Sexual abuse allegations plunged US scouts into a crisis years ago. Given the large number of lawsuits, the youth organization is now taking a drastic step.
Washington (dpa) - The US boy scouts have been facing a large number of lawsuits for sexual abuse for years. Now they are taking action and have filed for bankruptcy.
The aim is to compensate all victims of abuse and to continue the mission of the association in the future, said the "Boy Scouts of America" (BSA). Victim representatives called on victims to report if they had not already done so.
In the wake of an abuse scandal, the US gymnastics association also filed for bankruptcy in 2018 to service claims by victims of abuse. According to the announcement by the US Boy Scouts, this is a procedure under Chapter 11 of American bankruptcy law that aims to restructure a company. All of the boy scout programs and activities should continue during the process, "and for many years to come," it said. Local associations are not affected by the bankruptcy proceedings.
Victim representatives called on victims to report now. The bankruptcy court will set a time window for filing claims - "and this window could be the last chance for abuse victims to seek justice," said Andrew Van Arsdale of the Abused in Scouting organization of the German press agency on request.
It is to be hoped that the Boy Scouts will not only compensate victims of abuse, but at the same time take "significant steps" that are necessary to show their colors and guarantee the safety of the scouts in the future, said Van Arsdale. This also includes sharing information about the perpetrators with law enforcement agencies.
Abused in scouting claims that the number of lawsuits against the BSA is thousands. The allegations were always similar: misuse of minors by senior scouts. In addition, cover-up allegations against the organization have been made.
In 2012, secret files on abuse by US boy scouts were published. It listed more than 1,000 carers and helpers from the youth organization, who had been excluded from the group between 1965 and 1985 due to allegations of abuse. The organization originally resisted the release of the documents.
The TV station CNN reported that in a period of 72 years (1944 to 2016) more than 12,000 scouts were victims of more than 7,800 scout guides. Children and adolescents were exposed to pornography and forced to have anal and oral sex. According to CNN, the association's liabilities, which are shrinking in membership, are many times greater than their assets.
"In a way, it's a scout's confession that they had this huge problem and that the problem is so big that they can't handle it themselves," victim attorney Michael Pfau told the Washington Post regarding the bankruptcy filing.
"The BSA is very concerned about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who has suffered damage during their time in Scouting," said BSA President Roger Mosby. It was "outraged" that there were times when individuals used the programs to hurt innocent children.
CNN
Victims' Association Notice
Abused in scouting