Former NHLer and child advocate calls for league to better support players reporting abuse
A former NHL player and sexual abuse survivor is calling on the NHL to do more and have more services available to players to report concerns about sexual abuse.
Sheldon Kennedy made the comments following the completion of an investigation into reports of sexual abuse by an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
The investigation found the situation was mishandled and the team was fined $2 million by the NHL and general manager and president of hockey operations, Stan Bowman, resigned from his position.
Kennedy thinks third-party programs need to be available for players and bystanders to speak freely about any concerns they have.
He said there is a player assistance program within the NHL to help players with a variety of issues, but he noted there is no third-party helpline that players can access that isn't part of the team.
"When we keep these types of issues and we keep the call centre or the helpline within the organizations, there is a reluctance for anybody to come forward because it is such a code of silence, if you may. We know the best results come when that safe place or that helpline is outside the organization."
Kennedy said he hopes the NHL and every team in the league can learn from this incident and that they will do everything they can to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.
"This is a chance to get it right and learn from it and understand what was wrong, and how this happened, and how we are going to be better to make sure this doesn't happen for anybody else throughout the league," he said. "How are we going to educate every team? How are we going to create a safe place for every team, for the players, for anybody within the organization to be able to handle and deal with these issues upfront?"
Kennedy added the way this issue was dealt with back in 2010 is archaic and now, these situations cannot be swept under the rug and they need to be dealt with.
"We got to be upfront. I find this is not about being perfect. This is about being honest, being transparent, and doing everything that we can to be able to communicate our plan, be able to admit that we could have been better and we should have been better and we're going to do everything we can to be better."
The Blackhawks hired Jenner & Block to conduct what they called an independent review in response to two lawsuits filed against the franchise: one by a player identified as John Doe alleging sexual assault by then-assistant coach Brad Aldrich in 2010 and another filed by a former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting in Michigan.
-With files from The Associated Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.