‘Perversion files’: thousands of Boy Scout leaders sexually abused children for decades, US lawyers say as they release names of 130 alleged paedophiles
- Making comparisons to Catholic Church paedophile priest scandal, lawyers say they plan to file multiple lawsuits against the organisation
- Boy Scouts of America allegedly has files on child abusers within its ranks dating back to the 1940s
Lawyers for dozens of sexually abused children on Tuesday released the names of 130 Boy Scout leaders in New York who have been accused of molesting boys in their care.
Detailing decades of unchecked abuse, with comparisons to the Catholic Church paedophile priest scandal, the lawyers said they plan to file multiple lawsuits against the non-profit Boy Scouts of America organisation, which, according to its website, prides itself in “youth protection” training.
At a Manhattan news conference, the lawyers said the 130 scout leaders from New York City and the Hudson Valley area are among 7,000 Boy Scout leaders across the country.
The announcement was made in conjunction with lawyers in New Jersey who detailed similar Boy Scout abuse at a news conference in Newark. Lawyers there named another 50 alleged paedophile Boy Scout leaders.
“The alarming thing about this is not just the numbers,” said Jeff Anderson, whose Manhattan law firm specialises in child sexual abuse cases.