Over the course of generations, boys from across the United States have pledged the oath of the Boy Scouts of America:
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
Sadly, thousands of men who were designated to lead these youth never came close to honoring the oath the boys are expected to live by. In fact, as of the early summer of 2020, a shocking 7,819 scoutmasters and other volunteers have been identified by the Boy Scouts organization as having sexually abused 12,264 boys between 1944 to 2016.
Boy Scouts Admit Hidden Files and Coverup of Sexual Abuse for Generations
In revealing the perpetrators and victims, the Boy Scouts admitted that the organization maintained detailed records on sexual predators in the ranks of the organization’s adult volunteers and the children they victimized. The Boy Scouts of America has been forced to publicly concede that the organization systematically concealed the names of predators that sexually victimized boys in the program.
The Boy Scouts maintain that the nearly 8,000 identified men were removed from scouting once they were identified as having sexually abused boys. There are other perpetrators and victims from 2016 forward. In addition, investigators learned the Boy Scouts have maintained what those in the organization’s hierarchy called “perversion files” since the end of World War I. World War I ended on November 11, 1918. The Boy Scouts of America was founded on February 8, 1910.
The bottom line is that the Boy Scouts of America kept records on adult volunteers that sexually abused boys in the program since almost day one. Rarely were any of these child sexual predators turned over to appropriate legal authorities. Parents were kept in the dark for generations as well.
The information obtained from the Boy Scouts of America thus far reveals that no level of youth participant appears to have been immune from being targeted for sexual victimization by adult predators volunteering in the program. In this regard, it is important to note the organization involves boys between the ages of five to 18.
Even More Boys Victimized by Adult Scouting Volunteers
There is yet one more alarming piece of information that must be noted. The 8,000 perpetrators and over 12,000 victims include only cases reported to or known by the Boy Scouts of America. There is an unknown number of cases of adult Boy Scouts volunteers sexually assaulting boys that were not or have not yet been reported to the organization. Because sexual abuse is significantly underreported misfeasance, the number of predators and victims beyond the numbers represented by Boy Scouts hidden files is apt to be very large.
Deadline to File a Claim is Drawing Near
Because the Boy Scouts are in bankruptcy, the Bankruptcy Court has created a compensation fund and established a timeframe within which claims must be filed. The process is complex, with claims to be filed before the end of the year in many cases. Thus, if you believe you’re entitled to compensation and if you demand justice, you need to reach out to a highly experienced Doan Law Firm Boy Scout sexual abuse lawyer today.
Get the Justice You Deserve: Contact a Doan Law Firm Boy Scout Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today
If you were sexually abused while a Boy Scout, of if you’re the parent of a child who has been more recently victimized by an adult predator associated with the organization, The Doan Law Firm stands ready to assist you. A Boy Scout sexual abuse lawyer from our firm can schedule an initial consultation with you to lay out your rights, even as an adult and years after you may have been in a Scout.
A nationwide law practice, The Doan Law Firm has offices from coast to coast across the United States. In addition, we can arrange a virtual consultation and case evaluation with you online.
You can schedule an appointment with a Boy Scout sexual abuse lawyer any time of the day or night, 365 days a year, by calling (800) 349-0000. There is no charge for an initial consultation with a Boy Scout sexual assault lawyer.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee guarantee to you. We never charge an attorney fee in a Boy Scout sexual abuse case unless we win for you.