Woman sues Canadian diocese over sexual abuse

Linda Deschamps is suing the Yarmouth Catholic diocese in Nova Scotia province for 10 years of sexual abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of a priest in Shellburne in the 1970s, Canadian media said January 6.  She claims that she was hired at the age of 12 by Rev. Raoul Deveau in exchange for food and money for her impoverished family.

Deschamps alleges Deveau threatened to cut off her food if she would not provide sexual services. She continued to work for him for 10 years and even moved in with him and called him "uncle."
She further alleges that Archbishop Anthony Mancini and the Catholic diocese did nothing to halt the "incorrect relation." Deveau died in the 1980s.

Archbishop Mancini's office declined to comment on the case.

This is the second time a sexual scandal has hit the Catholic church in the Canadian province. In September 2009, former Bishop Raymond Lahey of Antigonish was indicted for possession of child pornography on his personal computer.