‘Her legacy means nothing to me’, Canadians shocked by Alice Munro’s silence on husband who sexually abused daughter

This story contains sensitive details related to sexual abuse and may be triggering for some.

Canadians are reacting after the daughter of late Canadian author Alice Munro shared her harrowing story of sexual assault by her stepfather and her mother’s silence about it.

In a blog post for The Gatehouse, an organisation that supports survivors of sexual abuse, Andrea Robin Skinner reveals that Munro’s husband, Gerald Fremlin, molested her when she was nine years old.

“I was nine years old when my stepfather climbed into my bed and sexually assaulted me. My mother was away and I had asked if I could sleep in the spare bed next to him,” she wrote.

Skinner describes how she struggled with insomnia, bulimia and migraines during her teenage years. “By the time I was 25, I was so sick and empty that I couldn’t really start my adult life,” she says.

Desperate to share the truth with her mother, Skinner wrote a letter to Munro detailing the abuse. However, her mother’s reaction was not what she had hoped for.

“My mother reacted as if she had learned of an infidelity,” she recalls.

Meanwhile, her stepfather called her a “homewrecker” and threatened them both.

She also confided in her father, who did nothing to resolve the issue. Even during her lunches with Munro, the subject never came up.

“There was no outcry from my family, no rallying around me to help me or care for me… My siblings and parents went on with their busy lives. I was left alone with this thing, this ugliness,” she said.

In 2016, Skinner found solace at The Gatehouse, where she felt “the presence of a collective force that had been built by many voices, that could hold my shame and sense of failure with tenderness, love and belief in myself, and allow me to move forward at my own pace.”

Since the story was published, Munro Books, an independent publishing house since 2014, has also issued a statement of support for Skinner.

“With so many readers and writers, we will need time to process this news and the impact it may have on the legacy of Alice Munro, whose work and connection to the store we have already celebrated,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the Munro siblings released a statement thanking store owners for their support as Skinner “shares her story of childhood sexual abuse and her journey of healing.”

“By acknowledging and honoring Andrea’s truth, and being very clear about their desire to end the legacy of silence, the current owners of the store have become part of our family’s healing and are modeling a truly positive response to revelations like Andrea’s,” they added.

Her story, also shared in an exclusive first-person account by the Toronto Star, sent shockwaves through the literary world and beyond.

“Alice Munro chose her husband over her daughter who he sexually abused,” one X user said.

Another person added: “His ‘legacy’ means nothing to me.”

“Alice Munro’s daughter has made it clear that Munro knew about the abuse and stayed with her stepfather regardless. This interpretation is indicative of a literary world that too often values ​​the reputation of its icons and the preservation of their legacies above all else, and that is a mistake,” added another X user criticizing the Nobel laureate.

“Many people reflexively deny that Alice Munro could have knowingly spent her life with the pedophile who abused her daughter, or are quick to say that they never liked her writing. It’s harder to accept the truth that people who make transcendent art are capable of monstrous acts,” added another X user.

Another person shared their thoughts on how long it took for the world to acknowledge Skinner’s story, despite his efforts to sue his stepfather.

“I think the craziest thing about the Alice Munro case is that her daughter sued this attacker almost 20 years ago, but it was so completely dismissed by her fans at the time that this is the first time an entire generation of readers are hearing about it,” the individual said.

Another person commented how disappointed they were to see writers mourning Munro’s loss.

“Maybe it’s just me, but when there’s a horrific story about Alice Munro knowing her husband was abusing her daughter and enabling the abuse by keeping quiet, and she goes back to him, I find it incredibly strange to see writers mourning how THEY lost Munro. Doesn’t that apply to you?” user X said.

“I’m glad Alice Munro’s kids are coming together with love and support for Andrea, I’m going to sit with this heavy story for a while. 🥺♥️,” one X user said of the siblings coming together to support Skinner.