Almost 100,000 Sexual Abuse Claims Filed Against Boy Scouts of America

Nearly 100,000 victims of sexual abuse that took place within the Boy Scouts of America came forward by Monday, the deadline to receive compensation from the organization, according to attorney Paul Moses — exceeding the number of allegations made in recent years against the Catholic Church.

“It’s by far the largest sexual abuse scandal in the US,” Moses said, adding that the Boy Scouts organization is a “perfect petri dish” for pedophiles because “boys have taken an oath of loyalty, they are away from their parents, in the wilderness.”

As of today, 95,000 claims have been filed against the organization, far eclipsing the roughly 11,000 sexual abuse claims made against the Catholic Church in recent years.

“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 of America said in a statement. “We are heartbroken that we cannot undo their pain. We intentionally developed an open, accessible process to reach survivors and help them take an essential step toward receiving compensation. The response we have seen from survivors has been gut wrenching. We are deeply sorry.”