Leaders of religious sects and youth organizations like the Boy Scouts have faced allegations of sexual abuse for years, which means caregivers need to know the signs of sexual abuse in boys.

Some of the often highly esteemed adults entrusted with guiding the spirituality or fostering the independence of boys have betrayed thousands of these children across decades, and now a reckoning is beginning in churches, youth organizations, sports teams, and more.

Sexual Abuse Definition

The definition of child sexual abuse includes a number of illegal activities. Among the situations that qualify as sexual abuse are:

• Having images of child pornography
• Forcing a child to remove clothing or masturbate
• Engaging in any type of sexual activity in front of a child, including the viewing of pornography
• Taking, downloading, viewing or sharing sexual images of children
• Encouraging a child to perform sexually in front of a webcam
• Failing to protect a child from seeing or hearing sexual activity or images
• Inappropriate sexual touching of a child who is either clothed or unclothed
• Making a child touch another person’s genitals or engage in sexual games
• Penetrative sex with a child

Sexual Abuse Statistics

Approximately 66% of child victims of sexual assault are between the ages of 12 and 17, and 34% are under the age of 12, according to statistics from the Department of Justice cited by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), RAINN is the largest anti–sexual violence organization in the United States.

“From 2009-2013, Child Protective Services agencies substantiated, or found strong evidence to indicate that, 63,000 children a year were victims of sexual abuse,” says RAINN, based on sexual abuse statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Boy Scouts of America kept their own internal list of men who were accused of sexually abusing boys. The BSA headquarters referred to the list as the Perversion Files, and a child abuse expert determined that a total of 12,254 boys had reported sexual abuse by 7,800 alleged perpetrators between the years 1944 and 2016, per a June 2019 TIME article.

Researchers told TIME that there are likely many more victims and abusers within the organization because many boys were probably not comfortable with reporting the incidents.

One in 53 boys under the age of 18 are victims of sexual abuse or assault by an adult, and 93% of the time, the child victim knows the perpetrator.

While the majority of child sexual abuse perpetrators are men, this kind of abuse is not constrained by gender. In 2013, about 47,000 men and 5,000 women were alleged sexual abusers of children, per CPS reports cited by RAINN.

What Are the Signs of Sexual Abuse in Boys?

Signs of sexual abuse in boys include a number of noticeable changes in behavior. They may become aggressive, anxious, withdrawn, scared, or depressed. Depending upon how old they are, they also might start to exhibit regressive behaviors, such as sucking their thumb or wetting the bed.

Sexually abused boys may not want to be left alone with certain adults or suddenly not want to be away from their parents or primary caregivers.

If a boy starts to argue about changing clothing or needing to take off clothing to bathe, this discomfort may be a sign he has been sexually abused.

Other signs of sexual abuse in boys may include the onset of sexually inappropriate behavior or use sexually explicit language. Physical problems such as soreness in the genital and anal areas or even signs of sexually transmitted diseases may become apparent.

Abused children often have difficulty sleeping and problems concentrating and learning in school. A sudden drop in grades or teacher complaints of disruptive behavior by a usually well-behaved student may be signs the boy has been abused.

Some abused children start to exhibit risk-taking behaviors, such as carrying a gun or using drugs. Others simply stop caring about their own personal cleanliness and may appear dirty and suffer extreme body odor.

What Are the Effects of Sexual Abuse?

Research shows people who have suffered sexual abuse as children are more at risk of experiencing depression and anxiety and of developing eating disorders. Many childhood sexual assault survivors suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Victims of child sexual abuse also are more apt to engage in self-harm, such as cutting themselves and to abuse drugs and alcohol, according to the National Health Service of the UK. They’re also more apt to become involved in criminal behavior and to commit suicide when they become young adults.

Victims of sexual abuse often have negative thoughts about themselves because they internalize the abuse, according to an article from the American Counseling Association. Shame, guilt, and even self-blame are common themes among boys who have been sexually abused, especially when the abuse was done by a trusted adult who was in a leadership role. When a person who holds an esteemed position in the community or in the boy’s life, it’s more difficult for the boy to see the abuser as a bad person, which then makes the child blame himself for the abuse.

Long-term effects of sexual abuse can include difficulty with relationships and intimacy. An abused child may feel that if they trust another person, that person will ultimately hurt him.

TIME interviewed James Kretschmer, a 56-year-old man who has been married and divorced four times, and says he’s sure it’s because of the shell he built around himself due to the trauma of sexual abuse at the hands of a Boy Scout leader.

Kretschmer said he was 11 or 12 years old when he and a troop of Boy Scouts went to a camp in Washington state. The Scoutmaster climbed inside Kretschmer’s sleeping bag. He said sexual abuse continued for about six months.

Once he grew up, Kretschmer said he turned to alcohol and eventually went to counseling and tried antidepressants.

Statutes of Limitations for Child Sex Abuse

Among survivors of child sexual abuse, men tend to come forth with the stories of what happened to them at a later date than women do. Experts believe that for men, they fear the additional shame that they were not able to fight off their attacker, Boston Children’s Hospital pediatrician Eli Newberger told TIME.

One problem survivors of childhood sexual abuse face is statutes of limitations for pursuing litigation. As more investigations and lawsuits have raised awareness of this issue in recent years, some states have expanded their statutes of limitations, allowing survivors to step forward with allegations when they are ready.

For instance, in New York, the Child Victims Act expanded the statute of limitations so that child victims could seek prosecution against their abuser until age 55 in civil cases instead of age 23, the previous limit. In criminal cases, they can seek prosecution until age 28.

The Act also includes a look back window for survivors previously excluded by the statute of limitations, regardless of how long ago the abuse took place.

Similar changes have also been made to child sexual abuse laws in California, New Jersey, and more.

How To Find a Sexual Abuse Lawyer

The Boy Scouts of America is facing around 300 lawsuits filed by former Scouts over childhood sex abuse. In many cases, plaintiffs are now in their 50s and 60s, but plaintiffs range in age from young teenagers to the elderly.

Some lawsuits allege that the Boy Scouts not only failed to protect them from abuse, but also actively ignored complaints about abuse and even covered up important evidence. The Boy Scouts allowed certain individuals to return to leadership roles within the Scouts even after credible accusations of sexual abuse.

Anyone who was sexually abused by a volunteer or worker affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America may qualify to file a lawsuit for compensation. Even though the painful memories and emotional scars cannot be removed, the lawsuit can help the perpetrator and the Boy Scouts organization be held financially responsible for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Other youth organizations, religious institutions, and more may also be held accountable.

Top Class Actions understands that filing a lawsuit can seem a formidable task, but that’s why we’ve done our homework and have found suitable, experienced attorneys who can help you determine if you have a claim, assist you in pursuing litigation, and ensure you receive the most compensation possible by either participating in a class action lawsuit or filing a civil suit.

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