Speaking to a packed house, former professional hockey player and sexual abuse survivor Sheldon Kennedy had Durham College students, staff and faculty hanging on every inspirational word as he described how he dealt with and overcame years of abuse at the hands of his junior hockey coach, Graham James.

Kennedy, who played for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames, answered a number of questions from the large audience as he discussed how far he has come since those dark days, when he visited the Oshawa campus on April 1.

“Pedophiles and sexual predators make up about two per cent of the population,” said Kennedy. “But it’s the other 98 per cent that we need to focus on educating.”

“It’s all about empowering bystanders (to recognize the signs) – it’s about taking action.”

Also included in the audience were a number of victims of abuse who shared their stories and thanked Kennedy for providing them with strength and inspiration. He in turn recognized their courage.

He also emphasized what he believes is the difference in being a victim and a survivor.

“You need to work hard to get out of being a victim, it’s about taking a risk to trust again,” he said. “The goal is to get people from victim to survivor but I don’t believe you’re a survivor until you’ve got your power back.”

Amy Power, a second-year student in the Child and Youth Worker program, saw the chance to hear Kennedy speak as an opportunity to better understand those she hopes to help.

“As a soon-to-be-graduate, Sheldon’s visit was an inspiring learning experience for me as a professional and a mother,” said Power. “I will soon be working with youth with similar traumatic experiences and he not only gave me an increased knowledge on the subject of sexual abuse and prevention strategies, but also advice and ideas that I can carry with me throughout my career to better help my clients.”

Kennedy has turned his troubled past, which included struggles with alcohol, depression and cocaine addiction, into creating awareness about sexual abuse and preventing it. In 2004, he, along with Wayne McNeil, founded Respect in Sport – Canada’s only online bullying, abuse, harassment and neglect prevention program for coaches and community leaders.

Since its inception, the program has been implemented by a number of national and provincial sports organizations including Hockey Canada, USA Triathlon, Sport Manitoba and many more.