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	'Hero' Hit with Abuse Lawsuit" " Rev. Tysick Explained to Her That He Had Found ... Satisfaction in Sexual Tension ...." By Jon Willing Ottawa Sun [Canada] March 7, 2007 http://ottsun.canoe.ca/News/OttawaAndRegion/2007/03/07/3708182-sun.html An Ottawa-born pastor hailed by Time magazine as one of Canada's heroes is at the centre of a $1-million lawsuit alleging sexual abuse. Rev. Allen Tysick and the United Church of Canada are named in the lawsuit which accuses Tysick of sexually abusing a woman who, according to court documents filed in Ottawa, was being counselled by the pastor. Rosemary Lambie, executive secretary for the Montreal-Ottawa Conference of the United Church of Canada, said the church hasn't been served with the lawsuit, so she couldn't comment on the allegations. Lambie said to her knowledge, there have never been complaints made against Tysick, who hasn't lived in the Ottawa area for many years. The allegations date back to 1990, when Tysick began to give the complainant spiritual counselling at the Matlilda Resource Centre in Mountain, east of Kemptville. The complainant, who is now 45 years old, alleges Tysick started staring at her in a "lewd manner" and asked her to put her head on his lap. TWO YEARS OF EXPLOITATION From there, the complainant claims Tysick spent the next two years sexually exploiting her. According to the statement of claim, Tysick on one occasion "started fondling (the complainant) over her clothes and asking her to touch his genitalia." Other allegations detail Tysick masturbating through his clothes during a counselling session with the woman. "Rev. Tysick explained to her that he had found fulfilment and satisfaction in sexual tension rather than having an orgasm," the lawsuit claims. According to the lawsuit, Tysick hired the complainant to administer the resource centre. The complainant alleges Tysick on one occasion in his office, "instructed her to perform oral sex and (she) complied." The complainant claims she became "severely depressed" when Tysick got engaged to another woman because "she had begun to rely on her relationship with Rev. Tysick." The lawsuit says the complainant was diagnosed with clinical depression a few months later. The complainant's lawyer, Joseph Griffiths, said to his knowledge his client has not gone to the police with the allegations. The woman decided to pursue her claim through a lawsuit because the allegations might not meet the burden of proof required in a criminal trial, Griffiths said. Tysick, who is about 60, now lives on Vancouver Island with his wife and children. Calls to his home and office voicemail were not returned yesterday.
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