The rumors were persistent for decades, but nothing was ever really done about them. After all, they were just that – rumors. The Boy Scouts of America spends years pretending there was no sexual abuse going on in their midst, at least publicly. We all know that was a lie.
At Soloff & Zervanos, P.C., our New York City sexual abuse attorneys are here to help you if you have been the victim of abuse. Today, we want to discuss the Boy Scouts and how a new law is helping victims reclaim their voice.
In February of this year, the state passed a law that allows for victims of child sexual abuse to file lawsuits against the perpetrators of the abuse and institutions involved regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. The one-year window to file these lawsuits began on August 14, 2019, and we have seen the floodgates opened.
Over 400 lawsuits have been filed by child sexual abuse survivors. Many institutions have been targeted, including the Boy Scouts in New York.
One of the lawsuits filed against the Boy Scouts is seeking the release of internal records, ones that will likely show a pattern of sexual abuse and that leaders did little, or nothing, to address the issue. The Boy Scouts have not yet responded to these lawsuits, but in an earlier statement said, “We believe victims, we support them, we pay for counseling by a provider of their choice, and we encourage them to come forward.”
One New York Times article uncovered that nearly 8,000 Boy Scout leaders have been accused of sexual abuse since 1944. When so-called “perversion files” were released by the Boy Scouts, it was discovered that over 12,000 children have been sexually abused.
This is an organization that, as their mission statement says, is “to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”
Instead, many boys were abused and have suffered lifelong trauma.
If you or a loved one suffered sexual abuse as a child at the hands of an adult, you should seek help from a qualified attorney. At Soloff & Zervanos, P.C., we believe in holding perpetrators accountable for their actions regardless of how much time has passed. Our compassionate team will get to work investigating what happened so we can secure the compensation you deserve. This could include:
We will also move to secure punitive damages against the perpetrators of your abuse. This includes the person who abused you as well as the institutions they worked for and those who covered up the abuse. When you need a New York city sexual abuse attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by calling at 866-597-8572.