REGINA – Former NHL hockey player Sheldon Kennedy says it’s like a cloud has been lifted over the Saskatchewan city where he was sexually abused by his junior hockey coach.
Kennedy was on hand Friday as officials in Swift Current launched a program for community organizations that will require not only criminal background checks for adults working with children, but training on how to prevent bullying and abuse.
Kennedy says groups such as Hockey Canada have similar training, but rules are lacking for organizations that fall under the city’s umbrella.
The former hockey player revealed 20 years ago that he was abused by Graham James, his coach with the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos.
Kennedy says there’s an energy in the city now where people realize it’s OK to talk about what happened, as well as a sense of peace and relief that comes with acceptance.
There was also a screening of a documentary entitled “Swift Current,” which looks at the repercussions of Kennedy’s abuse.
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