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News & Resources

October 7, 2024

‘Done keeping it a secret’: Young woman speaks out about stepdad's sex abuse

For more than a decade, Hope Jordan felt like she had duct tape covering her mouth. Amid fears of ripping her family apart and pressure from her mother to keep quiet, Jordan felt she couldn’t talk about the years of sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepdad, Ric Lahey, who was recently sentenced to seven years in prison.

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September 27, 2024

Western University Homecoming 2024

Western Homecoming is this weekend. Welcome back all the students and staff for another incredible school year. Many of our lawyers and staff are Western alumnus and know the importance of being extra safe this weekend.

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September 26, 2024

Safety Tips for Halloween Night

Halloween is a spooky and fun time of year. Though not a recognized statutory holiday (a discussion for another blog), dressing up, enjoying a sugar rush, regardless of your age, never gets old. Halloween night, however, is not without its risks, in particular for those “kids” who have aged out of going door to door with parental supervision.

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September 20, 2024

Top Pedestrian Safety Tips: Protect Yourself While Walking in Ontario

At Beckett, we see firsthand the devastating consequences of pedestrian accidents. In busy cities and small towns alike, pedestrians are vulnerable on our roads, and the results of an accident can be life-changing.

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September 12, 2024

Warning Signs of Grooming at School

Grooming is when a perpetrator builds an emotional connection with a child to gain their trust as a way to commit sexual abuse. They are manipulative behaviours used to coerce them to agree to the abuse, and reduce the risk of being caught.

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September 11, 2024

Six decades later, local victim of notorious predatory priest gets some justice — and peace

Decades of shame and guilt prompted a former Sault Ste. Marie man to seek justice through the courts after coming forward as the earliest known victim of a convicted pedophile priest who once served at St. Mary's College in the 1950s and 60s.

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September 6, 2024

Safety Tips to Avoid an Injury

Slip and fall season is almost upon us. In many parts of the country, winter means icy roads and sidewalks, which increases the chance of an injury. Often the weather outside is brought inside by our footwear, which can cause falls in shopping centres, grocery stores, and apartment buildings.

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September 6, 2024

Making Institutions pay for Sexual Abuse

Perpetrators of sexual abuse are legally responsible for the damage caused by the abuse. But what about institutions? Perpetrators of abuse are often in positions of trust within institutions such as the Catholic Church, Boy Scouts, or a School Board.

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