Monthly Archives: October 2012

Interest in the Boy Scout ‘Perversion’ Files Won’t Go Away Anytime Soon: Coast to Coast, Reporters Continue to Uncover Hidden....

October 26, 2012

By: TIM KOSNOFF

We obviously knew a lot of publicity would ensue from the mid-October release of what have become known as the Boy Scout “perversion files.” But the press response has been even more astonishing than many may have imagined.

This is only too appropriate given the equally astonishing volume of sexual-abuse documents long held by the Boy Scouts of America. After a week of reading and viewing BSA-related news reports, the public is becoming familiar with the grim figures: more than 20,000 alleged pedophile crimes by nearly 2,000 scout “leaders” and volunteers.

Such numbers would be staggering even if they represented investigations from the entire century since scout officials surreptitiously began keeping records of child sexual abuse committed by those within the BSA ranks.

But the 6,000 files merely span 1965-1985 released via court order of the Oregon State Supreme Court. (Two weeks ago, I made available to the public on this web site my index of the same records spanning 1971-1991, a project that represents a decade of my time, analyzing and creating annotated notes on alleged perpetrators.

The response to the release of the documents has been somewhat predictable. Those personally unaffected by the crimes committed by adult scout volunteers are nonetheless appalled and infuriated by the reports and sickened once they read of the horrifying details.

Imagine, then, that you actually are a victim of scouting-related pedophilia. Imagine you’re one young scout mentioned in an Oct. 18 CNN news story posted online. This boy joined scouts at age 12 and was sexually abused by his scout leader while helping build a Boy Scout camp on a 42-acre ranch.

What I see in this young man, I see in so many of our clients: The abuse inflicted on these boys has a corrosive effect in which trust, relationship and sexuality issues develop with adulthood. This young man succinctly summarized what so many of our clients tell us: “‘I felt like I was all alone. … Just thinking about it makes me angry … because how could you do that to somebody? How could you bring yourself to do that to somebody who is so innocent and has done nothing wrong?’”

The details of what the public is reading in these files have been magnified by the fact that scout leaders have been aware of these cases for so long without many members of the public being privy to the information.

That obviously has changed. During the week since these stories have aired and been published, countless news stories have continued to pour forth. Coast to coast, victims are demanding answers as they look to find their abuser’s name on the list. News organizations from San Diego to Oklahoma City, Atlanta to Cape Cod, New York to New Orleans, are digging into local cases and asking questions.

Indeed, an NBC-2 report went on line from Florida the day after the Oct. 18 release of files from Portland, Ore. Reporter Dave Elias noted that he discovered six additional cases in Fort Meyers, Florida after I shared with him records from the “ineligible volunteer” files. Elias referenced a trend that’s bothered me:
“The most troubling thing in the files: In over 500 cases where the information came to the scouts first, they didn’t report it to police in 80 percent of the cases,” Kosnoff said.

Wayne Perry, Boy Scouts of America National President, has predictably tried to spin the story, even suggesting that safety concerns are a thing of the past.

“There’s no question that there are times in the past – and these go back to 40-50 years old – where we did not do the job that we should have. For that, and for people hurt, we are profoundly sorry.”

Elias closed his report by noting that victims’ attorneys collectively are calling on Congress to audit whether the BSA’s protections are working.

Given the darkening storm of reporting, it’s doubtful that even — perhaps especially — during a frenetic election season, the reality of the crimes long kept out of view by the Boy Scouts of America will have escaped the attention of many elected officials.

If someone you know needs help, you can contact us:

Our attorneys are highly experienced in childhood sexual abuse law and offer free initial consultations to potential clients. We are also willing to assist other attorneys in sexual abuse cases. Please call 206-257-3590, or email us directly. Conversations will be kept confidential, and even if you are unsure about a lawsuit, often we can direct you to the assistance you need. You will be treated with compassion and respect.

Toll free: 855-529-4274
Tim Kosnoff, direct: 425-837-9690
Dan Fasy, direct: 206-462-4338
Kosnoff Fasy, Seattle office: 206-257-3590

US – Scouts Abuse Scandal-Where’s The Action?

