That’s the view of the Chatham-Kent Sexual Assault Crisis Centre. Executive Director Michelle Schryer says the diocese is appealing.
To make their view known, the crisis centre joined a group of 12 organizations delivered an open letter to the bishop last week.
“This open letter talks about all the reasons why we want the Diocese of London to settle with Irene what the letter asks is for the church to stop it’s appeal. The Diocese of London has stated very clearly that it intends to appeal the judge’s ruling that the case be reopened,” says Schryer. “Just as careless driving does not exonerate drivers from responsibility in the event that there carelessness results in injury or death to innocent parties, neither does careless filing excuse the Dioceses of London in it’s responsibility now to provide justice for Irene.”
Deschenes settled her civil suit in the year 2000 believing she was the only victim of Sylvestre. She was 10 at the time of the assault.