Conception Bay abuse details 'overwhelming': survivors' group

A group that offers support to abuse victims says the children involved in a case going through court in Harbour Grace will require special attention.

On Wednesday, a mother was convicted of 20 charges related to child abuse — she pled guilty to five charges of forcible confinement and was found guilty of 15 others — that took place over a span of years.

Bev Moore-Davis, with Adult Survivors of Child Abuse in St. John's, was in the courtroom when Judge James Walsh described what the mother did to her children over a number of years.

She's an adult. She can think and she can make decisions … she knows that you don't do things like this to your children.- Bev Moore-Davis

"I'm a little bit emotional, I'm overwhelmed hearing the details of the case. I'm pleased that there was a great turnout of people coming here to support those little people that don't have a voice right now, so I'm pleased with that, but I'm just a little bit emotional," she said.

Moore-Davis said it's important for the children in the case to have access to the kinds of supports she knows they will need.

"It takes a long time to even be able to talk about it, to even admit that these horrible things happened. I'm pleased that it's being addressed at this point in their lives. They're kind of getting out and I hope they'll get the therapy, the counselling, the support that they need that they can lead a normal life," said Moore-Davis.

"For so many cases like this, for the one case that makes it to court, there are hundreds that we know nothing about, so I think it's important that when there is something that makes it to the light we need to support it, we need to be there for those people."

The convicted woman hasn't been sentenced yet, but Moore-Davis said she hopes justice will be served.

The woman, 32, who can't be named under a publication ban to protect the identities of the children, assaulted her children, forced them to watch her have sex with her husband and left them locked in their rooms until they soiled themselves.

"She's an adult. She can think and she can make decisions … she knows that you don't do things like this to your children. I have a child, I was abused, and I know what not to do," Moore-Davis said.

The case is set to be back in court in Harbour Grace in July when the defence and Crown will make sentencing recommendations.