Canadian celebrities calling on Parliament Hill to do more to combat child sex abuse

OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – A pair of prominent Canadians are on Parliament Hill today to push federal politicians to do more to combat child sexual abuse.

Sean McCann, one of the founders of Great Big Sea, and former hockey player Sheldon Kennedy are sharing their experiences and asking MP’s to focus on strategies to deal with the problem.

Kennedy, who was abused by former hockey coach Graham James, says this isn’t just a crime, abuse has a lasting impact on victims.

“Kids that are abused [have] 30 per cent higher drop out rates in high school…are 26 times more likely to experience youth homelessness…59 times more likely to be arrested as a juvenile.”

Kennedy adds 80 per cent of abused youths end up in treatment centres and addiction centres.

“I mean, the list goes on.”

 

Kennedy wants to see the feds launch an education campaign to help survivors and their loved ones find help.

McCann says he was abused by his parish priest when he was a teenager, which scarred him for decades.

“For almost 35 years I kept this secret, I didn’t tell anybody. I kept my anger and my shame inside and I carried it around. And I used alcohol and drugs to keep the pain of that at bay.”

 

McCann and Kennedy say too many people suffer in silence and they are calling for an education campaign on the signs when someone is in pain, and to tell them where to get help.

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