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2020-11-17 -Lurid Crime Tales-

More than 80,000 sexual abuse claims expected against US Boy Scouts

[AlAhram] More than 80,000 victims of sexual abuse that took place in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are expected to come forward by Monday evening, the deadline to receive compensation from the organization, a lawyer for the victims told AFP.

Attorney Andrew Van Arsdale said he expected the group of claimants by 5:00 pm (2200 GMT) to be around eight times the size of the 11,000 claims brought worldwide against the Catholic Church.

"We are devastated by the number of lives impacted by past abuse in scouting and moved by the bravery of those who have come forward," the scouting organization said in a statement. "We are heartbroken that we cannot undo their pain."

The group, founded in 1910, has 2.2 million members between the ages of five and 21.

Rocked by accusations of sexual abuse, the BSA filed for bankruptcy in February in an effort to block settlement claims from hitting the organization directly and instead funneled them to a compensation fund.

The group, which is valued at more than $1 billion, has not said how much they intend to spend via this fund.

Revelations of misconduct in US scouting circles came to widespread attention in 2012 when the Los Angeles Times published internal documents spelling out details of decades of sexual abuse.

Some 5,000 "perversion files" were uncovered, identifying about as many alleged culprits among scout leadership, including scout masters and troop leaders.

Most incidents were never reported to authorities and the BSA took it upon themselves to remove the accused offenders.

Multiple cases have been filed against the BSA since 2012, especially after several states extended the statute of limitations on allegations of child sexual assault.

And US Catholic Church leadership, also roiled by child sexual abuse claims, is set to meet virtually for its annual conference Monday.

The agenda has been updated to include discussion on a damning Vatican report released last week on defrocked Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and the silence of many of his peers.

The 450-page document details several incidents in which young priests or seminarians reported allegations of abuse by McCarrick but investigations were never opened.

Posted by trailing wife 2020-11-17 00:00|| || Front Page|| [12 views ] Top

#1 Was a Cub Scout and then made...I think first class Boy Scout back in the Fifties. My Mom was a den mother and when my brother and I got into the Boy Scouts, my father was in charge of the outdoor stuff, camping and suchlike.
Far as I know, every adult male involved was some kid's father. Wouldn't have stood for anything. Mostly veterans, as well.

Never heard a word.

Interesting legal issue, though. If the kid/parent doesn't want to press charges, what is the organization supposed to do?

Failure to supervise is a likely locus of criminal charges I suppose--see Larry Nasser and all the failures of Duty to Report which aren't being charged--but you'd have to out the kid and his parents in the process.

Posted by Richard Aubrey 2020-11-17 06:38|| 2020-11-17 06:38|| Front Page Top

#2 And then there's Hollywood.

Posted by Clem 2020-11-17 07:10|| 2020-11-17 07:10|| Front Page Top

#3 ...internal documents spelling out details of decades of sexual abuse.

I'm willing to bet it wasn't decades in the literal sense - compare the dates of the allegations against the timeline that forced the Boy Scouts to accept gay scoutmasters and then rerun the numbers.

Posted by Raj 2020-11-17 09:52|| 2020-11-17 09:52|| Front Page Top

#4 How's that ghey scoutmaster thing workin' out for ya?

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-11-17 11:30|| 2020-11-17 11:30|| Front Page Top

#5 Considering the way they've been running ads for victims on TV, I'm suprised there's not more.

Posted by ed in texas 2020-11-17 11:32|| 2020-11-17 11:32|| Front Page Top

#6 Bingo!!!! No one wants that answer.
With that many pending lawsuits the payout to actual victims has reached the point of diminishing returns, only the predatory lawyers will keep pushing the narrative.

Posted by NoMoreBS 2020-11-17 11:36|| 2020-11-17 11:36|| Front Page Top

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