Parents need help keeping kids safe from sexual predators: Sask. mother
A Saskatchewan mother did everything she could think of to protect her son from being molested, but now believes the community must do more to keep kids safe from manipulative sexual predators.
“The day that we found out about this monster, Ryan Chamberlin, it was on February 25, and that was the night our whole world came crashing down,” said this mother, who can’t be identified to protect the identity of her son.
“So many things went through my mind. I was sick. I threw up immediately. I felt guilty. I felt it was my fault that it happened. I was angry, disgusted. I just felt like I was so naive.”
Chamberlin had coached her son in hockey. In April, he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault, and one count of child luring after four victims came forward. Chamberlin will be sentenced on May 6.
She said that she was always worried about her kids, so she made sure to talk to them about “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and explained that pedophiles can come in the form of trusted people. She said she told them the story of former NHL hockey player Sheldon Kennedy, and his notorious coach Graham James, who abused players for years.
“I did prepare them in a way that if they ever feel uncomfortable or if they are ever told they have to keep a secret from me, then that is a red flag,” she said.
Before letting her son take lessons from him, she asked around about Chamberlin.
She was told he was “the nicest guy”, “a great guy” and that “he’s like a little kid himself”.
She sees now that Chamberlin gained their trust and groomed and manipulated their entire family.
She said that when her son told her what had happened she wanted to confront Chamberlin, but they decided to go to the police. Her son was the first of Chamberlin’s victims in Saskatchewan to come forward.
Her son came forward because he was thinking about others. He was worried about his friends who had been taking lessons with Chamberlin, and his little brother, who had been part of group lessons with the man.
“My son did not want this monster to hurt his little brother.”
To heal, she is working for tighter regulations, tougher sentencing, and more education, so others don’t have to go through the same thing.