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Boy Scouts of America Is Sued Over Sexual Abuse Allegations Boy Scouts of America Is Sued Over Sexual Abuse Allegations
(about 4 hours later)
Eight men who say that they were sexually abused as children by Boy Scouts of America leaders sued the organization in Washington, D.C., on Monday, accusing it of failing to provide a safe environment and of covering up decades of sex abuse, a group of lawyers representing the men said in a statement.Eight men who say that they were sexually abused as children by Boy Scouts of America leaders sued the organization in Washington, D.C., on Monday, accusing it of failing to provide a safe environment and of covering up decades of sex abuse, a group of lawyers representing the men said in a statement.
It was the latest lawsuit to be filed against the Boy Scouts in a long-running sexual abuse scandal that has prompted the organization to consider bankruptcy. The alliance of lawyers, called Abused in Scouting, last filed a similar lawsuit against the Boy Scouts in Philadelphia in August.It was the latest lawsuit to be filed against the Boy Scouts in a long-running sexual abuse scandal that has prompted the organization to consider bankruptcy. The alliance of lawyers, called Abused in Scouting, last filed a similar lawsuit against the Boy Scouts in Philadelphia in August.
The filing on Monday goes to the heart of a movement in some states in recent years to widen or revive the period of time under which survivors of sexual abuse can take legal action.The filing on Monday goes to the heart of a movement in some states in recent years to widen or revive the period of time under which survivors of sexual abuse can take legal action.
In 2019, such new “revival laws” took effect in eight states and in the nation’s capital, giving survivors possible new windows to justice, according to CHILD USA, a nonprofit organization that tracks such legislation.In 2019, such new “revival laws” took effect in eight states and in the nation’s capital, giving survivors possible new windows to justice, according to CHILD USA, a nonprofit organization that tracks such legislation.
The case filed on Monday in United States District Court in Washington raises issues of jurisdiction as it moves forward. While the decades-old abuse alleged by the men did not take place there, none of them were from states where they had access to opportunities for legal action, Aitan Goelman, a lawyer with Zuckerman Spaeder, one of the firms in the alliance, said in an interview on Tuesday.The case filed on Monday in United States District Court in Washington raises issues of jurisdiction as it moves forward. While the decades-old abuse alleged by the men did not take place there, none of them were from states where they had access to opportunities for legal action, Aitan Goelman, a lawyer with Zuckerman Spaeder, one of the firms in the alliance, said in an interview on Tuesday.
But a new statute in the District of Columbia gives plaintiffs from May 3, 2019, through May 2, 2021, to file claims against alleged perpetrators, giving them a potential pathway to justice in cases where statues of limitation would prevent them from bringing suit. The location was chosen because the Boy Scouts was incorporated in the District of Columbia and received a federal charter from Congress, according to the lawsuit.But a new statute in the District of Columbia gives plaintiffs from May 3, 2019, through May 2, 2021, to file claims against alleged perpetrators, giving them a potential pathway to justice in cases where statues of limitation would prevent them from bringing suit. The location was chosen because the Boy Scouts was incorporated in the District of Columbia and received a federal charter from Congress, according to the lawsuit.
The statute there is open to all child sexual abuse survivors up to the age of 40 and, in some circumstances, older victims or those assaulted as adults. The case could lead to new opportunities for justice for men who are still coming forward, Mr. Goelman said.The statute there is open to all child sexual abuse survivors up to the age of 40 and, in some circumstances, older victims or those assaulted as adults. The case could lead to new opportunities for justice for men who are still coming forward, Mr. Goelman said.
“We want survivors in states that don’t have window statues to have some measure of justice,” he said. “We certainly don’t look at this as one and done.” “We want survivors in states that don’t have window statutes to have some measure of justice,” he said. “We certainly don’t look at this as one and done.”
