Victims have their say in Sask. Cree healer case

A Cree man heard firsthand how his sexual crimes impacted his female victims in court this week. Cecil Wolfe, who pleaded guilty to 12 counts of sexual assault on Feb. 19, listened to victim impact statements and sentencing submissions on March 25. An agreed statement of facts was filed with the court, as well as statements from the Saskatoon Tribal Council and Muskeg Lake Cree Nation. Wolfe, 63, is expected to be sentenced on April 23 in Saskatoon’s Court of King’s Bench. Travelled around Court heard Wolfe travelled around counselling and treating women with what he said were traditional techniques and medicine. But his approach crossed the line legally, according to the agreed statement of facts submitted by the Crown and defence. The document says Wolfe touched the breasts, buttocks and genitals of the women, who lived in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The assaults happened between 2013 and 2021, court was told. The victims’ identities are protected by a publication ban. Scared, confused and violated They said they left their sessions with Wolfe feeling scared, confused and violated. “It is not appropriate, in the Indigenous tradition, to touch a female body during doctoring, especially private areas such as the buttocks, vagina or breast,” the statement says. “The only acceptable places to touch a female are the middle of the back, head, feet and shoulders.” Read More: Indigenous healer admits to sexually assaulting 12 women in Saskatchewan Wolfe doesn’t remember all the victims or details of what happened, but accepts the facts in the document, it adds. The first woman came forward in April 2021. Wolfe pleaded guilty to the charges in 2022, but they were expunged a year later. A judge ruled Wolfe wasn’t properly informed of the consequences of his pleas. Wolfe claimed not to understand English well enough, and an interpreter was made available. There was a further delay when Wolfe changed legal counsel. -with files by The Canadian Press Support is available for anyone who has been sexually assaulted. Ccall The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010 for more information. Continue Reading