A woman who saw her attacker go to prison 30 years after abusing her more than 200 times is encouraging victims to break the silence, no matter the moment.
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“It’s not necessarily an easy path, but it’s possible to do it and it ends well,” said the victim, whose identity is protected by a court order. It gives a little balm to the heart.”
His attacker, Carlos Rivest, was sentenced last Monday at the Saint-Jérôme courthouse to 18 months in prison and three years of probation.
“It adds to the feeling of justice to see him arrive through the main door [de la salle] and see him go out the back door [vers] prison,” she recounts in an interview with The newspaperstressing that she was overcome by great stress at the hearing.
Repeat
Rivest was found guilty of inciting sexual interference and sexual touching of the complainant. She was between 9 and 13 years old at the time of the offenses, 9 years younger than him.
The crimes occurred in the early 1990s, in Saint-Jérôme and Prévost. According to a court calculation, we can identify “at least” 208 events involving abuse and touching.
“The actions were committed week after week, even several times a week,” we can read in the decision on the sentence of judge Dany Pilon, where we also note that Carlos Rivest had imposed a “notion of secrecy” on the ‘child.
No more secrets
After carrying around these painful memories for a long time, the victim finally decided to alert the authorities in 2018, during a pregnancy.
“I kind of had a wake-up call», she emphasizes on the other end of the line.
“This child, one day, will be born,” the mother said to herself. By having secrets, taboo subjects like that, I was kept in a silence which forced me to act as if nothing had happened.”
The long legal process was not easy for the woman who even considered suicide after denouncing her tormentor.
“It’s laborious, it’s long,” she summarizes.
Support
The thirty-year-old, however, assures that she was able to count on the support of an investigator, the prosecutor in the case and the Assistance Center for Victims of Crime (CAVAC), in particular.
“It made me feel more solid and mentally strong to know that these people were there,” says the complainant.
“What helped me was knowing that I was heard, without judgment,” adds the survivor.
As for Rivest, who had no criminal record, he would have a very low risk of repeat offenses. He also completed an awareness program.
Me Élise Maldemay represented the Crown in this matter, while Ms.e Julie Lepage defended the 48-year-old accused.
IF YOU NEED‘HELP
Quebec suicide prevention line
• https://www.aqps.info/
• 1 866 CALL (277-3553)