October 25, 2012

Editor’s note: The following is a statement published by Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).

BY BARBARA DORRIS

It’s been a week since BSA abuse and cover up files were released. It’s been more than a week since BSA officials pledged to “notify law enforcement of any allegations that have not already been disclosed.”

So is this happening? If so, where’s the proof?

And if not, why not?

Every day that information about known and suspected child sex crimes  stays hidden, kids are needlessly and recklessly and callously put at risk. Every day this information stays hidden enables child molesters to destroy evidence, intimidate victims, threaten witnesses, discredit whistleblowers, fabricate alibis, and flee elsewhere. Every day this information stays hidden, the chances increase that statute of limitations.

And where are the names of Scout officials who have been ousted for ignoring or concealing known and suspected child sex crimes?

Months ago, three Penn State officials were ousted in the Jerry Sandusky debacle. This week, a BBC official stepped down in the Jimmy Savile controversy.

Those two cases involve one predator each, not hundreds or thousands.

Yet we’ve seen no evidence that even a single Scout official has been demoted or disciplined or kicked out because he hid or ignored child sex crimes. And we’ve seen no evidence that even a single page of Scout records has been turned over recently to law enforcement.

Talk is cheap. The Scouts have pledged action. It should happen NOW.

Further reading:

http://www.snapnetwork.org/us_scouts_abuse_scandal_where_s_the_action

Boy Scouts’ Hidden Files: Documents Highlight The Horrors Of Sexual Abuse Of Children

October 23, 2012

Editor’s note: This editorial, written by the Anniston Star in Anniston, Alabama, is one of the best editorials we’ve seen on the need for safety reforms in the Boy Scouts of America.

by The Anniston Star Editorial Board

Oct 22, 2012

The Boy Scouts of America own a quality reputation forged by decades of teaching, mentoring and training young American males.

Last week’s shocking news — that Scout leaders kept thousands of pages of “perversion files” about accusations of sexual abuse of young Scouts — has sullied the BSA’s reputation and forced BSA leaders to address nearly a century of inexcusable actions.
Embedded in nearly 15,000 pages of documents made public are two main issues: (1.) the voluminous amount of reports of accusations of abuse, (2.) and the fact that BSA officials, law enforcement and others spent decades protecting the Scouts’ brand by keeping these files and the charges within them hidden from public scrutiny.

As seen earlier this year in the child-abuse trial of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, sexual molestation of vulnerable youths is a despicable, disgusting crime. Sandusky, who mentored children through his nonprofit group The Second Mile, is serving a 30- to 60-year sentence after being found guilty of 10 counts of child abuse. We’re deeply saddened by what may prove to be another painful disclosure of child sex abuse in the United States.

The Scouts’ “perversion files” are on a different level. Instead of one potential offender, the Scouts’ files document numerous claims of molestation of Scouts, often by those who wore a Scouting uniform. It buckles one’s knees to think that this many people in positions of power and influence chose Scouting’s popularity over the protection of children — not to mention the prosecution of potential criminals.

These files are damning. According to the Associated Press, “[T]here’s at least one memo from a local Scouting executive pleading for better guidance on how to handle abuse allegations. Sometimes the pleading went the other way, with national headquarters begging local leaders for information on suspected abusers, and the locals dragging their feet …

“But one of the most startling revelations to come from the files is the frequency with which attempts to protect Scouts from molesters collapsed at the local level, at times in collusion with community leaders.”

Our thoughts today don’t center solely on the Boy Scouts of America. Instead, we’re moved by the recurring instances of men in power — such as coaches and priests — who get their sexual fun by abusing children within their care. Whether it’s the Catholic church, the Penn State scandal or these allegations in the Boy Scouts’ files, it is time this nation takes a more serious, proactive approach on protecting children from those who would molest them.

Whatever we’re doing isn’t working.

These Boy Scout allegations are bad enough by themselves. But they show — harshly — what happens when adults put anything above the protection of a child. In that sense, enablers are as guilty as molesters themselves.

