Miriam Pinkesz  |  November 10, 2020

Category: Jail/Prison

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juvénile detainee abused by priest

Priest sexual assault class action lawsuits have been on Canada’s media radar almost nonstop for months now. Most recently, a group of men have come forward alleging Anglican priest Gordon Dominey sexually assaulted them in the 1980s, when they were teen inmates at an Edmonton youth jail.

Now, a proposed class action lawsuit Canada is underway to help the victims of Dominey find justice after decades of silence.

Sexual Assault Survivors Band Together After Decades of Silence

The group of men joined forces after learning their aggressor, Dominey, was to go to trial on 33 charges related to alleged sexual offences against 13 teen inmates at the Edmonton Youth Development Centre.

The men, scattered across several provinces, recognized the Anglican priest from their grim past at the since-demolished youth jail. Dominey worked at the institution from December 1985 through July 1990.

In 2017, at Dominey’s preliminary hearing, the men testified against their aggressor.

After the preliminary hearing, a judge committed Dominey to trial, set for January 2020.

Unfortunately, the survivors never got to see a verdict in the case. In 2018, Dominey was in the hospital with cancer. He later died in November 2019.

Now, the group of men are taking another shot at justice by means of a class action lawsuit against the Alberta government and the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton.

In a statement of claim filed, the men allege the diocese and the province are vicariously liable for Dominey’s actions. Vicarious liability, refers to liability that a supervisory party, such as an employer, bears for the unlawful conduct of a subordinate, such as an employee.

To date, the class action lawsuit remains uncertified.

Victims Want Recognition

In recent interviews, reports CBC News, three of the complainants said they want acknowledgement that they were victims.

priest reading bible They want the church and province to take accountability for the reported abuse. They also want financial compensation for the suffering they believe derailed their lives.

Forensic psychiatrist John Bradford, renowned in Canada and internationally for his expertise in sexual deviancy, spoke with Top Class Actions about priest sexual abuse in an exclusive October interview.

As these cases continue to make headlines, many wonder why so many victims of sexual assault, like Dominey’s victims, are coming forward decades later. Dr. John Bradford explains: “The climate and environment today makes it easier to come forward as victims, without social embarrassment… The social environment is more accepting of victims to come forward.”

Indeed, victims often carry a lot of guilt, which according to the celebrated psychiatrist is a major barrier to coming forward.

Another reason Dr. Bradford offers to explain the surge in sexual assault priest class action lawsuits is the presence of reports in the media of predator priests. “There is now more awareness among the general population,” he notes.

Class Action Lawsuit Stalls As Survivors Lose Hope For Justice

A key objective of class action lawsuits is access to justice. Class actions are cheaper and save time for groups of people who have the same or similar claims to go to trial together, rather than one at a time, which is a more expensive and lengthier process.

Avnish Nanda, the lawyer representing Dominey’s victims, told reporters in an interview that the men lack financial means to commence a private lawsuit.

“They’re all struggling and have been struggling since that period of time, since that incident and in many respects because of that incident.”

According to the Edmonton lawyer, more men are claiming they were abused by Dominey than the 13 complainants in the criminal trial. He expects 15 to 20 men will form the Class if the class action lawsuit is certified.

Nevertheless, Nanda admitted that the class action is proving to be one of the most difficult he has ever had. He said the church and the provincial government are “pulling out all the stops” to delay the case from moving forward.

“It’s disappointing. It puts marginalized folks, folks who have no money, in a very difficult position to hold people accountable for significant harms that they caused them,” explains the lawyer. “For my clients, some of them are losing hope,” he adds.

Priest Sexual Assault Class Action lawsuits Multiply

There has been a recent explosion of sexual assault class action lawsuits across Canada against various Archdiocese and churches. The most recent class actions have been launched in Nova Scotia, where a class action lawsuit over priest sexual abuse was certified, Newfoundland, Quebec and B.C.

For example, the B.C. class action lawsuit targets the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, accusing it of covering up decades of systemic abuse and silencing survivors.

Tell us what you think about the sexual assault proposed class action lawsuit in the comments below! 

Proposed Class Members are represented by Avnish Nanda.

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5 thoughts onSexual Assault Survivors Break The Silence in Proposed Class Action Lawsuit

  1. Jason kalynowski says:

    I myself was groomed and assaulted by a female staff member. In Kilbourne hall youth corrections center Saskatoon SK. The grooming started when I was 14. She would make strange and suggestive comments. In later years it progressed to getting me to masturbate for her and allow her to give me hand jobs and oral sex. It was a very confusing situation. And it’s taken me years to find the courage to discuss this. I’ve told a few people over the years that I really trusted. And even discussed it with another staff member a few years after my release. It was shortly after I turned 18 that the sexual acts started taking place. I was still in the facility on my last youth charge and on remand.

  2. Darlene Auger says:

    First time I was abused was the night I was born in a hospital by a nurse and all through my childhood by my foster brothers and sisters.So I can totally relate.

  3. Elizabeth baron says:

    I was abused from 5 to 12 from a man who worked for the school bus and salvation army he was a so called uncle I went to court and one he was charged but never was offered any amount of money they ¨crown and judge said its was to late thank you it was very harsh abuse and at some points he lived in the foster home so I didn’t get away the court was in Terrace is this something i can apply for

  4. Lisa G Smith says:

    I was a victim of childhood sexual abuse as was my sister, neither knowing what the other was going through at the time. I felt as though I had made a deal with the devil in the fact that I told him I would cooperate if Gabe diabianci (priest) left my sister alone. He agreed and I believed him. Eventually it got to be too much and I was kicked out of my family home for not behaving. He was living with my parents and us for three years , often traveling the world with the churches money. Rome, and even Florida. When he went to Florida he took my sister and that confused me hugely. I guess even at that age I knew but couldn’t ask the truth. I was approached by Ledroit Beckett injury for a claim and settlement many years later. It took us almost 9 years to reach a settlement of 100,000 is what I got and after settle my loans which were never explained how costly they are, along with his costs before. I ended up getting 63000. And I gave that money away because of the problems it cost me all those years to get and still after all that, I still lost everything again. The greed and selfish of everyone , friends, neighbours, attorneys, banks, everyone is incredible.

    1. Sherise says:

      Lisa:
      Bless you and your sister. I was a Catholic until I began to see my classmates bruised and with black swollen eyes. They were living in residential care and abused by priests and brothers. I have not been able to return to church since. You are very strong to weather such horrific abuse. When I watched the movie “spotlight” as it only confirmed my suspicion‘s. When someone is abused they are not riddled with guilt… It is shame because of these paedophiles.

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