CNN Pressroom - Headline News anchor Thomas Roberts reveals for the first time on television his personal account of the abuse he suffered at the hands of a Roman Catholic priest during Anderson Cooper 360º on Monday, March 12. For a powerful and sometimes wrenching hour, Roberts discusses the abuse by Father Jerome F. Toohey Jr., known as “Father Jeff,” from 1987 to 1990 and his journey to overcome the scars and bring his abuser to justice.

Prosecutors in Maryland pressed charges against Toohey for sexually abusing Roberts. Toohey pleaded guilty and was sentenced in February 2006 for five years in prison. After serving less than 10 months he was released into home detention to serve the rest of his sentence.

“Sins of the Father” airs at 10 p.m. (ET) during the first hour of Anderson Cooper 360°.

Below are excerpts from “Sins of the Father" courtesy of Anderson Cooper 360°.

Roberts on the abuse:

It's probably the worst place you can be in your life. Because there's so much shame that goes along with this. There's secrecy. There's shame. There's self-hatred, self-doubt. Uh, every mixed up emotion you can have that you don't feel you can talk to anybody. It was the most twisted and turned-around environment that I could have ever have been in and coming from a place of struggle as a child and into a young boy. It was a prison. I mean it was like backing me into a corner with nowhere to go.

I was robbed here. Of my self-respect, of my own image. You know part of my soul even. This place paralyzed me thinking I would die with this secret. I would die with this secret.

Roberts on the judicial system:

I don't know how to define justice in this. What's justice? I mean, what . . . do I get early release from this? No. You don't get early release from knowing what happened to you. Do you get early release from the shame and the secrets and the lies and the cover-up and all of that? You just don't. You just have to deal with the fact that that was your life. You did it, you had to put up with it to survive, and it'll be your story for the rest of your life. No early release from this story.
Roberts on seeing Toohey in church:

I thought how people respected him. I thought how people really looked up to this man. Even--not even understanding what was happening to me, you still have respect for this man in this position as your priest. And I realized also that he had the power, not me.

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