'It ruined my life': Former Montreal nursing student seeks $600K in damages after sexual assault at college

A Montreal woman says her dream of becoming a nurse was destroyed after she was sexually assaulted by a former supervisor in his office at John Abbott College in 2021 when she was a student.

Warning: This article contains details of sexual assault. 

A Montreal woman says her dream of becoming a nurse was destroyed after she was sexually assaulted by a former supervisor in his office at John Abbott College in 2021 when she was a student.

The woman, who was 17 years old at the time, filed a complaint with Montreal police. Just before the accused, 61-year-old Boris Stanley Paredes, was set to go on trial, he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault on Sept. 3, 2024. He received a suspended sentence and three years of probation, along with 240 hours of community service as part of his sentence.

Now 20 years old, the victim is suing him, the CEGEP, and the West Montreal Readaptation Centre where he was employed for $600,000 in damages. The centre provides specialized services for adults and children with an intellectual disability.

In an interview with CTV news, she said the assault "ruined my life" and caused her to go into a downward spiral that led to her dropping out of school twice, turning to drugs, and self-harm.

"When it happened, I was paralyzed, like physically paralyzed. And in my head, I remember just screaming at the top of my lungs for him to stop and just leave me be," she said.