MINNESOTA
CBS Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A victim of clergy sex abuse spoke out Wednesday after settling his case with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
The case involved Father Thomas Stitts, who was working at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in St. Paul when the alleged abuse occurred.
The victim, 52-year-old Jon Jaker, came forward Wednesday with his mother and his attorneys. Jaker says the abuse happened when he was 11, and his attempts to speak out were shut down by the church for years.
He was one of the first to bring a lawsuit after the statute of limitations was lifted for victims last year under the Minnesota Child Victims Act.
“I didn’t know what to do, and at 11, I was terrified,” Jaker said. “I’m not terrified anymore, I’m not afraid and I’m going to sit here and tell you my name again. My name is Jon Jaker and I’m a survivor, and today we won a little bit back.”
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