Further reading:

http://annistonstar.com/view/full_story/20576388/article-Boy-Scouts%E2%80%99-hidden-files–Documents-highlight-the-horrors-of-sexual-abuse-of-children?instance=opinion_lead
If someone you know needs help, you can contact us:

Our attorneys are highly experienced in childhood sexual abuse law and offer free initial consultations to potential clients. We are also willing to assist other attorneys in sexual abuse cases. Please call 206-257-3590, or email us directly. Conversations will be kept confidential, and even if you are unsure about a lawsuit, often we can direct you to the assistance you need. You will be treated with compassion and respect.

Toll free: 855-529-4274

Tim Kosnoff, direct: 425-837-9690

Dan Fasy, direct: 206-462-4338

Seattle office: 206-257-3590

Kosnoff Fasy

The Boy Scout ‘Perversion’ Files: They’re About Combatting Pedophilia, Not Bashing Gays

October 16, 2012

By TIM KOSNOFF

Claims that pedophiles are predominantly homosexual or that homosexuality leads to child molestation are scarcely new. They continue courtesy of, among others, the hierarchy of the Boy Scouts of America, an organization with rampant documentation of pedophilia among its past and present leadership.

Contradicting a relationship between homosexuality and pedophilia also is nothing new. Indeed, one of the most compelling studies debunking a causal relationship between same-sex preference and sex crimes against children is from oft-cited scientific research published in 1994 in “Pediatrics.” The latter is the official journal of the American Society of Pediatrics.
What follows is the abstract for the study:

“Objective. To determine if recognizably homosexual adults are frequently accused of the sexual molestation of children.

“Design. Chart review of medical records of children evaluated for sexual abuse.

“Setting. Child sexual abuse clinic at a regional children’s hospital.

“Patients. Patients were 352 children (276 girls and 76 boys) referred to a subspecialty clinic for the evaluation of suspected child sexual abuse. Mean age was 6.1 years (range, 7 months to 17 years).

“Data collected. Charts were reviewed to determine the relationships of the children to the alleged offender, the sex of the offender, and whether or not the alleged offender was reported to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

“Results. Abuse was ruled out in 35 cases. Seventy-four children were allegedly abused by other children and teenagers less than 18 years old. In nine cases, an offender could not be identified. In the remaining 269 cases, two offenders were identified as being gay or lesbian. In 82 percent of cases (222/269), the alleged offender was a heterosexual partner of a close relative of the child. Using the data from our study, the 95 percent confidence limits of the risk children would identify recognizably homosexual adults as the potential abuser are from 0 percent to 3.1 percent. These limits are within current estimates of the prevalence of homosexuality in the general community.

Conclusions. The children in the group studied were unlikely to have been molested by identifiably gay or lesbian people.

Jamie McGonnigal, founder of the advocacy group TalkAboutEquality.com, cited the above study Sept. 19 in a blog entry for The Huffington Post. McGonnigal also noted the ongoing perpetuation of the gay-means-pedophile myth by the usual suspects:

“Anti-gay hate groups such as the Family Research Council (FRC) are constantly on the attack, perpetuating the false link between homosexuality and pedophilia. FRC’s Peter Sprigg said in their brochure ‘Debating Homosexuality: Understanding Two Views,’ ‘We believe the evidence shows … that relative to the size of their population, homosexual men are more likely to engage in child sexual abuse than are heterosexual men. And on the organization’s website, FRC president Tony Perkins claimed (again with no evidence whatsoever): ‘While activists like to claim that pedophilia is a completely distinct orientation from homosexuality, evidence shows a disproportionate overlap between the two. … It is a homosexual problem.’”

Perkins, of course, is a conspicuous hard-right-philosophy spokesperson, frequently seen on TV issues programs. His agenda scarcely is to find the truth, especially when it comes to bashing gays. Perkins’ many followers aren’t just ardent believers of whatever he tells them. They’re also inclined to believe the most extreme anti-gay propaganda, especially if falsehoods can have for them the added benefit of finding bogeymen to blame for the sexual abuse of children.

