A New York YMCA has been hit with a lawsuit alleging the abuse of a young boy by a custodian worker in the 1970s was known by the organization, but the YMCA failed to act. This is not the first time that the YMCA has been the subject of accusations of sexual assault against youth.

The lawsuit, reportedly filed this summer, was lodged under New York state’s Child Victims Act. The Post Star reports that the plaintiff says he was abused as a young child at the Glens Falls YMCA in the 1970s. The plaintiff was able to file his lawsuit, according to The Post Star, because an extension on the statute of limitations provided under the CVA and look back window allowed victims of child abuse more time to file claims against their abusers, as well as the organizations that failed to protect them.

The plaintiff alleges that he was not the only child abused by the custodian and that other YMCA employees knew of the abuse.

“Each defendant, through their agents, servants and employees, knew or should have known that (the custodian worker) was likely to sexually abuse children, (including the alleged victim), because other minor children were being abused by (the custodian worker) at the time, and it was common knowledge that (the custodian worker) was taking plaintiff and other minor children into rooms to isolate them where (the custodian worker) would sexually abuse them while they were alone with him,” alleges the YMCA sexual assault lawsuit.

The plaintiff reportedly says he was between nine and 10 years old at the time. The custodian who allegedly abused the children is only identified by a first name in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit is seeking damages from the Glen Falls YMCA for failing to protect the plaintiff from abuse.

For its part, the Glens Falls Area YMCA reportedly says it could not comment on the claims and issued the following statement in response to the lawsuit:

“At the Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area, the safety and well-being of children in our care always has been and always will be a top priority. We were deeply saddened and disturbed to learn about allegations of sexual abuse allegedly occurring at the YMCA, approximately 50 years ago.”

YMCA Sexual Assault Lawsuits

The YMCA says it is a safe place for kids. Unfortunately, several lawsuits have been filed alleging that children have been subjected to sexual assault while participating in YMCA programs.

According to these lawsuits, the YMCA failed to protect children in their care. Under the organization’s hiring and employment policies, serial child molesters were allegedly able to find jobs in child care and keep them, even as the YMCA became aware of reports of child sex abuse connected to these employees.

In addition, the organization is reportedly under scrutiny over allegations it failed to appropriately supervise children in incidents where an older child sexually abused another younger child.

New York Child Victims Act of 2019

In 2019, New York passed a law allowing victims of child sex abuse more time to file legal action. Survivors of child sex abuse have started to hold organizations, like the YMCA, Catholic Church, Boy Scouts, and others, responsible for failing to protect them.

Under the Child Victims Act, survivors of child sex abuse can file claims for incidents that happened in the past under a “look back provision.” In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, that window has been extended until Aug. 14, 2021.

“The Child Victims Act brought a long-needed pathway to justice for people who were abused, and helps right wrongs that went unacknowledged and unpunished for far too long and we cannot let this pandemic limit the ability for survivors to have their day in court,” Governor Cuomo said in a statement after approving the extension. “As New York continues to reopen and recover from a public health crisis, extending the look back window is the right thing to do and will help ensure that abusers and those who enabled them are held accountable.”

According to the Times Union, more than 4,400 lawsuits have been filed under the Child Victims Act as of September of this year. However, some experts worry that survivors are still falling through the cracks.

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