A former Canyon High School basketball coach is being sued by three men who say the former assistant coach sexually abused them when the men were teen students. The school is located in Santa Clarita, Calif.

The plaintiffs are choosing to remain anonymous, known as John Does, according to documents filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court on Aug. 19. Their lawsuit names former Canyon High assistant coach Jeremy Haggerty and the William S. Hart Union High School District as defendants.

The school district is accused of covering up Haggerty’s sexual assault history. As such, the plaintiffs are seeking triple damages. The plaintiffs now are around age 25 or 26; Haggerty is now 36.

In July 2019, Haggerty received a 9-year prison sentence by the Los Angeles Superior Court. He pleaded no contest to felony charges, which included six counts of lewd acts on a child and three counts of sexual battery. He was convicted on sexual assault charges after being accused of abusing nine teen boys who had either played basketball for Haggerty or who had received private training classes with the former coach. Victims ranged from 14 to 17 years old, and Haggerty allegedly molested boys for almost 10 years.

Allegations Against Canyon High School Basketball Coach

One plaintiff alleges he was freshman at Canyon High when Haggerty started broaching the topic of sex. The talks allegedly escalated to inappropriate touching and massages in the coaches’ room after the teen would exercise in the high school’s gym. Eventually, the lawsuit says, the boy was also sexually abused at Haggerty’s house.

The second plaintiff said he was also abused at the home of the Canyon High School basketball coach after Haggerty and the boy met at a summer camp before the boy began as a freshman at Canyon High.

The third John Doe said he was a freshman at Canyon High when Haggerty told him he needed “body maintenance” after working out. These sessions allegedly led to inappropriate touching and sexually charged conversations.

Court documents allege the school district and Canyon High’s basketball coaching staff knew that Haggerty was sexually abusing boys throughout the school year. The lawsuit seeks compensation for intentional infliction of emotional distress, failure to report, and negligence.

Sex Abuse Victims Often Know Their Abusers

Even though the phrase “Stranger Danger” has been drilled into kids for nearly 50 years, about 93 percent of child-age victims actually know their abuser, according to RAINN (Rape, Abuse,& Incest National Network).

And while it’s best to start talking to children about setting boundaries and teaching them to it’s okay to tell someone “no” if any type of touching becomes uncomfortable, those conversations need to continue as the child gets older, advises RAINN.

One way to continue the conversation when your child becomes a teenager is to ask the teen’s opinion on something that’s being discussed on TV or on social media. By asking their opinion, you validate their point of view and your son or daughter will feel comfortable talking about such topics.

You can also share a story about something you endured or that someone close to you survived. One adult woman, now in her mid-50s, remembers her dad telling her he escaped being molested by a Boy Scout leader back in the 1940s. She says she won’t forget that he was especially upset because the man was someone he and his parents knew and trusted.

Teens should feel comfortable reporting any type of unwanted contact or inappropriate conversations forced upon them by a family friend, teacher, coach, church leader or anyone else.

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