Selma* was 16 years old when her 33-year-old uncle isolated, abused and assaulted her more than 1000 times. She became pregnant by her tormentor and had two daughters, whom he also raped as children. He has just been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
“His father stole his youth and his innocence,” said Judge Dannie Leblanc, of the Court of Quebec, about one of the man’s daughters, at the end of the hearing at the Longueuil courthouse. .
The Crown was seeking a 15-year sentence against the man, whom the law prohibits us from identifying to protect the identity of his victims. The defense demanded 8. He was free while awaiting his sentence. The crimes took place over a period of more than 16 years. Me Bruno Des Lauriers, the prosecutor, said he was satisfied with the sentence imposed. “I admire the courage of the victims,” he said at the end of the hearing.
“It takes a lot of courage and strength of character for victims of sexual abuse to reveal personal and intimate secrets,” said the judge in a message addressed directly to the victims, visibly emotional as they left the court. “Be proud to have denounced,” she added.
Isolated in Canada
The man’s niece, Selma, who cannot be identified, is from Africa. She went into exile in France to study with her sister, but learned in 2001 that she was pregnant. At 16, Selma was left in the care of her grandmother in Quebec, and had an abortion.
At the time, her parents refused to allow her to return to France because she “jet[ait] dishonor” on his family. It was then that she fell under the yoke of her uncle. He begins to attack her at this time. Following a family reunion, Selma and her executioner leave for northern Quebec. They have sex every day.
“She felt captive, afraid, not knowing where to go,” the judge said in her verdict.
At this time, Selma is the prisoner of her uncle, who frequently assaults her and is controlling with her. He refuses him all contact with the outside world and monitors all his movements. “He exercised total control over her,” argued the magistrate.
Selma tried to escape barefoot in the cold, but was caught by her uncle, who threatened to kill her, and “cut her into little pieces”.
Attacking his daughters
With the numerous sexual relations, the victim becomes pregnant several times. “She ended up losing the fetus after taking a cocktail of aspirin and Coca-Cola, at the suggestion of the accused. » A tactic that works “some times”, according to the judge.
After numerous miscarriages, Selma and her uncle had two daughters. The “couple” settled in La Prairie, on the South Shore. “They formed a seemingly normal family,” underlined the magistrate in the guilty verdict.
Over the years, he assaulted his two daughters several times. “He offered her treats in exchange for sexual acts,” the judge mentioned in her decision, regarding one of the victims.
At the end of his 6e year of primary school, the youngest daughter, then aged 12, wrote a letter to denounce her father to her mother. This is what pushes Selma to flee to a shelter with her two children.
The offender, who is not a Canadian citizen, will be returned to his native country when the sentence expires, the judge said.
*Fictitious name