A former Yukon resident is suing the Catholic Diocese of Whitehorse, the commissioner of the Yukon and others for damages resulting from alleged incidences of sexual abuse, which date back to the 1960s.

Nearly 50 years after the alleged abuses occurred, a man who lived in a Yukon foster home as a child is suing the commissioner, the Catholic Episcopal Corp. of Whitehorse (the Catholic diocese of Whitehorse), and three unnamed individuals – JV, John Doe and Jane Doe.

Due to a court-ordered publication ban, the plaintiff's identity cannot be revealed.

In documents filed with Yukon Supreme Court, the plaintiff, now a B.C. resident, claims he was "repeatedly and persistently sexually assaulted by the (d)efendant JV.”

The documents state that between 1965 and 1967, the plaintiff was placed by the territory's child welfare system in the Villa Madonna Group Home. Between 1967 and 1975, the document say, the plaintiff was sent to the JV foster home, also in the Whitehorse area.

Throughout those years, John Doe and Jane Doe were responsible for supervising those working in, residing in or present at those locations, and it was their duty to ensure the plaintiff's safety.

JV was present at the Villa Madonna and lived in and worked at the JV foster home.

The documents indicate that JV is directly liable for the sexual abuse, and John Doe and Jane Doe are also liable for their negligence and failure to protect the plaintiff from harm.

Because John Doe and Jane Doe were employees of the commissioner, the diocese or both of them, the commissioner and the diocese are vicariously liable.

The commissioner and the diocese should have been aware that the plaintiff was sexually assaulted, and that JV "had sexual predation activities or tendencies toward young boys like the (p)laintiff...” reads the plaintiff's statement of claim.

The plaintiff also says the commissioner and the diocese, who were responsible for the plaintiff's placement, should have taken reasonable steps to protect him from harm.

One or both of those bodies had an obligation to inspect the premises of the residences where the plaintiff was placed. Whether these inspections took place was not explicitly stated in the documents.

As a result of the sexual abuse, the plaintiff suffers injuries including: "severe emotional and psychiatric illnesses ... loss of self-esteem ... inability to form healthy emotional attachments with others ... alcohol and drug abuse ... inability to complete an educational program and to maintain gainful employment,” reads the plaintiff's statement of claim.

The plaintiff also incurred monetary losses and damages including loss of income and loss of earning capacity, special damages and expenses, the need for future and other services, and extraordinary assistance from family members.

The plaintiff is claiming against the defendants: general damages, special damages, punitive, exemplary and aggravated damages, prejudgment interest and costs.

The plaintiff is represented by Dan Shier, with the Lackowicz, Shier and Hoffman law firm in Whitehorse.

Shier also represented other victims of sexual assault, including a plaintiff involved in a civil suit against the Yukon government in 2008.

That plaintiff claimed he was sexually abused by a janitor, a family friend, his school principal and babysitter.

In that case, Shier requested $1.2 million in damages for his client.

Supreme Court Justice John Richard instead awarded the plaintiff $30,000 in damages for abuse he sustained at the hands of a babysitter.