The second woman to publicly accuse Alice Munro害羞草研究所檚 late husband of targeting her sexually when she was a child says she hopes her story will encourage parents to believe their children.

Jane Morrey was nine years old when she says Gerald Fremlin exposed himself to her while he was staying at her family害羞草研究所檚 Toronto home, several years before he married Munro. Fifty-five years later, she was inspired to speak publicly about it for the first time after learning that Fremlin had later sexually abused one of Munro害羞草研究所檚 daughters, Andrea Robin Skinner, when she, too, was nine.

Morrey, 64, says her experience was profoundly different from Skinner害羞草研究所檚. Last month, Skinner described in an essay for the Toronto Star how for years after Fremlin assaulted her, she was sent back to her mother害羞草研究所檚 home every summer and continued to be abused by him. Her mother害羞草研究所檚 decision to stay with Fremlin after learning of the sexual abuse has tarnished the legacy of one of Canada害羞草研究所檚 most celebrated authors. Munro died in May, aged 92.

When Fremlin targeted Morrey, she said, her mother threw him out of the house immediately, and Morrey never saw him again until she was an adult. Looking back now, she said she doesn害羞草研究所檛 feel 害羞草研究所減articularly traumatized害羞草研究所� by the incident.

害羞草研究所淚 never grew up feeling like I did something wrong, ever,害羞草研究所� she said in a phone interview on Monday. 害羞草研究所淚 felt like I was completely vindicated, because I was believed, instantly.害羞草研究所�

Morrey, who first told her story to the Toronto Star, hopes her decision to speak out will help other parents understand how important it is to act decisively. 害羞草研究所淎side from Alice Munro害羞草研究所檚 fame, aside from everything, if something happens and your child tells you, then believe them and act accordingly,害羞草研究所� she said.

It was only after Skinner害羞草研究所檚 essay was published that it became known Fremlin, who died in 2013 at the age of 88, had pleaded guilty in 2005 to indecently assaulting his stepdaughter.

READ ALSO:

Fremlin was a close family friend of Morrey害羞草研究所檚 parents. They had attended the University of Western Ontario together, along with Alice and Jim Munro, who would become the author害羞草研究所檚 first husband and the father of her three daughters, including Andrea.

Morrey害羞草研究所檚 older sister, Marianne Webb, said Fremlin visited their family often, and she doesn害羞草研究所檛 remember a time when he wasn害羞草研究所檛 friends with her parents. She said he never acted inappropriately toward her, and she remembers being 害羞草研究所渒ind of jealous害羞草研究所� that he would send her little sister postcards from his travels around the world. Now, she sees the behaviour as 害羞草研究所渟ubtle grooming.害羞草研究所�

Morrey, who is seven years younger than Webb, said she loved getting postcards, gifts and attention from Fremlin and saw him as something of an uncle.

Then, when Fremlin was visiting in 1969, nine-year-old Morrey went into his room one morning to ask what he wanted for breakfast. She said he threw his blanket off and exposed himself to her. Shocked, she left the room and began making oatmeal.

She said Fremlin then followed her to the kitchen and told her, 害羞草研究所淚 shouldn害羞草研究所檛 have flashed my c害羞草研究所攌 at you.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 never heard adults talk that way or use that kind of word,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淢y parents were very clinical about stuff.害羞草研究所�

But Fremlin went on, she remembers. 害羞草研究所淭hen he said, 害羞草研究所極K, so you got to see me. Maybe you害羞草研究所檇 like to show me yours.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

At that point, Morrey said, she left the room and woke up her mother to tell her what had happened. 害羞草研究所淢y mother went berserk when I told her,害羞草研究所� she said, and immediately got the girls to leave the house. Webb said they waited at the end of the street until they saw Fremlin害羞草研究所檚 car drive off.

When they got back, Morrey said, her parents told her Fremlin was never coming back to the house. After that, 害羞草研究所渢hey just didn害羞草研究所檛 speak of it again,害羞草研究所� she said.

Morrey didn害羞草研究所檛 see Fremlin again until nearly two decades later, at a 1986 launch for one of Munro害羞草研究所檚 books. Munro and Fremlin had married 10 years earlier. 害羞草研究所淚 went up to him and I said, 害羞草研究所榊ou probably don害羞草研究所檛 recognize me but I害羞草研究所檓 Jane Webb,害羞草研究所� and he just looked terrified,害羞草研究所� she said.

She didn害羞草研究所檛 confront him about the incident from her childhood, but she wanted to scare him. 害羞草研究所淗e scared me when I was little and I wanted to look him in the eye and watch him squirm. I wanted him to worry about what I might do or say,害羞草研究所� she said in an email. 害羞草研究所淚 guess I wanted to show him that he wasn害羞草研究所檛 the only person with power.害羞草研究所�

Morrey has not spoken with Skinner, who was assaulted by Fremlin in 1976, several years after Morrey says he targeted her. But Morrey said she always wondered whether Fremlin had other victims, and whether anything might have happened with any of Munro害羞草研究所檚 daughters. 害羞草研究所淚t was always kind of in the back of my mind, but I never really thought about it very much at all until (Skinner害羞草研究所檚) article,害羞草研究所� she said.

Now, she hopes other potential victims will feel safe enough to come forward. 害羞草研究所淎s victims, there害羞草研究所檚 no shame in it,害羞草研究所� she said.

Years after the incident, when Morrey was an adult, her mother struck up a new friendship with Fremlin. At that point, she said, her relationship with her mother was strained and she never confronted her about the friendship, which was short-lived. Webb also suspects their father quietly maintained a friendship with Munro害羞草研究所檚 husband. Both her parents have since died.

害羞草研究所淭he real enigma was how my parents recognized that he was a predator who needed to be kept away from their daughter and yet continued to enjoy his friendship,害羞草研究所� Morrey said by email. 害羞草研究所淗ow he found a wife and at least two friends who could knowingly ignore his abhorrent and criminal behaviour is truly mind-boggling.害羞草研究所�

Ultimately, though, she害羞草研究所檚 grateful to her mother for doing 害羞草研究所渢he right thing in the moment,害羞草研究所� especially when she contrasts her experience with Skinner害羞草研究所檚.

害羞草研究所淭hat was probably the most important thing she ever did for me,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭he confidence that it gives you in being believed is so important.害羞草研究所�

Maura Forrest, The Canadian Press