A Dozen Scouting Abuse Victims to File Federal Lawsuit in Washington D.C.
A lawsuit representing a dozen former Boy Scouts will soon be filed in the federal court against the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for child sex abuse. This claim alleges the BSA failed to protect Scouting children from sexual abuse since the youth organization’s inception and even hid the crimes of molesters.
Each of the ex-Boy Scouts in the lawsuit allege the BSA not only neglected to provide a safe environment for children but covered up decades of sexual abuse. By calling out the BSA for perpetuating an unsafe environment for children, lawyers filing claims on behalf of Scouting abuse victims hope they can reach justice for victims whose own state’s statute of limitations have expired for them.
“We’ve got clients from every state and we have abuse that was committed in 49 of the 50 states,” Tim Kosnoff, a lead attorney for the legal movement Abused in Scouting (AIS), reported. “And that’s still going to be a fraction by the time the claims bar deadline runs” out. Kosnoff and his partners through Abused in Scouting represent nearly 2,000 Scouting abuse survivors nationwide and represent the dozen men included in this latest lawsuit.
According to New York Daily News, AIS plans to file the lawsuit next month in Washington, D.C., the first federal lawsuit filed against the BSA. AIS’s legal team anticipates that the BSA will soon file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a move with harsh consequences for Scouting abuse victims. If the BSA files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it would severely shorten the amount of time Scouting abuse victims can bring forward cases against the BSA for their abuse and reach justice.
“We’re encouraging men to break their silence, come forward, protect today’s children by identifying these abusers,” said Kosnoff.
So far, the BSA has not announced their plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but are currently discussing all of their options to address the floods of sexual abuse claims coming into the light.
To read the New York Daily News’ full article, click here.