OC Church Pays $12M To Woman Who Said She Was 'Violently' Sexually Assaulted By Pastor: Report

COSTA MESA, CA — An Orange County church has agreed to pay a $12 million settlement to end a lawsuit brought by a woman who said that a former pastor sexually assaulted and attacked her, The Orange County Register reported.

The settlement was reached after a single mother whose children attended Calvary Chapel's Costa Mesa school alleged that she had been "brutally battered and violently raped" by Jacob Harman, a former church pastor, missionary and wrestling coach, the report said.

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"What she would want is for other victims to know that they aren't alone and that there are advocates for them and that they can do this," Grady Howe, an attorney representing the woman who brought the lawsuit, told the newspaper. "It's obviously difficult and takes a lot of courage to do it, but I think this shows and sets a precedent that we can hold institutions, (and) we can hold individuals accountable for what these victims are going through."

Calvary Chapel is a Christian megachurch located between Santa Ana and Costa Mesa, according to it's website. Though the church's name includes Costa Mesa, it is located at 3800 S Fairview St. in Santa Ana.

To read the full article, visit The Orange County Register.