Ont. Woman Who Won Record Settlement from Catholic Diocese Wants Focus on Healing
By Peter Edwards
Toronto Star
May 9, 2009
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/631643
LONDON, Ont. – Sometimes, Father Charles Sylvestre still visits Lou Ann Soontiens in her nightmares, punishing her for telling others about their "little secret."
Other times, Soontiens, 51, of Chatham, has flashbacks to the searing pain she felt, when she was sexually assaulted at age 12 by Sylvestre, her parish priest, in the basement of the church where she worshipped.
She told her grandfather and a nun about the attack, and then experienced the humiliation of being called a liar.
"Nobody believed me," Soontiens said yesterday. "I was (considered to be) a terrible child. I was (considered to be) a liar. Because a priest wouldn't do that."
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| Lou Ann Soontiens sits in front of a picture May 8, 2009 of Father Charles Sylvestre, who sexually abused her for five years. As a teenager, Soontiens became pregnant by Sylvestre, who arranged for her to have an abortion. Photo by Craig Glover |
Soontiens, a mother of two, is now believed when she talks about the five years of sexual abuse she suffered from Sylvestre.
In what's believed to be the largest legal settlement in an individual sexual abuse case in Canada, the Roman Catholic Diocese of London agreed this week to pay more than $2 million to Soontiens.
The civil suit was set to go to court Monday. Her lawyer, Paul Ledroit, said the payment amount equals their settlement offer.
Sylvestre, who retired in 1993 at age 70, pleaded guilty in 2006 to sexually assaulting 47 female victims, including Soontiens.
He died in prison in Kingston three months into his three-year sentence.
"Now I know he can't get me," Soontiens said.
For its part, the diocese praised Soontiens for her courage, and called the record settlement "fair and reasonable."
"We are committed to living up to our responsibilities and obligations to victims of sexual misconduct in the search for justice and truth," said a statement released by the diocese. "We are sorry for all of the hurt Mrs. Soontiens and others have experienced as a result from their contact with Charles Sylvestre."
Soontiens said the money won't dramatically change her life. She said she may start up a dog grooming business but plans no other changes, except to pay off the mortgages of her two adult sons.
"I'm just going to be me," she said.
"I cut my grass. I don't travel. I'm a homebody. I don't plan changing at all, except to heal."
She said she has lost all faith in the church but hopes reforms will be made.
Soontiens cried briefly during the press conference. For the most part, she was more composed than a couple of years ago, when she fainted during a court hearing.
The church was aware of sexual abuse problems with Sylvestre, who was ordained in 1948, long before he met Soontiens.
At age 14, Soontiens became pregnant by Sylvestre, who arranged for her to have what Ledroit called a "back-street abortion." When that failed, she was rushed from Chatham to a hospital in London for an abortion.
The Catholic diocese has settled cases with more than 50 Sylvestre victims, while more than a dozen cases are still in litigation.
Soontiens said she's benefiting from counselling now but still has trouble trusting people or shaking off the nightmares.
She said she kept her two children out of church because she was afraid they would also be abused.
"I have no faith," she said.
"I don't believe in God. If there was a God, why didn't He help me?"
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