Ontario woman claims sexual assault by junior hockey player

Content note: This article contains allegations of sexual assault.

Ontario Provincial Police have admitted that one of its employees failed to follow the organization’s policies when an alleged sexual assault victim called a local police unit to report an incident involving eight former junior hockey players earlier this year.

The woman, now 32, said she contacted the OPP on Feb. 28 to report an alleged assault in November 2014.

OPP spokesperson Gosia Puzio wrote in an email to W5 that alleged victims of sexual assault in Ontario must file a report with police in the jurisdiction where the alleged assault occurred. In this case, a civilian employee violated OPP policy by not speaking to the alleged victim on the phone until he or she could reach the appropriate person.

“In response to your request, the Ontario Provincial Police takes all allegations of sexual assault seriously and recognizes the courage it takes for victims to come forward,” Puzio wrote. “We understand how important it is for victims to feel heard, respected and supported.

“We checked the call [OPP] Provincial Communications Center in London regarding the historic sexual assault. We can confirm that the civilian caller provided the victim with the contact information for the appropriate police department to facilitate reporting. However, the standard operating procedures state that the caller should have personally connected the caller to the appropriate law enforcement agency and remained on the line until the caller could confirm that a report had been initiated.”

The alleged victim told W5 that after she contacted police at the scene of the alleged assault, she was told they were unable to help her either. She was told to call the police in the community where she now lives.

“Anne Marie” told W5 that after she contacted police at the location where her alleged assault occurred, she was told they couldn’t help her either.

The alleged victim goes by the pseudonym Anne Marie.

Details of the assault allegations

She said that when she was 22, she had been in a consensual relationship with a 19-year-old Ontario Hockey League player for about six months when he invited her to meet one of his teammates at his quarters, the house where he was staying. Watching TV lived during hockey season.

Anne Marie said that when she visited the player and went into the basement with him, there were eight players there. After the 19-year-old player took them to the toilet, they started fooling around. What started as a consensual act turned into a group sexual assault, the woman said.

“I was taken to a bathroom,” she said. “And then the player who invited me started having sex with me – he started engaging in sexual acts. They never closed the bathroom door all the way… And next thing you know, more players come in. Players stand there and watch. They start taking turns doing whatever they want.”

Anne Marie said she felt trapped and was attacked for about 90 minutes. She said she froze and “pretty much fainted.”

“You’re stuck in the basement with eight junior hockey players,” she said. “Trapped in a corner, literally in the back room of a basement.”

She said she remembers players calling each other by their nicknames.

“Pretty quickly I got to the point where I was just trying to put my mind somewhere else and not even make eye contact,” she said. “I waited for the first free eviction, and pretty much only after everyone had had their turn, some more than once. I was taken to the shower. And after that, I felt like I had a chance to get the hell out.”

“I thought it was my fault”

Anne Marie said she called a friend on the drive home and told her what had happened. W5 independently contacted this woman, who confirmed her telephone conversation with Anne Marie in 2014. The friend said she remembered Anne Marie telling her she didn’t know if she would contact the police because some of the hockey players were 16 years old and apparently the 19-year-old player who invited her , had been pressured to take part in the attack when they returned home.

Anne Marie said she only told her family what happened this year, after watching a news conference in which the London police chief apologized to another woman who was allegedly sexually abused by former Canadian world junior soccer players. In this case, five former Team Canada players are awaiting trial on sexual assault charges.

“I was just ashamed,” said Anne Marie. “I didn’t tell anyone because I thought it was my fault. I thought I was responsible for it because I made the decision to hang out with this guy and a buddy… It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized it was a sexual assault because I hadn’t pushed it before more in mind. I did what I could to just forget about it, not think about it, brush it away. But it just built up in the back of my mind…So it’s only been in the last few years that I’ve actually had a chance to name it, identify it and understand it. And the worst part was accepting what happened.”

Resources for Sexual Assault Survivors in Canada

If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support those in crisis:

If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety, you should call 911.

For a complete list of sexual assault centers in Canada that provide information, advocacy and advice, visit the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centers website.

Helplines, legal services and locations offering sexual assault kits in Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia can be found here.

National Residential School Crisis Line: +1 866 925 4419

Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 833 900 1010

Trans Lifeline: +1 877 330 6366

Sexual Misconduct Assistance for Current or Former Armed Forces Members: +1 844 750 1648

Read more about your rights as a victim here. ​