A group of Alaska Natives has formed a group to support victims of sexual abuse to to address issues raised by comments about allegedly "loose" sexual norms in Native culture.

The group has about 14 members, said one of its co-chair. They have met to discuss two recent lawsuits filed by Alaska Native adults who allege they were abused as children by priests.

Committee co-chair Miranda Wright, who has a master's degree in anthropology, said she was offended by comments made by retired Jesuit superior William Loyens, who testified in an abuse suit deposition that Native cultures were "loose" on sexual matters. He implied that sexual abuse would not affect Natives as much as it would non-Natives.

Get the Story:
Alaska Native panel addresses sex abuse issues (The Fairbanks News-Miner 3/23)

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