The daughter of renowned Canadian author Alice Munro has revealed that she suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather and that her mother, a Nobel Prize winner, turned a blind eye to it.

In an op-ed published Sunday in the Toronto Star, Andrea Skinner wrote that Munro’s husband at the time, Gerald Fremlin, started abusing her in 1976 when she was 9 years old.

She wrote that she was visiting her mother that summer at her home in Clinton, Ontario, when, while Munro was away, Fremlin “climbed into the bed where I was sleeping and sexually assaulted me.”

Munro died earlier this summer at the age of 92. The author was best known for her short stories, often placing her characters in rural Ontario — where Munro grew up. She was called the “master of the contemporary short story” by the Swedish Academy that awarded her the Nobel in 2013.

Since Skinner’s op-ed was published, the literary world has expressed shock and sorrow, with authors publicly grappling with the formative work of Munro with the impact of her daughter’s allegations.

Rebecca Makai, a Pulitzer Price finalist for The Great Believers, posted on X of Munro and the allegations, “I love her work so much that I don’t want to lose it, but am also horrified to see the meanings of many favorite (foundational, to me) stories shift under us.”

Skinner said she is coming forward now because she wants her story “to become part of the stories people tell about my mother. I never wanted to see another interview, biography or event that didn’t wrestle with the reality of what had happened to me, and with the fact that my mother, confronted with the truth of what had happened, chose to stay with, and protect, my abuser.”

Skinner said the abuse continued for years, with Fremlin often exposing himself to Skinner, telling the young girl about her mother’s sexual needs and the “little girls in the neighborhood” that he told her he liked.

Skinner confided in her stepmother, who told James Munro, Skinner’s father. James Munro did not confront his ex-wife about the abuse, and the assault continued with no adult intervention, Skinner wrote.

The abuse, and the heavy secret and silence she was forced to keep, took a drastic toll on Skinner, who developed debilitating migraines and bulimia as an adult. When she was 25, she wrote a letter to Munro, finally coming forward about the abuse.

Munro told her she felt betrayed and likened the abuse to an affair, a response that devastated Skinner, she wrote.

In response, Fremlin wrote letters to Munro and the family, threatening to kill Skinner if she ever went to the police. He blamed Skinner for the abuse and described her as a child as a “home wrecker.” He also threatened to expose photos he took of Skinner when she was a girl.

Munro went back to Fremlin and stayed with him until he died in 2013, Skinner wrote. Munro allegedly said “that she had been ‘told too late,’ she loved him too much, and that our misogynistic culture was to blame if I expected her to deny her own needs, sacrifice for her children, and make up for the failings of men. She was adamant that whatever had happened was between me and my stepfather. It had nothing to do with her,” Skinner wrote in her essay.

Skinner said she never reconciled with her mother, but has since rebuilt a relationship with her siblings.

Munro’s Books, the company that Alice and James Munro started together when they were married, issued a statement of support for Skinner. The company has been independently owned since 2014 and wasn’t speaking on behalf of the family.

The company said, “Learning the details of Andrea’s experience has been heartbreaking for all of us here at Munro’s Books. Along with so many readers and writers, we will need time to absorb this news and the impact it may have on the legacy of Alice Munro, whose work and ties to the store we have previously celebrated. It is important to respect Andrea’s choices over how her story is shared more widely.”

The statement continued, “This story is Andrea’s to tell, and we will not be commenting further at this time.”

Copyright 2024 NPR

The latest South Carolina Gamecocks news from the last week, starting with updates from the world of South Carolina football recruiting:

The Gamecocks landed a commitment from 3-star linebacker/EDGE prospect Jaiden Braker.

South Carolina was included on top school lists for Winston Watkins (5-star wide receiver), Juan Gaston (4-star offensive lineman), Jordan Gidron (4-star wide receiver, class of 2026), G’Nivre Carr (4-star offensive lineman, class of 2026), and Samari Matthews (4-star cornerback, class of 2026).

4-star offensive lineman Juan Gaston (August 2nd) and 3-star wide receiver Giyahni Kontosis (July 27th) set commitment dates. The Gamecocks are finalists for both players.

The biggest recruiting news from the week came in on Sunday as 4-star corner Shamari Earls, the Gamecocks’ top-rated commitment, decommitted and flipped to the rival Georgia Bulldogs.

USC targets JaDon Blair (Notre Dame) and Bryce Jenkins (Maryland) announced their college decisions last week.

A former Gamecock has found a new home in the transfer portal.

Wide receiver Kylic Horton, a player who spent two years in Columbia, will play with the South Carolina State Bulldogs next season.

Lamont Paris’ South Carolina basketball team has its final assistant coach.

Paris hired Will Bailey, a coach who spent two seasons with the Gamecocks when Frank Martin was the headman in Columbia.

A USC legend is back in the NBA.

Guard PJ Dozier signed a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley and her team were included as finalists for two top-10 national prospects.

5-star wing Zakiyah Johnson and 5-star guard Divine Bourrage included the Gamecocks on their respective top-6 lists.

Three Gamecock alums made the WNBA All-Star Game.

A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Allisha Gray all made the All-Star Game again in 2024.

A former Gamecock is back in the W.

Destanni Henderson signed a hardship contract with the Atlanta Dream.

A’ja Wilson set another all-time record.

On Sunday, A’ja Wilson became the all-time leading scorer in Las Vegas Aces history, surpassing Sophia Malcolm-Young’s previous record.

An All-Big 10 shortstop is joining the South Carolina baseball program.

Henry Kaczmar, who spent two years starting at short for the Ohio State Buckeyes, committed to the Gamecocks out of the transfer portal.

Two other transfer portal players announced pledges to the Gamecocks.

Infielder Nolan Nawrocki (Clemson Tigers) and catcher Max Kaufer (Texas A&M Aggies) also committed to USC last week.

A Gamecock pitcher entered the transfer portal at the last minute.

Reliever Connor McCreery entered the portal on the last day allowed.

A former Gamecock will take part in the MLB Home Run Derby…sort of.

Scott Wingo, the legend who scored the winning run in the 2010 College World Series, will serve as the pitcher for Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm.

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – 4-star cornerback Shamari Earls announced Sunday that he is de-committing from South Carolina and committing to the University of Georgia.

The 6′2′’, 195-lb. prospect is Georgia’s 18th commitment for the 2025 class, which is ranked third in the country. He is the 11th-ranked cornerback in the nation and the 105th-ranked overall recruit.

Earls attends Thomas Dale High School in Chester, Virginia.

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