Those who perpetuate the lie also are obviously predisposed not only to reject scientific analysis such as the study cited above. They’re also proud about finding contemptible scientific findings relating to other matters — evolution, bacteriology, etc. — that rationale people believe.

Thus it doesn’t surprise me in the least when, during the flood of media coverage involving this law firm’s release of information about so many cases of pedophilia associated with the Boy Scouts of America, a response to this blog was:

“That’s what happens when you let homosexuals into scouting.”

If someone you know needs help, you can contact us:

Our attorneys are highly experienced in childhood sexual abuse law and offer free initial consultations to potential clients. We are also willing to assist other attorneys in sexual abuse cases. Please call 206-257-3590, or email us directly. Conversations will be kept confidential, and even if you are unsure about a lawsuit, often we can direct you to the assistance you need. You will be treated with compassion and respect.

Toll free: 855-529-4274
Tim Kosnoff, direct: 425-837-9690
Dan Fasy, direct: 206-462-4338
Kosnoff Fasy, Seattle office: 206-257-3590

A Big Thanks to Reporters Covering Stories on Childhood Sexual Abuse: You Help Make Change Happen

October 12, 2012

By TIM KOSNOFF

Members of my law firm would be less than candid if we said we aren’t pleased with the publicity our work has recently won. This isn’t so much because of any benefit the media coverage has brought to us. It’s about the nature of the work we do: defending child victims of sexual predators.

From years of representing abuse victims, I’ve learned that the media spotlight is nearly always welcome. That’s because the press spells out the horrors of sexual abuse and the often egregious enabling on the part of institutions. And the court of public opinion demands change. We saw it in 2002 when the Boston Globe uncovered wide-spread sexual abuse by priests within the Archdiocese of Boston. In the ensuing decade, similar cases came to light nationwide. We saw it this year with Penn State. And now we’re likely to see the public demanding improved safety measures from the Boy Scouts of America. The media interest in recent days promises to give victims ever greater impetus to come forward and join the battle against pedophiles, so many of whom continue to function undiscovered and unpunished.
This past week, we’ve spoken with reporters from “CBS Morning News,” CNN, the Los Angeles Times, The Oregonian and The San Diego Union-Tribune, to name a few news organizations. Each reporter has been asking the right questions: How could this happen? How could an organization that professes to hold dear the finest of American values continue to put kids at risk?

Reporters have been thoughtful in their questions and their approach to the story. All of this is bittersweet because for years it’s often been a solo journey, fighting with brave clients along the way. I was hoping that at some point the broader public could see what I saw in these confidential files and share my concern.

Sharing this information with welcomed readers is scarcely about self-aggrandizement. It’s about taking this cause forward one reader — or one thousand — at a time.

For further reading:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-boy-scouts-release-20121009,0,2956122.story

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/10/seattle_attorney_posts_data_on.html

If someone you know needs help, you can contact us:

Our attorneys are highly experienced in childhood sexual abuse law and offer free initial consultations to potential clients. We are also willing to assist other attorneys in sexual abuse cases. Please call 206-257-3590, or email us directly. Conversations will be kept confidential, and even if you are unsure about a lawsuit, often we can direct you to the assistance you need. You will be treated with compassion and respect.

Toll free: 855-529-4274
Tim Kosnoff, direct: 425-837-9690
Dan Fasy, direct: 206-462-4338
Kosnoff Fasy, Seattle office: 206-257-3590

Seattle attorney releases list of 1,900 alleged Boy Scout child sex-abusers

October 8, 2012

For immediate release: Oct. 8, 2012

Seattle attorney releases list of 1,900 alleged Boy Scout child sex-abusers in advance of upcoming Oregon court-ordered release of records

Attorney Tim Kosnoff: ‘The Public Will Demand Better Safety Measures When They See What’s in These Files’

________________________________________________________

(SEATTLE, WA) – For nearly a century, the Boy Scouts of America has quietly compiled the names of thousands of accused child molesters within its ranks. The Scouts says it has maintained the records, known as the “perversion files,” as part of a decades-long effort to keep tabs on bad leaders and prevent abuse. Victims’ advocates, however, say the Scouts has done little to warn youngsters about the risks of encountering predators. For perspective: The Boy Scouts of America’s internal files document some 20,000 alleged pedophiles over the past 100 years; Penn State’s sexual-abuse scandal earlier this year involved one sex offender.

