The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has agreed to pay $850m (£615m) to tens of thousands of men who say they were sexually abused by scout leaders or members over several decades.
The settlement, which is the largest in a child sexual abuse case in US history, is part of the BSA’s plan to exit bankruptcy and create a trust fund for the victims.
More than 84,000 people have filed claims against the 110-year-old organisation, which filed for bankruptcy protection in February 2020 amid mounting legal costs.
The settlement amount will be distributed based on individual cases and factors such as the severity and location of the abuse.
The BSA said the deal would help local councils continue their scouting activities and support survivors.
“Our hope is that our plan of reorganisation will bring some measure of peace to survivors of past abuse in scouting, whose bravery, patience and willingness to share their experiences has moved us beyond words,” said Roger Mosby, chief executive of the BSA.
However, some victims’ groups said the settlement was still too low and that insurers, local councils and charter organisations should contribute more.
Kenneth Rothweiler, a lawyer who represents the largest group of claimants – about 16,800 – said the agreement was “the tip of the iceberg” and that he expected billions more in payouts from other sources.
“We will now negotiate with the insurers and sponsoring and chartering organisations who have billions of dollars in legal exposure, of which a substantial portion is necessary to fairly compensate the survivors,” he said.
One victim, who is 65 and lives in New York, said he was “gratified” that the Boy Scouts were taking responsibility for the abuse he and others had suffered.
“This acknowledgment by the Boy Scouts will start the process of healing for many of us who have suffered,” he said.
The settlement agreement has support from representatives of about 60,000 of the abuse survivors and must be approved by a judge.
The BSA hopes to seek confirmation of its reorganisation plan this summer and emerge from bankruptcy by the end of the year.
The organisation has faced hundreds of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by troop leaders since the 1960s. It has apologised to victims and said it was “outraged” that abusers had taken advantage of its programmes.
The BSA’s bankruptcy case is one of several high-profile sexual abuse scandals involving institutions such as the Catholic Church, universities and sports organisations.
Relevant articles:
– Boy Scouts reach $850 million settlement with tens of thousands of sexual abuse survivors, NBC News, July 2, 2021
– Boy Scouts of America will begin to compensate sexual abuse victims from a $2.4 billion trust after emerging from bankruptcy, CNN, April 20, 2023
– Boy Scouts’ Sex Abuse Survivors Must Wait as Trust Goes Active, Bloomberg Law, April 24, 2023
– Marie T. Reilly: What’s next for Boy Scouts after creating $2.4 billion fund to pay abuse claims, TribLive, April 25, 2023