Survivors of child sexual abuse across the nation are filing civil and criminal lawsuits against Boys & Girls Clubs of America after news broke uncovering hundreds of reports of sexual abuse by adults affiliated with the youth organization across decades.

A Hearst Connecticut Media investigation revealed that 351 children in 35 states were allegedly abused by people affiliated with the Boys & Girls Club of America.

The alleged perpetrators include BGCA employees, volunteers, and other minors affiliated with the clubs.

Some victims were reportedly as young as 6 years old, the Hearst investigation found. The effects of childhood sexual abuse can last long into a survivor’s adult life.

Boys and Girls Club child sexual abuse lawsuits

In recent years, in the aftermath of the Catholic sexual abuse scandal and the #MeToo movement, a growing number of people are coming forward with sexual assault litigation, including over sexual abuse from childhood.

Boys and Girls Club is named as a defendant in 16 pending child sexual abuse lawsuits, according to CTInsider. These cases blame the organization for a number of failures to prevent child abuse in the organization: failing to report known cases of abuse to law enforcement, failing to conduct adequate background checks, and failing to adhere to the organization’s safety guidelines.

One child sexual abuse lawsuit that Hearst identified claims that James C., a former employee of a New York Boys and Girls Club, sexually abused boys in his care in the 1980s and 1990s. 

The four male plaintiffs in that case say James used grooming behaviors on his intended victims, sometimes giving them candy, treats, and even alcohol. They say the Boys and Girls Club failed to address their concerns and continued to allow him to victimize children.

Eight more victims have since joined the child sexual abuse lawsuit against James.

BGCA urged to improve response to abuse claims

Although the Boys & Girls Club of America has national protocols to protect the safety of youth — including required background checks for employees and volunteers who have contact with children, as well as methods of reporting abuse—there is some concern that the local affiliates do not implement these protocols consistently.

“They make statements about all their efforts to protect kids, but also try to take the position that the local clubs are independent entities and they don’t have the ability to control everyone that happens to be at those clubs,” an attorney responded, per The Associated Press.

“My view is that if Boys & Girls Club of America wants to present (local) clubs as (being a part of the national organization), they need to do everything within reason to protect kids in all of their clubs.” 

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation’s largest anti–sexual violence organization, conducted a review of Boys & Girls Club of America affiliates across the country and determined that the individual clubs have inconsistent methods of responding to reported cases of sexual misconduct.

“RAINN found that Clubs are not fully utilizing the national resources, training programs, or guidance currently offered by BGCA. Additionally, RAINN found that Clubs have largely not developed their own resources or programming to fill that gap. For example, RAINN found that Clubs are not fully executing a consistent and methodical response to reported incidents of sexual misconduct,” reads the official report. 

RAINN has recommended the Boys & Girls Club of America “develop a three- to five-year strategic plan so that it is able to make comprehensive, intentional, and measurable changes” at all BGCA clubs, as outlined in the conclusion of their report. 

Can you file a Boys and Girls Club sexual assault lawsuit?

Individuals who experienced child sexual abuse or other improper behavior by a BGCA staff member, coach, volunteer or other adult affiliated with the organization can join numerous others who are using the legal system to hold perpetrators accountable.

Even if the abuse took place years or even decades ago, you may still be able to file a lawsuit. Many states have recently revised their sexual abuse laws to allow victims more time to pursue litigation, extending the statute of limitations considerably.

Some states have also created what is known as a lookback window, a period of one or more years wherein victims whose claims would have otherwise expired are allowed to file a lawsuit. States that have instituted lookback windows include California, New York, and others.

If you or someone you love experienced child sexual abuse by someone affiliated with the Boys & Girls Club of America, you may qualify to join a BGCA sexual abuse lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by child abuse, but it can at least help to hold the perpetrator accountable, along with any organization that may have allowed the abuse to occur or even covered it up. 

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, especially over something as serious as child sexual abuse, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

Fill out the form on this page for a free case evaluation.