Seeing pictures of Graham James, the former hockey coach who was convicted of two counts of sexual assault this week, has many parents wondering just how this monster could prey on these young men.
How could he get away with years of systematic assault on junior-age elite hockey players? Why would his victims maintain their silence for more than a decade?
On March 20, James was sentenced to two years for assaulting Theoren Fleury and Todd Holt, Fleury's cousin. In the late '90s James served 18 months of a 3.5 year sentence for assaulting Sheldon Kennedy, another former NHL star. Charges involving another victim, Greg Gilhooly, were stayed.
At the time James coached these young men, they were about 15 or 16, with dreams of hockey grandeur in their heads. Along with a career in the NHL would come fame and money - lots of it. James knew he held the key to these kids' futures in his rotten hands. He bought their silence with his power to bench them and end their budding careers.
As to why the victims stayed quiet for so long, you only need read either Fleury's book, Playing with Fire or Kennedy's Why I Didn't Say Anything - The Sheldon Kennedy Story to know the toll the silence took on both these men.
There is such a stigma attached to sexual crimes, particularly when it involves young men who think they should be able to look after themselves. Crass members of our society wonder what the victims did to bring this on to themselves and judge the victim almost as harshly as they do the perpetrator. Both Kennedy and Fleury paid a heavy toll for their years of silence. Each wandered into an abyss of anger and were almost consumed by the memories of the abuse. Later, drug addiction spelled the end of both of their careers.
Manitoba court judge Catherine Carlson said on Tuesday that no sentence she could impose would give back to Holt and Fleury what was taken by James.
"What happened to Mr. Fleury and Mr. Holt is every child's worst nightmare," Carlson said.
We agree. The amazing part is both Kennedy and Fleury appear to have made peace with the legacy of James. Fleury is now an advocate for sexual abuse victims and has a public speaking career. Kennedy has worked on violence and abuse prevention programs with the Canadian Red Cross.
There aren't enough accolades for the courage Kennedy, Fleury, Holt and Gilhooly have shown in coming forward. We hope by their showing this evil the light of day that other young people may be spared the same kind of abuse.
As for James, who came into court obscured by a turtleneck that hid all but his eyes, there aren't enough arrows to send his way. The ultimate weapon against James and his ilk is education. Have the uncomfortable talk with your kids - keep the monsters at bay.
