Sex abuse victim remains haunted

Stepfather assaulted sisters decades ago

LEDUC — A victim of a historical sexual assault case explained in her victim impact statement how years of sexual abuse have haunted her well into her adult life.

“These crimes were not just an exploitation of my body ... they were an exploitation of my spirit,” said the victim, who cannot be identified because of a publication ban.

Appearing by video link in Leduc provincial court, that victim is one of two sisters who were assaulted for years by their stepfather more than two decades ago.

The stepfather, now 70, was in court for a sentencing hearing on Thursday after pleading guilty to several charges including indecent assault, gross indecency, sexual assault and sex with a child under the age of 14.

In a joint submission, Crown and defence counsel asked for 2.5 years in prison, a lifelong prohibition on owning firearms and sex offender registration. “I don’t think he ... tried to minimize his involvement or otherwise minimize what he did,” said defence lawyer John Jackie.

The victim said that her stepfather was the “closest thing to a father I ever had,” and that he had earned her trust, after her father had abandoned the family.

“I learned I had no rights, no protection and no escape,” she said.

Since then, she said she’s had thoughts of suicide as a result of the assault and said she lives in “shame and deep self-loathing because of my inability to protect myself.”

“I will probably always struggle with whether or not I want to be here,” she said.

“More than anything else, it has been a theft of my potential as a human being.”

In its submission, Crown lawyer Rod Clark noted that the stepfather’s position of authority was an aggravating circumstance in his sentencing. The assaults eventually stopped — but only when the two victims moved out of their home as teenagers.

“Their home ought to have felt safe and instead they were vulnerable,” Clark said.

Among the mitigating factors, highlighted both by Clark and Jackie, is the fact that the stepfather has health issues. “We are sentencing an old man, frankly,” Clark said.

The stepfather suffers from bladder cancer, sleep apnea and a respiratory disorder. Before sentencing it will need to be determined if the jail will be able to accommodate his treatment.

The guilty plea meant the victims were spared a lengthy trial. Lawyers also noted that the stepfather had previously apologized to the victims more than a decade ago.

“Why didn’t he take it to the police right then?” mused Judge Marilyn White.

The stepfather only briefly spoke, standing up from his chair to say: “I apologize to the victims and to the court.” He will be back in Leduc court July 17 for sentencing.