With too high a risk of recidivism, the repeat offender sexual predator nicknamed the “denture rapist” will remain behind bars. A beautiful Christmas present before the time for the survivors.
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“The specter of knowing that he could make new victims haunted me, it came to seek me enormously. So [cette décision] comes to allay this concern. I will be able to celebrate the Holidays by telling myself “mission accomplished”, “drops with relief one of the survivors of Jacques Groleau, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.
In a decision rendered on December 22, the Commissioner of Parole of Canada, Jessie Landry-Marquis, ruled: Jacques Groleau, sexual assailant nicknamed the “denture rapist” because his had been found at the scene of a crime, will not return to live in community.
“You don’t seem to be aware of your risk factors or how dangerous you are. In addition, your rigidity in investing deeply and honestly in your program undoubtedly creates barriers to your therapeutic development ”, indicates the Commissioner.
Unacceptable risk
The latter also indicates to be “convinced” that the man who made at least eight victims presents a too great risk of recidivism “unacceptable for the society”, one can read in the document of 11 pages.
Statutory release with strict conditions in April 2021, the 60-year-old man was returned to prison five months later.
The dangerous repeat offender was sending too many signals about a risk of recidivism, according to the officers who supervised him at his halfway house.
He was then heard on December 15 by the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) to determine whether he could return to live in a community or whether he would remain imprisoned.
Combat
For the two survivors of the sexual predator, who took their courage in both hands to testify during the hearing of December 15 by recounting their assault, the revocation of the freedom of their attacker has a taste of victory.
“My victory is to protect other women, so that there are no other victims. Because what we understand is that it would inevitably have happened [s’il était resté en liberté]. It’s written in black and white, ”says one of the survivors.
This also a feeling of confirmation that invaded the two women when they learned that Groleau would remain behind bars.
“It’s a great validation of everything I’ve been saying for years, since at least 2007, before he made his five new victims,” says the second survivor.
Even if the decision suits her, she still regrets that the voice of the victims is not heard more.
“The criminal can talk for several hours, when we cannot react to what he says. We are given half the floor by letting us read statements written several months before, in another context, ”she laments.
The two women know, however, that they will have to fight a new fight against the release of their attacker, since his file may be reassessed in December 2022, although his sentence will go until 2025 for offenses of sexual assault with a weapon.
“We still have work to do, so if other victims want to testify, they can do so. It can make a difference in their healing process and in preventing it from coming out again, ”thought one of them.