Hundreds of Sexual Abuse Survivors Raise Accusations Against Boy Scouts of America

A lawsuit filed in a Pennsylvania court on August 5 may be the first of hundreds of civil cases to be filed against the Boy Scouts of America. More than 800 men have come forward recently with stories of childhood sexual abuse by Boy Scouts of America leaders.

According to the lawsuit filed in August, the plaintiff identified as S.D. allegedly endured years of unspeakably grievous sexual abuse at the hands of his assistant Boy Scout leader.

The alleged abuse began in 1975 when S.D. was 13, and continued until 1980. The plaintiff claims that he was conditioned to comply with his abuser’s demands as he was repeatedly abused over a five year period.

This abuse allegedly took place during camping trips and inside of the assistant scout leader’s home. S.D. claims that the scout leader would often use drugs or alcohol to make him more compliant during the episodes of abuse.

In addition to claiming that he was abused by his assistant scout leader, S.D. also claims that the Boy Scouts of America took steps to cover up his and others’ abuse.

The lawsuit also references a group of files kept by the Boy Scouts of America that was partially released to the public in 2012. These files, often referred to as the red files, perversion files, or ineligible volunteer files, detail thousands of instances of alleged abuse by adults affiliated with the Boy Scouts over several decades.

Prior to their partial release in 2012, the files were kept secret by Boy Scouts of America officials since 1919. Countless sexual abuse survivors may have had their experiences documented and covered up in these files.

BSA Faces Accusations from Hundreds of Sexual Abuse Survivors

Many of the more than 800 men accusing the Boy Scouts of childhood sexual abuse are now in their 50s and 60s. However, these current plaintiffs and sexual abuse survivors may be just the tip of the iceberg. According to The New York Times, nearly 8,000 Boy Scout volunteers have been accused of abusing more than 12,000 victims.

The Boy Scouts of America is the 18th largest nonprofit organization in the United States, with more than 2 million active boy scouts and 1 million volunteers. The organization’s revenue exceeds $780 million per year. It was founded in 1910 and has grown into one of the largest youth organizations in the country.

If you were subject to childhood sexual abuse by volunteers or leaders affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, you may be eligible to hire an attorney and file or join a class action lawsuit to pursue accountability and compensation. Sexual abuse survivors who pursue action against their abusers may be able to hold the Boy Scouts of America accountable for allowing and covering up abuses for decades.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.