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Crime Beat

Sheldon Kennedy and the scars that last a lifetime |13

Crime Beat

Curiouscast

Society & Culture, Documentary, True Crime, News

4.81.7K Ratings

🗓️ 6 April 2021

⏱️ 63 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the fall of 1996, the Canadian sports world was rocked by a major sex abuse scandal. NHL player Sheldon Kennedy courageously went forward to police to reveal he suffered years of abuse at the hands of his childhood coach, Graham James. When Kennedy broke his silence, it started an important conversation around sexual assault and opened the door for others to do the same. In 1997, James pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting two former players -- including Kennedy. He admitted to sexually assaulting the boys hundreds of times. Since then, according to the Parole Board of Canada, there are six victims named on his record but the board notes he’s “admitted to have had sexual intercourse with around 20 hockey players he was coaching ... using manipulation, control and his position of trust and authority to facilitate the assaults.” One of the other hockey players James has admitted to sexually assaulting, is former NHL star Theo Fleury. In this episode of the Global News podcast, Crime Beat, crime reporter Nancy Hixt shares the stories of four men who James abused as boys. Learn the shocking details of how signs were ignored -- so were outright requests for help from hockey officials. These men now work every day to empower victims and take control back from their abusers. Hear their inspiring stories in “the scars that last a lifetime.” Contact: Twitter: @nancyhixt Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyHixtCrimeBeat/ Email: nancy.hixt@globalnews.ca Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey, it's Nancy. Before we begin today, I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to crime beat early and add free on Amazon music included with Prime.

0:12.0

This episode is brought to you by Kraken.

0:14.0

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0:18.0

It doesn't care where you come from, what you look like, your credit score, or your outrageous food delivery habits.

0:24.0

Crypto is finance for everyone, everywhere, all the time.

0:29.0

Visit Kraken.com slash see what crypto can be to learn more.

0:34.0

Don't invest in as it prepared to lose all the money you invest.

0:37.0

This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.

0:42.0

A listener's note. The following episode contains course language, adult themes, and content of a violent and disturbing nature, and may not be suitable for everyone.

0:52.0

Listener discretion is advised.

0:56.0

On a hot summer evening, 25 years ago, the world watched as Donovan Bailey set the 100 meter world record at the Atlanta Olympic Games.

1:09.0

It's an iconic moment in Canadian history, one that many still remember to this day.

1:18.0

Then, just a few months later, in the fall of the year,

1:23.0

the world's world's world record.

1:26.0

It's an iconic moment in Canadian history, one that many still remember to this day.

1:31.0

Then, just a few months later, in the fall of 1996,

1:40.0

the Canadian sports world was rocked by another story.

1:44.0

And instead of triumph, this one shocked the nation.

1:48.0

A man once named hockeyman of the year, Graham James, was arrested in a massive sex abuse scandal.

1:57.0

Sheldon Kennedy identified himself as one of the victims James admitted to abusing.

2:03.0

I remember the significance of that moment.

2:07.0

Well, I mean, we were newsmaker. My story was newsmaker of the year in 1997.

...

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