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Ontario Provincial Police have laid more sexual abuse charges against former Boy Scout leader and Anglican priest, Ralph Rowe.

Rowe is charged with five counts of sexual assault and two counts of indecent assault. Rowe is a notorious sexual predator. He has already been convicted of more than fifty sexual offences for assaults that occurred in 1970s and 1980s when he was conducting church services and/or leading Boy Scout troops in First Nations communities in Manitoba and Ontario.

Dozens of victims

In 1998, he was convicted of 10 sexual assault charges relating to the time spent in Split Lake.

In 1994, Rowe pleaded guilty to 29 sexual abuse offences involving 16 victims.

In 2007 and 2009, he was found guilty of further charges.

Rowe is one of Canada’s most notorious pedophiles. But because most of his offences took place in First Nations communities there has been little publicity relating to the charges.

Scouts Canada liable?

There have been civil suits filed against Rowe and the Boy Scouts of Canada. However, there are no public records of the claims because they were settled quietly out of court. There is no indication if Scouts Canada admitted any wrongdoing or liability when the claims were settled.

Scouts Canada investigating hundreds of past claims

Recently, an investigative report by CBC uncovered repeated incidents of Boy Scout leaders abusing children who were moved or never reported to police. Scouts Canada has requested an independent audit by KPMG.

Media reports indicate that the Boy Scouts Canada has turned over hundreds of files involving cases of alleged pedophilia to the auditors. Depending on the results of the report, Scouts Canada could be facing hundreds, perhaps thousands of civil claims from abuse victims.

The results of the audit were supposed to be released early this year, but victims’ advocates are still waiting to hear of the auditors conclusions.

For more information you can read my previous articles:

Scouts Canada Admits Not Reporting Abuse Claims

Sports and Scouts at Risk of Liability for Sexual Abuse

Boy Scouts Canada Kept Secret List of Abusers: Players are different but the script is the same.

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