Florida Boy Scout Sex Abuse Victims File in Washington, D.C.
Recently filed lawsuits reveal that for several years Florida youths were allegedly subjected to sexual abuse by the Boy Scout scoutmaster of their Gainsville troop.
The Miami Herald reports that the alleged abuse occurred during a three-year period starting in 1993 and allegedly occurred in the scoutmaster’s truck and at Boy Scout related parties.
Mcclatchydc.com reports that one alleged former scout said “Looking back, there are so many red flags that were overlooked,” and that the incidents skewed his trust in people.
Eight scouts recently filed suit in Washington, D.C., against the Boy Scouts of America, primarily because the statute of limitations had run out to file suit in the respective jurisdictions where the alleged abuse occurred.
The fact that these suits are being filed now in Washington, D.C. is due to a special two-year window, from May 2019 until May 2021, in which victims of childhood sex abuse, who were previously barred from filing suits due to statutes of limitations, are allowed to bring civil suits against their alleged perpetrators.
National news organizations are reporting that these suits could open the “floodgates” to suits from other scouts who also claim to have been victimized by officials of the Boy Scouts. This could be especially helpful to victims who face statute of limitations restrictions in the districts in which the alleged abuses occurred.
Attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey and his team handle a wide range of cases, including but not limited to cruise ship accidents, admiralty and maritime accident cases, medical malpractice, wrongful death, premises liability, railroad accidents and car accidents. We represent victims from all over the nation, the world and the state of Florida.