Some 90,000 people filed sexual abuse claims against the Boy Scouts of America ahead of a Monday deadline. The men accuse scoutmasters and other leaders of molestation, with many of their cases dating back to the 1960s, ’70s and ‘80s. Recent years have brought a surge in lawsuits against the organization as multiple states enacted changes to laws allowing those victimized as children to bring legal action later in life. The Boy Scouts filed for bankruptcy in February in order to set up a compensation fund for abuse victims, but the size of any potential rewards will be determined during upcoming negotiations.Boy Scouts pack 380 use scissors to cut a worn out American flag before burning it in barrel fires as part of a flag retirement ceremony at a park in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, Oct, 13, 2020.“It’s by far the largest sexual abuse scandal in the U.S.,” attorney Paul Moses told AFP. In 2010, Moses won a $20 million award for a former scout abused by his leader. “We are devastated by the number of lives impacted by past abuse in scouting and moved by the bravery of those who have come forward,” the Boy Scouts said in a statement. “We are heartbroken that we cannot undo their pain.” Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America has seen its membership fall from a peak of about 4 million in the 1970s to around 2 million today. Among reforms it has instituted in recent years are criminal background checks, abuse prevention training for staff and volunteers and a rule that at least two adult leaders must be present during scout activities.
…