The future of the 109-year-old Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization may be in jeopardy. The uptick in sexual assault lawsuits against them in recent years may be to blame for its ultimate demise.
Financial statements released by the BSA organization in recent years have revealed that the funds that would have allowed them to remain afloat are quickly dwindling. In fact, their financial resources are so limited at this point that the organization has considered filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
To make matters worse, the potential that lawsuits will be filed against the BSA organization in the future is high. Many states including New York have recently revisited their statute-of-limitations laws. Starting in August, former Boy Scouts who were previously ineligible to file sexual abuse lawsuit will now be able to file them in New York.
The BSA currently serves 2.2 million juveniles. If the ability to file suit is opened up to the countless boys that have come before them, then it’s easy to see how the BSA may quickly go bankrupt. There are already attorneys in New York City and across the rest of the United States who are lining up potential plaintiffs to join a class-action lawsuit against the organization.
If the organization were to file for bankruptcy, then they would likely have to sell off their properties to cover their legal fees and settlements.
The BSA has long had liability insurance to protect their interests if they were sued. Many of their insurers haven’t been willing to pay settlements in sex abuse cases though. They’ve argued that BSA voided their contract with them by not instituting enough preventive measures to reduce the boys’ chance of being abused. The organization says that they now have policies in place to curtail the risk.
It’s important that you realize that sex abuse or assault victims have rights. Children who are sexually abused don’t tend to simply forget about what happened to them. Instead, the inappropriate behaviors of others can rob them of their innocence and leave a lasting impression on their lives. A civil rights attorney can advise you of how you can hold your abuser accountable for the pain and suffering that they’ve caused you.