Today, Seattle attorney Tim Kosnoff released to the public for the first time the Boy Scouts’s own internal list of 1,900 accused sex-abusers, in advance of a court-ordered release of the files by the Scouts itself within the next week or so. Kosnoff posted the list on his web site, Kosnoff.com.

Kosnoff said the safety of children is too important for this information to be kept under wraps.

“The public will demand better safety measures when they see what’s in these files,” Kosnoff said. “If someone were to ask me if I’d enroll my child in the Boy Scouts, I’d say that I couldn’t in good conscience recommend it. I can’t say it’s a safe organization.”

Last summer, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that the Scouts had to hand over thousands of documents from 1966-1985, detailing sex-abuse allegations against scout leaders from across the country. Kosnoff’s records detail information on alleged abusers in scouting from 1949-2005, the result of years of work on behalf of more than 100 clients he has represented in cases against the Scouts.

For years, the Scouts has fought disclosure of its “ineligible volunteer” files to the courts, saying it wanted to protect victims. Kosnoff said altruism doesn’t tell the whole story of the Scouts’ actions, as the youth-serving organization over the years has destroyed thousands of its own records but still has more than 6,000 records in its possession. Kosnoff himself has spent more than a decade battling the Scouts in cases that included seeking release of secret files.

In his work as a trial attorney, Kosnoff gathered 65,000 pages of documents over many years and from a variety of sources, including court cases and those who had access to the Scouts’ database. Kosnoff then spent several years compiling indexes and analyzing the materials. His 1971-1991 index identifies 1,932 volunteers expelled for alleged inappropriate sexual conduct with children. His 1949-2005 index contains file information on 3,200 additional adult volunteers expelled for alleged misconduct with children. Kosnoff made annotated notes on thousands of alleged perpetrators and shared this information with the Los Angeles Times in Spring 2011. This information resulted in a recent series of investigative articles by the Los Angeles Times.

Kosnoff said he’s releasing his indexes of accused perpetrators but won’t release the actual files, which contain the un-redacted names of victims.

Among the trends Kosnoff has seen in Scouts “ineligible volunteer” files:

▪Predatory adults, who seek out scouting for access to victims.

▪Admitted or re-admitted adult scout volunteers previously caught abusing children or scouts.

▪Adult scout volunteers, who abuse multiple scout victims, not just one victim.

▪Serious criminal convictions and prison sentences documented among the Scouts’ list of ineligible volunteers.

▪Adult scout leaders who possess and/or produce child pornography.

▪Adult scout leaders who were allowed unfettered access to kids, permitting them to sleep in the same tent.

▪Adult scout leaders, who sexually abused kids on camping trips or on unsupervised outings outside of scouting.

▪ Patterns of grooming behavior, such as trust-building, isolation, discussion of sex, followed by abuse.

▪ Adult volunteers alleged to be pedophiles associating with other alleged pedophiles.

▪ Some youth sexually abused in scouting, who went on to become sexual abusers themselves.

###

If someone you know needs help, you can contact us:

Our attorneys are highly experienced in childhood sexual abuse law and offer free initial consultations to potential clients. We are also willing to assist other attorneys in sexual abuse cases. Please call 206-257-3590, or email us directly. Conversations will be kept confidential, and even if you are unsure about a lawsuit, often we can direct you to the assistance you need. You will be treated with compassion and respect.

Toll free: 855-529-4274
Tim Kosnoff, direct: 425-837-9690
Dan Fasy, direct: 206-462-4338
Kosnoff Fasy, Seattle office: 206-257-3590