The eight men were not named in the suit to protect their identities. Each of them was sexually abused as a minor, some when they were as young as 8 years old, during scouting activities, according to the lawsuit.The eight men were not named in the suit to protect their identities. Each of them was sexually abused as a minor, some when they were as young as 8 years old, during scouting activities, according to the lawsuit.
They have “suffered severe and life-long injuries” from the abuse, which occurred in at least a half-dozen states, including Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Arkansas, Florida and Texas, starting in the early 1990s, the suit says.They have “suffered severe and life-long injuries” from the abuse, which occurred in at least a half-dozen states, including Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Arkansas, Florida and Texas, starting in the early 1990s, the suit says.
Abused in Scouting represents 1,551 men across the country who say that they suffered abuse as children. In August 2019, the organization represented a man, now in his 50s, in a lawsuit that said that an assistant scoutmaster sexually abused him in the mid-1970s, when he was a scout in Luzerne County, Pa.Abused in Scouting represents 1,551 men across the country who say that they suffered abuse as children. In August 2019, the organization represented a man, now in his 50s, in a lawsuit that said that an assistant scoutmaster sexually abused him in the mid-1970s, when he was a scout in Luzerne County, Pa.
The suit says the Boy Scouts’ “negligent, willful, wanton, reckless and tortious acts and omissions” allowed the abuse to happen.The suit says the Boy Scouts’ “negligent, willful, wanton, reckless and tortious acts and omissions” allowed the abuse to happen.
The lawsuit also accused the Boy Scouts of engaging in a cover-up to hide “the extent of the pedophilia epidemic within their organization,” and asserted that there were hundreds more possible sexual predators associated with the organization, beyond those already listed in its files.The lawsuit also accused the Boy Scouts of engaging in a cover-up to hide “the extent of the pedophilia epidemic within their organization,” and asserted that there were hundreds more possible sexual predators associated with the organization, beyond those already listed in its files.
In the Abused in Scouting statement on Monday, Mr. Goelman said the Boy Scouts “has never disclosed the substantial risks of sex abuse in Scouting — instead, it has actively shielded the names of pedophilic scoutmasters — violations of B.S.A.’s legal duty to report such information to Congress and the American public.”In the Abused in Scouting statement on Monday, Mr. Goelman said the Boy Scouts “has never disclosed the substantial risks of sex abuse in Scouting — instead, it has actively shielded the names of pedophilic scoutmasters — violations of B.S.A.’s legal duty to report such information to Congress and the American public.”
The Boy Scouts has said that it has considered financial restructuring so it can “fairly compensate victims who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting.”The Boy Scouts has said that it has considered financial restructuring so it can “fairly compensate victims who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting.”
At the time of the Pennsylvania lawsuit, the Boy Scouts said there were “instances in our organization’s history when cases were not addressed or handled in a manner consistent with our commitment to protect scouts, the values of our organization and the procedures we have in place today.”At the time of the Pennsylvania lawsuit, the Boy Scouts said there were “instances in our organization’s history when cases were not addressed or handled in a manner consistent with our commitment to protect scouts, the values of our organization and the procedures we have in place today.”
In an emailed statement on Monday, after the latest lawsuit was filed in Washington, the Boy Scouts said that it cared “deeply about all victims of child abuse” and wanted to “sincerely apologize to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting.”In an emailed statement on Monday, after the latest lawsuit was filed in Washington, the Boy Scouts said that it cared “deeply about all victims of child abuse” and wanted to “sincerely apologize to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting.”
In part, the emailed statement continued:In part, the emailed statement continued:
We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our program to abuse innocent  children. We believe victims, we support them, we pay for  counseling by a provider of their choice and  we encourage them to  come forward. It is  the Boy Scouts of America (B.S.A.) policy that all incidents of suspected abuse are reported to law enforcement.  We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our program to abuse innocent  children.  We believe victims, we support them, we pay for  counseling by a provider of their choice and  we encourage them to  come forward. It is  the Boy Scouts of America (B.S.A.) policy that all incidents of suspected abuse are reported to law enforcement.