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Volume 79 Issue No. 48

_TheReview Wednesday, November 27,1991 — A6 W

sexual abuse:
Prevention through exposure

Parents of teenage girls who are in school and have
completed school are pleased with the recent conviction, and
subsequent media coverage, of a Brentwood Bay former
pastor's sex crimes. In fact, several callers have requested
more in-depth coverage of the trial that resulted in the
conviction.

On first glance one could assume that these people are
seeking vengeance against Eli Fricker, wishing to do more
damage to Fricker than a four-year jail term and public
disclosure accomplished.

But, after looking into the situation further, it becomes
clear that these parents are using the only ammunition they
have to fight against a disease in our community. Some say
it’s always been there but no one talked about it.

Rape statistics show that for every rape reported, two others
happen. In the Fricker case, the part that is particularly
alarming to parents is that fact that Fricker held such a
position of unquestionable authority in the community.
Although Fricker was convicted of crimes that occurred in
1967, parents reacted with disbelief after leaming the truth.

The mother of a Peninsula girl once involved with the
Fricker family is scared that others placed in the same type of
situation with a man of similar authority would not have the
courage to tell others, allowing the crimes to continue.

“The exposure of criminal behavior at this leyel is vital to
the health and welfare of our community,” is her statement,
accompanied by a plea for more coverage.

In making his decision in B.C Supreme Court Noy. 12,
Justice Stephen Hardinge said: “You were looked upon as a
hero by the young people of the congregation. They thought
very highly of you and placed their complete trust in you.
You were not the knight in shining armor you neld yourself
out to be.”

From local sources, that level of admiration for Fricker was
very real to the people of the Peninsula. At the trial, character
references from 32 members of the congregation were
submitted. After the trail began, before sentencing was given,
the church made a public statement in support OL the former
pastor.

In an interview with The Review, Fricker said: “After so
long, sometimes prosecution of the guilty can be persecution
of the innocent.” He asked that the newspaper not publish
information from the trial because of the potential for
damage. It is evident that Fricker was a powerful man.

The concerted lobby for more coverage about sexual
crimes against youngsters is not because of a zeal for racy,
sensational stories.

Its intent is to inform young people that it’s okay to tell
others when your personal rights are violated, regardless of
the authority figures such allegations involve.

Young people should know that what happens to their body
is their business.

We'll remember that during coverage of the upcoming tral
involving two former North Saanich Middle School teachers.
Whether Geoff Armstrong and Thomas Probst are guilty of
the crimes they are charged with remains to be seen.

But the harsh reality of the Fricker case is simple. He is
guilty of raping one 12-year-old girl and one 13-year-old girl.

By knowing that, perhaps other 12 and 13 year olds will
not hesitate should something happen to them.

** Review

Serving the Saanich Peninsula
Since 1912
9726 - First St. P.O. Box 2070
Sidney, B.C. V8L 3C9 Sidney, B.C. V8L3S5

656-1151

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Good laugh

Editor:

It isn’t often we geta good laugh
from columnists, but Arthur
Black’s “Basic Black” of Nov. 13
was the funniest I’ ve read in a long
time! (Been down so long it all
looks like up, Victoria Weeklies
Section B).

I’ve clipped it for those days
when the troubles pile up. Now I
read it even on good ones. Nice
work Arthur — I’m sure you did a
lot of people some good.

By the way, whatever happened
to Ivy Kent’s “Golden Rod?” I
miss it.

B. Graham
- Sidney ~

Editor’s note: Ivy Kent was on
the sick list but is back as a regular
contributor to Section B this week.

Dog prohibition
should be struck

Editor:

As a neighbor to Roberts Bay, I
must add to the Mitchell’s letter,
“Betrayal of a water dog,” The
Review, Nov. 13.1 strongly object
to these new signs restricting dogs.

I have no problem with the
proclamation of Roberts Bay as a
bird sanctuary even though I
believe it to be totally unnecessary.
Natural bird sanctuaries are plenti-

_ ful through out all the lands in the

area.

I live four blocks from Roberts
Bay and I am a disabled person.
My waterdog, now ten months old,
has been great therapy for me.

We never miss a morning walk
on Roberts Bay. This place is a dog
haven close to my home with good
beach access for the disabled. —

I find this beach easy to walk,
my dog runs, swims, chases crows
and seagulls. She could never
catch one. The crows especially
make a game of it and tease my
dog.

It’s been great fun to watch my
puppy having her needed run and
swim. I cannot believe that letting
dogs run here can do any harm to
any bird.

I am finding it much more
difficult to look after my friend
since these signs have gone up.

It is a further walk to the next
beach. There are no place for dogs
to run except at extremely low
tides. These beaches are riddled
with logs, gravel and rock, making
it most difficult for me to walk.

These signs have made my life
much harder and less enjoyable for
my puppy. Roberts Bay is a dog
haven off of Resthaven.

Please let us strike the dog
prohibition part from these signs
for all dogs and dog lovers in the
neighborhood.

I would like to encourage others
to write to make this happen.

Rene Groulx
Sidney

No support for
breaking | laws

Editor:

I have just read an article in
reference to the trouble the Get-
goods are having attaining a day
care licence (Group day care
thwarted, The Review, Nov. 13).

I don’t feel a little bit sorry for
them because as a fully qualified
(certified) preschool teacher and a
new owner-operator of a licensed
daycare, I don’t feel they are
giving the public the full truth.

The rules and regulations within
the act may be old but the reasons
for them have not changed — that
is the safety and emotional, social,
physical and intellectual growth of
the children.

The Getgoods were quoted as
saying if they “followed the regu-
lations” they “would be out of
business’ and if the so-called
“outdated, unworkable act were
applied in every respect, it could
close every day care in existence.”

Well that is not true at all. I and
many other legal day cares follow
the regulations and are not going
out of business.

I would like to question the
Getgoods and ask which of the
regulations they find so hard to
follow, the staff-child ratio of one-
to-eight (which aids in some one-
to-one time for the children), the

space requirement (Or is it better to
be a sardine) or the bathroom ratio
of one toilet and sink to ten
children (most families would not
live with that ratio but it’s okay for
children up to 13 hours a day).
Shall I go on?

The fact that the Getgoods are
still operating while breaking the
tules is very frustrating for us who
follow all the rules but what really
makes me angry is they ask for
public support for their breaking
CRD and municipal laws in the
child care field. You don’t have my

support.

S. Rodway .
Saanich

Check it out

Editor:

Re: Two for one, The Review,
Nov. 6. Continuing from that letter
which was edited, I would like to
add that I am surprised that the
Rate Payers Association did not
take this on, as it fits their mandate
to a capital “T,” protecting the
taxpayers from people abusing of
their privilege, with taxpayers”
money!

I am now publicly asking the
Rate Payers Association to delve
into this matter (the Town Hall
study with its $250,000 ramifica-
tions) and tell the people they
represent whether the public got
their money’s worth, as well as the
benefit to the town and taxpayers. -

I hope that the study (or studies)
does not change too much by the
time you get at it!!! Time is
crucial.

B.H. Ethier
Sidney

Sirong and silent

Editor:

Another round of applause for
Sidney’s present council. At the
Tecent retirement dinner given for
‘Geoff Logan, former mayor
Norma Sealey requested to be last
to speak and then proceeded to
attack the individual members of

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