A lifetime of pain and depression was settled with one short letter. Cathy Bendle of Prince Albert and two other women settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of cash and an apology from the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division.

In the late 1970's, they were sexually abused by Dennis Foster, a teacher at Prince Albert’s Riverside school. The victims say school officials ignored their cries for help.

"I suspect there are a whole lot of other women who were abused by our abuser who are watching closely and considering their options right now.” said Bendle.

The sexual abuse claims against Foster weren't investigated until 1993 - almost two decades and several victims after Bendle was abused. He was found guilty and sentenced to six and a half years in jail. He now lives in Regina.

Bendle and the other women didn't file the suit against the school division until 1999. They only came to a settlement last month, the night before the case was scheduled to go to trial.

Bendle said, “"I know that when we first started this case, Foster was quoted in the paper as saying it was a “get rich quick scheme.” His was a little off on his timing on that one.”

The lawyer representing Bendle and the other women says there were several factors that led to the case taking 15 years to settle. Ron Cherkewich said, “It was, I think, an almost unreasonable delay…but I think at the end of the day the result was good.”

As part of the settlement, the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division agreed not to impose confidentiality provisions, so the victims could tell their stories. A joint public statement reads:

"If telling their story saves one child from being victimized then the purpose intended will be served well. The School Division, along with Cathy, (an unamed victim) and Tammy agree that what happened must never happen again."

Bendle says if there was a gag order on the settlement, she would have taken it to court.

"This is my story. We persevered through this. If they had the power to stop me from saying anything about it, that would mean they still were in control. It’s my life, It’s my story and I am going to tell it."

The legal woes for the school division may not be over yet. Foster fathered a child with one of his former students. That child is suing Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division for wrongful pregnancy. The matter is currently before the courts.