The Boy Scouts of America has approximately 2.1 million youth members, almost 800,000 adult volunteers, and around 261 local councils, according to the 2019 Annual Report. With millions of youth members actively participating in Boy Scout programs since its founding in 1910, the Boy Scouts is one of the United States’ largest youth organizations.
Before 1994, there were almost 2,000 sexual abuse claims within the organization. In 2010, the organization was forced to pay $18.5 million to a member who was abused in the 1980s. However, now nearly 100,000 alleged victims of sexual abuse have come forward with claims against the Boy Scouts of America. This has led the Boy Scouts to file for bankruptcy in February 2020.
The Boy Scout Sex Abuse Scandal
Over the last several decades, sexual abuse victims that were once Boy Scouts have brought hundreds of sex abuse cases against the Boy Scouts of America. The courts have found that Scout officials and the organization’s leadership frequently covered up child sex offenses. Rather than informing the authorities, Boy Scouts leadership would ask the abusers to quietly leave the Boy Scouts, and the children who were abused were told not to inform their parents about the abuse. In many instances, the troop leader abusers did not leave the organization but rather just transferred troops.
In 2012, a court order forced them to disclose what is now known as the “Perversion Files,” which contains hundreds of pages worth of records detailing the sexual abuse within the organization. As a federally chartered non-profit organization, the Boy Scouts of America were required to report the abuse accusations to Congress in their annual reports. However, the Boy Scouts of America went decades without doing so. Many former Scouts who were abused state that they are inspired by the other victims who were abused, even decades ago, and decided to finally come forward.
The Boy Scouts made public statements explaining how devastated they are to learn about these claims. Yet many of the victims express that the sexual abuse they experienced at the hands of the organization was prevalent throughout the entire organization. The processes and procedures in place to attempt to prevent abuse and help victims were not enough.
Boy Scouts Bankruptcy and Impact on Future Boy Scout Sex Abuse Claims
In February 2020, the Boy Scouts filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after plaintiffs filed claims against the organization. This put all civil lawsuits on hold against the organization but enables them to continue operating and pay its creditors over time. The bankruptcy filing also allows the Boy Scouts to bring the lawsuits into one court and negotiate a settlement fund for all of the victims. This streamlines the process and can allow victims to receive compensation quicker and more efficiently.
When filing for bankruptcy, the Boy Scouts of America National Chair Jim Turley published a letter to the victims, encouraging people who experienced abuse at the hands of Scout members to come forward and file claims to receive compensation from the fund created through the bankruptcy filing.
The Victims and the Perpetrators
Many survivors who have come forward state that sexual abuse was commonplace throughout the organization across the country. While thousands of men have come forward since 2019, mainly from an ad campaign lawyers launched to help encourage victims to come forward, hundreds of thousands of cases are likely still unknown.
The victims were of all ages. The perpetrators were the Boy Scout leaders who tended to be respected in their communities. Many were volunteer troop leaders or assistant troop leaders and were police officers, military members, teachers, doctors, psychologists, and even a mayor. The abuse would happen both at the abusers’ homes or in homemade shelters created in the wilderness while participating in Boy Scout organized events.
The Boy Scouts of America organization is liable due to their extensive cover-ups and failure to protect the abused boys.
The Boy Scouts Future
While the organization had insurance to cover the sex abuse claims in the past, many insurance coverage companies have withdrawn the coverage, arguing that since the Boy Scouts of America knew about the abuse and did not tell the insurance companies, the organization was not entitled to the coverage.
The organization likely hopes that the Chapter 11bankruptcy reorganization might shield the organization’s assets. The future for the Boy Scouts is still unknown. The Boy Scouts of America hope that through the reorganization they have the opportunity to address the pedophilia problem that tainted the reputation of the Boy Scouts. They will likely rebrand the organization and continue implementing processes and policies to address any sexual abuse claims. Regardless of their efforts, Boy Scout membership rates have dwindled in recent years.
Nonetheless, lawyers and the victims are skeptical that a reorganization can address Boy Scouts of America’s longstanding culture of pedophilia and sexual abuse. They also question the motivation behind the reorganization and whether they genuinely care about the lifelong trauma and effects the victims will endure.
What To Do If You Were a Victim of Boy Scout Sex Abuse
The deadline to file claims against the Boy Scouts of America to receive compensation from the trust set up through the bankruptcy proceeding was November 16, 2020. However, victims can still file claims against the local councils in states where the legislatures extended the statute of limitations laws. New York and California are two states where the statutes of limitations have been extended.
Throughout the country, lawyers are actively pursuing cases and will fight for the compensation victims deserve, even after the bankruptcy proceedings end. Victims can receive compensation for medical bills and expenses related to any therapy needed or costs for prescription drug medications. Further, any pain and suffering the Boy Scouts caused by failing to protect victims from an abuser can be compensated for as well.
Victims can still file lawsuits against the local councils, the individuals who abused them, and the Boy Scouts of America organization. The courts will likely have strict requirements when filing these lawsuits. Compassionate legal representation is essential to guide you through these complex processes.
The Boy Scouts of America, along with the sponsors and the perpetrators, must be held accountable for the psychological, emotional, and physical suffering they have caused thousands of victims. If you were a boy scout and a predator abused you while in the organization, reach out to an experienced lawyer to learn if you can receive compensation.