When Nobel Prize-winning Canadian author Alice Munro passed away in May at the age of 92, her admirers lauded the intricate craft of her short stories, which often revealed profound truths. On Sunday, one of Munro’s daughters, Andrea Robin Skinner, unveiled a dark family secret in an essay published in the Toronto Star: her stepfather, geographer Gerald Fremlin, had sexually abused her starting in 1976 when she was just 9 years old. Munro discovered the abuse 16 years later through a letter from Skinner, and despite this revelation, chose to stay with Fremlin. Fremlin admitted the abuse through letters to the Munro family, appallingly blaming Skinner and labeling her a “homewrecker.”
Munro remained married to Fremlin until his death in 2013. Skinner recounted her mother’s reaction, stating, “She was adamant that whatever had happened was between me and my stepfather. It had nothing to do with her.”
In her essay, Skinner detailed the initial assault that took place during a 1976 visit, followed by further inappropriate behavior from Fremlin in subsequent visits. Struggling with bulimia, migraines, and insomnia, Skinner finally revealed the abuse to her mother at age 25, who seemed more focused on her own sense of betrayal rather than her daughter’s suffering. Munro even mentioned “other children Fremlin had ‘friendships’ with,” highlighting her own feelings of being wronged.
Skinner became estranged from her family in 2002 after refusing to allow Fremlin near her children. She reconnected with her siblings in 2014. Reading a 2004 feature where Munro praised her marriage prompted Skinner to break the silence, so she contacted Ontario police in 2005 and Fremlin was charged and pleaded guilty to indecent assault.
Despite hoping this would bring public recognition to her ordeal, Skinner felt that her mother’s fame continued to suppress the truth. Skinner stated that influential figures who were aware of her story maintained and supported a false narrative.
In response to The Washington Post, Skinner expressed her gratitude for the #metoo movement, saying, “We are fed up with the way things have been.” She praised individuals like Dylan Farrow for taking the risk to speak out, paving the way for others to follow.
Readers reacted with shock and dismay to the revelations, with some indicating they would struggle to return to Munro’s works. Penguin Random House Canada had not commented at the time of publication.
Novelist Jess Row noted on social media that the revelations seemed tragically fitting with the themes in Munro’s stories, where young people are often betrayed by those meant to care for them. Tajja Isen, a contributing editor at The Walrus, expressed her respect for Skinner, acknowledging that her brave account came amidst widespread acclaim that overlooked this aspect of her mother’s life.