MINNESOTA
Jeff Anderson & Associates
Kirstyn Harasyn, Abused by Youth Ministries Director at Glen Cary Lutheran Church, Takes Back Power, Provides Statement
(St. Paul, MN) – Kirstyn Harasyn, an adult who was abused as a minor by a Ham Lake, Minn., youth ministries director, has settled her civil lawsuit against her abuser and the church for which he worked. Today, she speaks out with a powerful statement about the abuse she endured, her journey of recovery and her mission to save other children from being hurt by her abuser and others.
Kirstyn was sexually abused in approximately 2010 by Damian Blake Burkhalter, while Burkhalter was the youth ministries director at Glen Cary Lutheran Church in Ham Lake, and Kirstyn was a member of the church youth group. Prior to Burkhalter’s abuse of Kirstyn, Glen Cary Lutheran Church was warned that Burkhalter had engaged in inappropriate behavior with children. Kirstyn filed suit against Glen Cary Lutheran Church and Burkhalter regarding her abuse.
The lawsuit, which recently settled, allowed Kirstyn to stand up for herself and for others. She wants the story known. She has provided today’s statement and is available for comments.
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