
emotional investment than those who groom victims."
The report makes several recommendations to address the risk to students, including
better education for school staff about the impacts of sexual abuse on children, higher
standards of accountability and transparency when allegations of abuse are raised by
students and clarifying teachers' reporting obligations to ensure concerns are brought to
the attention of senior school administrators.
W-1
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6/14/2018 First of its kind report outlines sexual abuse against nearly 1,300 students in Canadian schools over past two decades I The Star
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