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MONTREAL — A culture of silence contributed to a sex scandal at a Montreal detention centre that is under investigation by police, where female employees are accused of sexual abuse and other unacceptable behaviour, a report released Tuesday said.
The document on the Cité-des-Prairies rehabilitation centre is the result of an investigation ordered by the Quebec government into allegations of abuse at the facility. In October, La Presse reported that employees at the centre had sexual relations with residents — and that one of the workers allegedly became pregnant.
On Tuesday, youth protection authorities released the findings of their investigation, saying that four employees involved directly or indirectly in the allegations have been fired, and two managers remain suspended without pay. Several other employees are still suspended and Montreal police are conducting a parallel criminal investigation.
“It is unacceptable that such circumstances occurred in an environment that is supposed to be a safe environment for young people and a healthy workplace for our employees,” Assunta Gallo, the head of youth protection at the health authority for south-central Montreal, told a news conference.
“While the situation is extremely difficult, it provides us with an opportunity to review our practices and take actions to ensure that such circumstances never happen again.”
Two employees were let go for sexual abuse, and two were fired for other unacceptable behaviour such as abuse of power, negligence or violations of dignity. Gallo said at least one employee had sexual intercourse with a resident and became pregnant.
As well, she said the investigation revealed that employees had been afraid of reprisals for reporting inappropriate situations.
The facility houses some of the most troubled young males in Quebec’s youth protection system, most of whom have committed crimes, including murder. The majority of its residents are housed there following an order from the province’s youth court. Staff oversee residents with serious behavioural and substance abuse issues, and who have made repeated attempts to run away from home. Residents are aged between 12 and 21.
The health authority’s investigation, conducted by two external consultants, took place between Oct. 1 and Nov. 14, with approximately fifty witnesses interviewed. They concluded that a climate of mistrust fuelled a code of silence among staff.
The report says the majority of educational staff are made up of young, inexperienced women, and that employees have lost trust in their managers.
Gallo noted that the investigation revealed that some employees were inappropriately dressed for work, used unprofessional language, shared sensitive information with youth, and that there was “excessive closeness” between some teachers and residents.
“These practices violate the necessarily professional boundaries between educational and emotional roles that are expected of employees,” Gallo said.
The investigation also uncovered lapses in security that allowed cellphones, homemade weapons, drugs and alcohol to be snuck into the facility.
During the news conference, Jason Champagne, director of the youth program at the health authority, said the “perceived distance between managers and the field reinforced a climate of mistrust within teams, which harmed the cohesion and effectiveness of services.”
Media reports said criminal gangs had infiltrated the centre, but Gallo said the investigation found no signs of that.
“No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that the employees who were involved in the situations that were brought forward to the media acted under threat from these groups,” Gallo said.
Julie Houle, a representative with the union that represents employees at the centre, said in a statement that Cité-des-Prairies workers are dedicated professionals “who work in extremely difficult conditions.” She added the union, called APTS, denounces any inappropriate behaviour.
“The report reveals serious organizational shortcomings, the result of poor management and a lack of administrative support,” Houle said. “We emphasize that appropriate training, clinical supervision and proactive human resources management are essential bulwarks against these unacceptable and avoidable situations.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Katrine Desautels, The Canadian Press