TORONTO — A support agency for survivors of childhood sexual abuse says it's seen a surge in calls since Alice Munro's daughter went public a month ago with her story of abuse by her stepfather.
The intake coordinator for the Gatehouse said 81 survivors have reached out to the Toronto-based agency for support since Andrea Skinner's essay was published in the Toronto Star on July 7.
A large proportion of them specifically referred to Skinner's story and the surrounding media coverage, Karen MacKeigan told The Canadian Press on Wednesday.
The essay described Skinner's pain when Munro, the Nobel Prize-winning Canadian author, found out about the abuse but chose to stay with her husband, Gerald Fremlin.
Before July 7, the Gatehouse's busiest month this year had been January, when it heard from 35 survivors, MacKeigan said.
In addition to the 81 survivors, inquiries have increased from people and agencies trying to provide support to others, she said, noting that the influx of calls have come from various parts of Canada, as well as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Arthur Lockhart, founder of The Gatehouse and a retired chair of the social and community services school at Humber College, said the increase in calls shows how Skinner's voice "has rippled across the globe.”
“It's a testament, I think, to the strength and courage of any human being that comes forward to tell their story," Lockhart said.
In her essay, Skinner said she turned to the Gatehouse for help decades after the childhood abuse and said that was where she felt her voice was finally heard.
Fremlin pleaded guilty to indecent assault in a Goderich, Ont., court on March 11, 2005 but the admission wasn't widely known until Skinner's essay.
MacKeigan said she's seen an increase in older survivors reaching out in the past month.
Unfortunately, many people who were sexually abused as children suffer far into adulthood with feelings of shame, guilt and fear, Lockhart said.
"It is not uncommon for people to come up those five steps at the Gatehouse who are in their 60s, 50s, 40s, 70s. Someone (who) was as old as 80 came up those steps to say that they've been carrying this in their invisible knapsack — this pain and anguish and so on — all those decades,” he said.
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If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, support is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988, Canada's national suicide prevention helpline.
If you are in crisis, call 911 or your local distress centre.
The Gatehouse can be reached at 416-255-5900, ext. 222.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press
