Past Sex Abuse Allegations Revealed at Central Protest

By Jill Harmacinski
The Eagle-Tribune
May 1, 2017

http://www.eagletribune.com/news/merrimack_valley/past-sex-abuse-allegations-revealed-at-central-protest/article_07138fcc-f2f0-5154-ac8d-990c64b75569.html

The leader of a recovery group for sexual abuse survivors said he was saddened, but not surprised, to hear a former Central Catholic High School student say he was drugged and raped by a teacher.

"Now, we wait. We are going to get more calls," predicted Dr. Robert Hoatson, founder and leader of Road to Recovery.

An international, nonprofit group, Road to Recovery helps sexual abuse survivors, many of whom are men who report being abused as boys by clergy members.

Late Monday morning, Hoatson demonstrated on a public sidewalk across from Central Catholic High School where last week an administrator, Andrew Nikonchuk, 36, of Lowell, was fired for failing to maintain "appropriate social boundaries" between teachers and students. The Middlesex district attorney's office launched an investigation of Nikonchuk after a former student said Nikonchuk drugged and assaulted him in 2006 when the student was age 15.

The alleged victim graduated from Central in 2008. The matter remains under investigation by authorities and no charges have been filed.

Contact: jharmacinski@eagletribune.com