Alaska Native abuse victims share stories


Two Alaska Native men who were victimized by a Jesuit missionary say they tried to tell other people about their abuse.

James Niksik said he told his parents but they didn't believe him. His father beat him and never spoke about the abuse by Joseph Lundowski.

"Being a kid, I didn't know anything about the legal system or where to get help for what was done to us," Niksik told The Anchorage Daily News.

Peter Kobuk also said he told his parents, other adults and other church leaders. But he said no one wanted to listen.

"They would say it's in the past, let it be. I'd say it's not the past to me. It's like yesterday, or even today," Kobuk said.

The men, both 48, finally came forward years later. They are part of a $50 million settlement being paid by a Jesuit order based in Oregon. Lawyers say Lundowski molested as many as 59 still-living plaintiffs

Get the Story:
Victims of priest's abuse reveal their stories (The Anchorage Daily News 11/21)
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