For decades, the Boy Scouts of America was one of the largest youth organizations in the United States. While scouting programs provided fond memories and valuable opportunities for many children, they were also the site of widespread sexual abuse involving scout leaders and volunteers.
Many survivors have pursued legal Washington State sexual abuse claims against the Boy Scouts of America seeking accountability from both individual perpetrators and the organizations that failed to protect children involved in scouting.
Abuse Allegations in Scouting Programs
Abuse cases involving scouting organizations often followed a similar pattern. Adult leaders were given positions of authority and trust, allowing them to interact closely with youth members.
In some cases, organizations allegedly failed to remove known sex offenders or concealed reports of misconduct against children. Survivors have reported abuse occurring during activities such as:
- Camping trips
- Overnight scouting events
- Training programs
- Meetings or troop activities
These environments sometimes allowed perpetrators unsupervised access to children and increased their vulnerability to sexual abuse.
Institutional Responsibility of the Boy Scouts of America
Youth organizations like the Boy Scouts of America must adopt policies designed to protect children from harm. These policies may include conducting background checks, imposing supervision requirements, and creating reporting procedures if harm occurs. Importantly, these protections are the floor, not the ceiling.
Although staff or volunteers are directly responsible for any abuse they committed, the Boy Scouts of America may share liability for child sexual abuse if they:
- Ignored prior abuse complaints
- Failed to screen volunteers properly
- Allowed unsupervised access to youth members
- Concealed misconduct to protect the organization’s reputation
Civil lawsuits have determined that the Boy Scouts of America repeatedly failed in each of these categories and exposed children to abuse risks time and time again.
What Compensation Can Survivors Recover Through a Claim Against the Boy Scouts?
Survivors of sexual abuse in scouting programs may seek compensation for the many financial and personal harms caused by sexual abuse.
Possible damages in a civil claim include:
- Therapy and counseling costs
- Medical treatment related to abuse trauma
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety and PTSD
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Reduced quality of life
- Harm to relationships and trust
These claims can help provide resources for a survivor’s physical and emotional recovery while also holding negligent institutions accountable for their failures to protect children.
The Scouting Settlement Trust (SST)
A few years ago, the Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy to the large volume of sexual abuse claims it faced. As part of the bankruptcy process, the organization created the Scouting Settlement Trust (SST), a $2.46 billion fund, to compensate survivors of sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts of America.
Generally, survivors no longer have the ability to file a Seattle sexual abuse lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America for sexual abuse. Instead, they may be able to make a claim against the SST or potentially pursue personal judgments against individual scout leaders, staff, or councils.
If you experienced abuse in a scouting program, you should speak with a knowledgeable Seattle child sexual abuse attorney for help understanding your rights and potential legal options.