All posts by kosnoff

New International Effort to Stem Child Sexual Abuse a Positive Step, but a Small Victory Given the Suspected Number of Pedophiles

Uncategorized

By TIM KOSNOFF

Those wishing an international alliance to help stop the scourge of child sexual abuse, may find hope in a Dec. 4 document released by the U.S. Department of Justice. Yet, while the prospect of the United States attorney general partnering with leaders in 48 other countries would seem to be encouraging, the “fine print” of the DOJ’s own official statement indicates just how futile such a broad effort may be.

The D.O.J. official statement notes that Attorney General Eric Holder and European Union (EU) Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom launched the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online at a Dec. 5 conference in Brussels. The initiative is intended “to unite decision-makers all around the world to better identify and assist victims and to prosecute the perpetrators. Participants at the launch included ministers and high-level officials from 27 EU member states, who are also joined by 22 countries outside the EU.”

Officials say with great optimism that the international initiative would “strengthen our mutual resources to bring more perpetrators to justice, identify more victims of child sexual abuse and ensure that they receive our help and support.”

Holder said: “Through this global alliance we can build on the success of previous cross-border police operations that have dismantled international pedophile networks and safeguard more of the world’s children.”

Malmstrom added: “Behind every child abuse image is an abused child, an exploited and helpless victim. When these images are circulated online, they can live on forever. Our responsibility is to protect children wherever they live and to bring criminals to justice wherever they operate. The only way to achieve this is to team up for more intensive and better coordinated action worldwide.”

Officials promised that members would try to thwart the “manufacturing and sharing of child pornography, online enticement of minors and online child prostitution.” The new effort would mean that “the fight against child sexual abuse online will therefore be more effective.”

One wonders: More effective than what?

Officials at the gathering observe (perhaps very conservatively) that, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, 50,000 new child-abuse images are added online each year and that “the criminal networks . . . know no boundaries and exploit the lack of information exchange and the legal loopholes that [have existed] within and between countries. This is why international cooperation is crucial to effectively investigate cases of child sexual abuse online and to better identify and prosecute offenders.”

Key goals of the alliance are:

Enhancing efforts to identify victims and ensuring that they receive the necessary assistance, support and protection.
Enhancing efforts to investigate cases of child sexual abuse online and to identify and prosecute offenders.
Increasing children’s awareness of online risks, including the self-production of images and “grooming” methods used by pedophiles.
Reducing the availability of child abuse material online and the re-victimization of children.
As evidence of what can be accomplished by an international alliance, justice-department officials cite Operation Delego, said to have achieved the largest U.S. prosecution of an international criminal network organized to sexually exploit children. The operation, according to officials, marshaled resources from the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, Postal Inspection Service and other government agencies, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations, industry and international partners.

Delego “spanned years,” according to officials, and targeted participants in “Dreamboard,” identified as “a private, members-only, online bulletin board that was created and operated to promote pedophilia and encourage the sexual abuse of very young children, in an environment designed to avoid law-enforcement detection.”

The results of Delego? Just 72 defendants were charged in the U.S. and about 500 more have been identified for investigation by foreign authorities.

The D.O.J. statement prior to the Brussels conference concludes: “Despite vigorously fighting all aspects of child exploitation, the Justice Department recognizes that more work remains to be done and that work is vital to our collective success in combating this global problem.”

More, indeed.

Some estimate that pedophiles may constitute 5 percent of the population. That would mean, given a world of 7 billion souls, perhaps 350 million active or potential child-molesters. Such would indicate that identifying 574 defendants, while admirable, is a relatively infinitesimal victory toward mitigating the sexual abuse of children.

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

After the Pope’s Butler Leaks Documents, the Vatican Tightens Security

Child Sexual Abuse Attorney

What Are the Implications for Continued Secrecy Amidst Clergy Sexual Abuse Scandals?
Posted on Dec. 10, 2012

By TIM KOSNOFF

Micro-chip tracking for human surveillance in the Vatican?

Monsignor 007?

Is this the contemporary Catholic Church or a new James Bond movie?

Truth be known, observers are never really sure about what to make of the deliberately arcane ways that have made the Catholic Church something of an ongoing mystery for two millennia.

The latest strange behavior by Vatican authorities would seem amusing in perhaps a satirical way were it not juxtaposed with the grim realities of an institution pressed with the necessities of dealing with decades of child sex abuse crimes, details of which are being revealed each week from around the globe.

That’s why one may need to look twice or more at a recent headline from a reputable news organization. Is it supposed to be factual or is it a made-up amusement by Andy Borowitz or some other clever satirist the equal of the veteran humor-writer for The New Yorker and other publications?

