Woman Says She Was Sexually Abused by Catholic School Teacher in 1970's

By Paul Wagner
Erie News Now
July 31, 2018

http://www.erienewsnow.com/story/38779012/woman-says-she-was-sexually-abused-by-catholic-school-teacher-in-1970s

A woman who says she was sexually abused in the 1970's by a teacher in the Erie Catholic Diocese is speaking out for the first time.

The teacher died several years ago.

Fifty-five year old Leila Said Gutowski said she was abused when she was 12-13 year old, a student at Immaculate Conception School in Clarion.

She said the abused happened in the school when the teacher would take her away from classmates.

After her family moved, the abuse ended.

But she said she continued to live in fear.

She said, "I was afraid this man was going to come out and kill me once I separated myself more from him, because that is how verbally abusive and threatening he was."

Gutowski said she has struggled with anxiety, depression and PTSD every since the abuse.

The Erie Catholic Diocese says it is aware of the allegation against the teacher and is now in the process of investigating.