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	Abused at 3, Woman Gets RC Settlement By Dalson Chen The Windsor Star September 12, 2009 http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=7bc4fcd3-98d3-4e54-9f2f-32aeb1928f9f The youngest victim of pedophile priest Rev. Charles Sylvestre has reached a settlement with the Catholic church. But Cecilia Annette McLauchlin said doing so was a difficult and painful process, and the London diocese should be ashamed for drawing it out. "They simply are playing the game of 'survivor.' They push you to the wall, just hoping -- and, I am sure, praying -- that you will crack," she said at a news conference in London on Friday. Now a 32-year-old Chatham resident, McLauchlin said the abuse began in 1980 when she was three, and it continued until her family moved away from Sylvestre's parish in 1983. McLauchlin's lawyer, Rob Talach of the law firm Ledroit Beckett, said Sylvestre carried out "perverse sexual acts" on McLauchlin during those pre-school years. Talach said Sylvestre's abuse led to McLauchlin requiring a gynecological examination at the age of five. McLauchlin said the abuse has affected her life well into adulthood. "I have been so scared, ashamed and confused for so many years, and it is still not over." McLauchlin said that in the course of her lawsuit, the London diocese required her to undergo a psychiatric examination in the fall of last year, conducted by a medical examiner hired by the diocese. McLauchlin said she endured questioning in a psychiatric hospital. "Most of those questions were into the acts of sexual abuse. He wanted more description. For 20 minutes, I literally had to describe private areas of Father Charlie (Sylvestre)." McLauchlin said she believes the London diocese set up the examination to wear her down. She believes the tactic of the diocese is to bring the unsettled victims to their breaking points, so that they will accept any offer the diocese makes. "They tried to crack me, but they didn't." Talach noted that the London diocese did not agree to settle with McLauchlin until the last working day before the trial was scheduled to begin. McLauchlin filed her lawsuit in the fall of 2006. "Why that had to be dragged out like that ... is her question," Talach said. "Three years of litigation and then folding on the eve of the courthouse is very expensive for the parties, and very difficult for the victims." Talach would not disclose the sum of the settlement, stating that it was the request of his client that there be no comment about the amount. "Cecilia wants the focus to be on the facts and not the figures," Talach said. McLauchlin said she tried to settle with the diocese last year for an amount "substantially lower" than the eventual settlement, but the diocese ignored her offer. Mark Adkinson, a spokesman for the London diocese, said it's the policy of the diocese not to comment on the financial details of a settlement. On McLauchlin's accusation that the diocese was intentionally drawing out the process, Adkinson said: "We handle each case individually. There are circumstances that make some cases take longer to settle than others. There are various issues that go into that." He cited the time it takes to obtain legal advice and calendar conflicts. "We're trying to make fair and reasonable settlements as quickly as possible." On the subject of the psychiatric examination that McLauchlin underwent, Adkinson said that the diocese had no malicious intent with it, and that it was part of the "due diligence" in the case. "It's just a process of having the best information possible. Sometimes those reports can vary wildly in their conclusions. It's something to establish ... so that the settlement is fair and reasonable on both sides." Adkinson said the diocese is sorry for all the hurt that McLauchlin and others have experienced because of Sylvestre's actions, and the diocese continues to offer counselling to her and all victims of sexual misconduct by clergy. Friday's press conference was the first time McLauchlin has gone public about her story. Also present at the press conference were McLauchlin's parents, Sylvia and Charles McDonell, who frequently grew tearful during the proceedings. When asked if she or any other member of her family is still a member of the Catholic church, McLauchlin replied: "Absolutely not." Talach said McLauchlin's family returned their Bible -- which had been blessed by Sylvestre -- directly to the London diocese "because they had no use for it." At least 47 females came forward in the trial that led to Sylvestre's 2006 conviction on sexual assault charges. Sylvestre died in prison in January 2007. The Ledroit Beckett law firm estimates Sylvestre's total number of victims to be more than 80. The firm is still representing 13 victims of Sylvestre who have yet to reach settlements with the diocese. Asked where she goes from here, McLauchlin -- who is now married -- said she will always be scarred by the abuse, but her healing has begun. "I knew, today, after this press conference, I would feel better," McLauchlin said. "I am courageous, and I'm proud that I'm sitting here today sharing my story. "I hope no one ever has to go through this. And for that matter, I hope that the London diocese will settle with the rest of the victims and let them go on with their lives." ONLINE: windsorstar.com See a photo gallery of the news conference.
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