Hundreds of former scouts filed a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America on Monday, alleging sexual abuse over 80 years and across nearly every state. The lawsuit, obtained by USA Today, alleges that lawyers have found 350 abusers that do not appear in the Boy Scouts’ internal disciplinary files. “It is apparent that the Boy Scout Defendants continue to hide the true nature of their cover-up and the extent of the pedophilia epidemic within their organizations because the vast majority of new victims coming forward involve claims of abuse at the hands of pedophiles who are not yet identified by the Boy Scouts of America,” the complaint said. USA Today reports that many of the men identified in the lawsuit had prominent positions both inside and outside scouting, including police officers, teachers, and doctors, which gave them easy access to children.
Boy Scouts of America said in a statement that after receiving the suit, they investigated the information, which has resulted in about 120 reports to law enforcement so far. “We care deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologize to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting. We believe victims, we support them, we pay for counseling by a provider of their choice, and we encourage them to come forward,” the statement said.
Read it at USA Today
