A lawsuit has been filed against Windsor's OHL club, its league, and four former players over an alleged sexual assault that took place four decades ago.
A statement of claim has been filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Windsor against the Windsor Spitfires, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), and four former Spitfires players.
According to the statement of claim obtained by WindsorNewsToday.ca., the woman who filed it was a 19-year-old Tecumseh resident in the spring of 1984, when the alleged attack took place at a party.
The information stated that the assault happened at the home of one of the players' billet families. The suit said that four unnamed players took turns having sex with the woman, and a fifth player was present but did not participate.
"The behaviour of the John Doe defendants constituted sexual abuse, assault, and battery," read the statement of claim. "It was also a breach of the duty of care that they owed to the Plaintiff in that, inter alia, they did willfully and/or negligently inflict pain and suffering, mental suffering, humiliation, and degradation upon the Plaintiff, assaulted the Plaintiff and interfered with her well-being solely for the purpose of their own sexual gratification."
The victim has accused the league of being negligent by perpetuating a "culture" of sexual assault, failing to take complaints seriously, failing to instruct players properly on a standard of conduct, and allowing the players to continue playing hockey.
The complainant has asked for a total of $3,750,000 in damages, including pain and suffering, plus mental and emotional distress.
The complaints have not been proven in court.
The OHL and CHL have declined comment.