Over one thousand formers wards from two Catholic operated reform institutions for boys have come forward with stories of horrendous abuse. The abuses suffered by these children were at the hands of the Christian Brothers and other adults in position of authority entrusted in their care. Over thirty Brothers, former Brothers and lay staff have been charged and convicted with more than two hundred crimes. These crimes included physical, sexual, emotional, cultural and spiritual rape. This is the largest sexual abuse case known in Canadian history.
Charges continue to be laid.
The students were from different cultural economic backgrounds. Some students were placed in the schools at six years of age and remained there until eighteen. I had the privilege of meeting, interviewing and photographing each of these men and their families. As I shared the pain of my child sexual abuse by the Catholic clergy the climate of safety was created and their sharing stretched my levels of courage to its limits. I have images of men next to the photographs of the little boys they once were.