The piece is in fact from the Rome bureau of London’s The Daily Telegraph. The Dec. 2 dispatch, by Josephine McKenna, is headlined:

“Vatican introduces new security measures after Vatileaks scandal”

It reports that Vatican clergy and employees each “will be issued with an identity card complete with a microchip-tracking device in sweeping new security measures designed to prevent a repeat of the Vatileaks scandal. Much tighter controls have already been introduced for anyone seeking access or photocopies of the Holy See’s archives, dossiers and documents.”

The reporter observes that a Slovenian priest, Mitja Leskovar, “an anti-espionage expert nicknamed ‘Monsignor 007,’ is in charge of implementing the new security procedures with the identity cards expected to be introduced from January 1.”

Uh, one utters, Monsignor 007? Really?

“Leskovar,” the report continues, “who grew up in the former Yugoslavia under Communism, is responsible for the transmission of confidential documents between the Vatican and its papal nuncios or diplomats inside the Secretariat of State and also supervises all requests for document photocopying within the secretariat.

“Thousands of clerical and lay staff working inside the walls of the Vatican from the Apostolic Palace to the Secretariat of State will be affected by the tighter scrutiny that will also enable their superiors to monitor when they clock in and out. The security shake-up was revealed after Claudio Sciarpelletti, the computer expert convicted of aiding and abetting the pope’s former butler Paolo Gabriele in the Vatileaks scandal, dropped his appeal.”

Ah, yes. If we remember correctly that was the caper in which the verdict was that “the butler did it.”

“The move came as the three judges who assessed the case raised doubts about Sciarpelletti’s credibility and the friendship between the two men,” the news story continues.

“Sciarpelletti was convicted in November of aiding and abetting Gabriele, who himself was convicted of stealing the pontiff’s private documents and leaking them to an Italian journalist in an embarrassing security breach that rocked the Vatican earlier this year.”

The report concludes that “Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told The Daily Telegraph these kind of security measures had been talked about within the Vatican for years but declined to comment on any details and said he did not know the precise timing of the measures.”

So we’re left to surmise several points that aren’t exactly revelatory. One could be that, indeed, it can and does take “years” before authorities at the Vatican seem moved to do anything about transgressions. Another could be that, when eventually moved to act, Catholic authorities are much more likely to try to prevent leaks about factual data and much less inclined to deal directly with problems.

“Problems” could constitute a euphemism. The truer term in the context of child sexual abuse would be “crimes”: criminal transgressions that for decades have proliferated from America to Australia and seemingly everywhere in between.

Many within the Vatican may be amused that the slapstick machinations of the Catholic Church would include functionaries dubbed “007.” Is it any wonder, then, that those of us appalled by the crimes of church personnel aren’t surprised when the institution’s authorities don’t seem to take seriously what so many of their minions have done to innocent children?

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

From India to Africa, Ireland to Australia, Child Sexual Abuse is a Global Problem

Uncategorized

By DAN FASY

Although the focus of our law firm is providing a service to American and Canadian survivors of sexual abuse, we are constantly reminded of the problem of child sexual abuse that is pervasive throughout the world.

The crime of pedophilia, of course, is scarcely restricted to the United States, even though such domestic abuses fittingly get the bulk of the attention in this country. Perhaps this gives some American news consumers the impression that the scourge of such abuses is more prevalent in this country. That being the case, perhaps we would do well to acknowledge the abundance of child-sexual-abuse news emanating from countries around the world.

A sampling of news items from the past month includes the following:

A recent report in The Herald Sun, a major newspaper in Australia found that a decision by Prime Minister Julia Gillard to establish a royal commission into child sexual abuse “has the backing of almost every Australian.”

A well-regarded pollster asked some 1,400 Australians about the prime minister’s initiative, and 95 percent said they support the move, with just 3 percent opposed to it.

The director of the poll later said he couldn’t remember any issue ever receiving such near-unanimous approval.

Beyond that, the news account observed that the royal commission, which will inquire into all institutions, not only churches, “has the support of all political parties, state and federal.”

In contrast to such enlightened poll numbers, a few weeks prior to the above the Daily Observer in Africa actually carried an opinion piece headlined: “Gambia: Say ‘No’ to Child-sex Tourism.” One wonders: as opposed to say “yes” to such an abomination?

Coincidentally, a few weeks ago The Times of India reported that a campaign under the banner of “say no to child abuse” would soon be launched by a group of non-government organizations. The campaign is the work of officials at an advocacy group called Childline.

One advocate, Dr. Jagmeet Chawla, said: “This should be made a mass movement and the issue should not be kept under wraps.”

Several days prior to the above dispatch, CNN carried a brief item with information similar to what tragically has become all too familiar to news consumers and criminal-justice officials:

“London (CNN) — A retired bishop and a retired priest have been arrested by British police on suspicion of sexual offenses against boys and young men — one as young as 12 — in the 1980s and 1990s.

“The 80-year-old former Church of England bishop, from Somerset in south-west England, was questioned in connection with eight alleged offenses before being released on medical advice.

“Police say the man — the highest-ranking church official to be arrested on abuse allegations — will be questioned again at a later date.

“His former colleague, a 67-year-old retired priest from West Sussex, in southern England, was questioned over two alleged offenses before being released on bail pending further inquiries.”

From the Nov. 6 edition of the Irish Examiner:

“The vast majority of sex-abuse survivors who sought help in rape-crisis centers last year were attacked as children, it was revealed today.

“Of the 2,308 people who went for counseling, 53 percent of the women and 84 percent of the men reported the violence occurred when they were children only. Some 65 percent of survivors said they were abused aged younger than 12.

“The Rape Crisis Network of Ireland (RCNI) revealed that those who came forward last year had waited on average 25 years to access its services.”

From BBC News, Nov. 5:

“The prime minister is appointing a ‘senior independent figure’ to look into the way allegations of sexual abuse at north Wales children’s homes in the 1970s and ’80s were dealt with.

“Victim Steve Messham has said that the Waterhouse inquiry of 2,000 only covered a fraction of the alleged assaults.

“Another of the homes’ residents says [officials] did not hear all of the abuse claims.”

Tragically, such also could be observed by those of us in many other parts of the world.

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

Hint for Boy Scout Officials: When Attempting Damage Control, Excluding the Press and Public from a ‘Safety’ Conference Doesn’t Help

Boy Scout Abuse

By TIM KOSNOFF

As this is written a gathering is underway in Atlanta, where the Boy Scouts of America is convening other youth-oriented groups at a symposium concerning child sex-abuse prevention

I wish the event signaled enlightenment on the part of the host organization. Alas, the one-day gathering is, in effect, being held in the dark. BSA officials have made it a closed-door event, meaning members of the press won’t be directly privy to what is — and isn’t — discussed by participants.

BSA is still in denial and is trying to deceive the public once again. The secret symposium, then, would seem to be a (the reader will pardon the expression) perversion of the spirit of openness that is supposed to be prevailing at an organization excoriated near and far by the millions who have read the sordid details of the BSA’s so-called “perversion files.” The organization’s leaders, of course, characterize the Atlanta gathering as a chance to bring together interested parties such as YMCA and Big Brothers Big Sisters officials to address the pressing need for oversight where children’s safety and well-being are concerned. Would it have occurred to BSA leaders that, in the wake of the tsunami of the bad publicity with which the organization has been deluged, we all have become interested parties?

At the very least we know that the Nov. 1 event had been in planning stages for nearly a year. Such becomes something of a tacit acknowledgement (or admission) by BSA officials that the organization would need to be in high crisis-management mode nearly immediately after what would be the Oct. 18 release of the once-secret files.

A report from the Huffington Post observes:

“The Boy Scouts have been criticized for a lack of transparency in the ways they deal with sex abuse allegations. They have fought to keep their so-called “perversion files” confidential, and those files reveal many cases where the Scouts failed to protect youths from pedophiles.

“The public is excluded from the Thursday symposium, but the organization says that will encourage candid discussion among participants.

“Michael Johnson, a former police detective hired by the Scouts in 2010 as national director of youth protection, has been the key organizer of the symposium, calling it a ‘groundbreaking opportunity’ for groups serving more than 17 million youngsters to discuss their shared challenges and anti-abuse strategies.

“‘Crazy as it sounds, this hasn’t been done before,’ Johnson said.’”

“Crazy” would indeed seem to be the operative term here. Indeed, much of the discussion at the event is supposed to be about how information about known or suspected pedophiles can be shared by youth-group officials. Wouldn’t it logically follow, then, in the spirit of sharing, that the information discussed at the symposium be shared with the press and, hence, the public?

“‘This information is an incredible tool that might be helpful to other organizations, but where is the legislation that allows this to be shared amongst us?’ Johnson is quoted by the HuffPost. ‘We want kids to be safe. We don’t mean to be defensive. But it is complicated.’”

It’s further complicated by the absence of public scrutiny, much less public input to the proceedings.

Suzanna Tiapula, director of the National District Attorneys Association’s National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse, was named to lead a discussion about information-sharing. She said she finds the BSA effort to be praiseworthy.

Other officials said the press exclusion for the event was intended to encourage frank discussion. But how soon will aspects of this candid gathering become known to a broader audience? A similar gathering at Penn State earlier this week was widely covered by media so we know what was said and done at the event.

According to the HuffPost, BSA “conference organizers plan to summarize the conclusions of the meeting for a report that will be made available to other youth-serving organizations that did not participate.”

As to when the information would be forthcoming so one imagines it’s anybody’s guess. Knowing how long the BSA stalled the release of the perversion files, the symposium reports could be weeks, months or years from now.

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

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

Boy Scout Abuse

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?

Uncategorized

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

Boy Scout Abuse

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

Uncategorized

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

Uncategorized

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

Uncategorized

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