One of the expert witnesses who testified was Dr. Janet Warren, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia’s medical school. Attorney Jeff Anderson publicly released those numbers at a news conference Tuesday, saying 130 of those perpetrators are in New York and could face legal repercussions. The Boy Scouts of America released a statement after the disclosure. “We care deeply about all victims of child abuse and sincerely apologize to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting. We believe victims, we support them, and we have paid for unlimited counseling by a provider of their choice,” the organization said.
The Boy Scouts also said “every instance of suspected abuse is reported to law enforcement.” More than 200 individuals have come forward with new allegations of sexual abuse by members of the Boy Scouts of America. The Boy Scouts have been dogged by abuse allegations since a landmark case in 2010 that ended with an $18.5 million damage award and the release of more than 20,000 confidential documents, dubbed the “perversion files.” In a statement, Boy Scouts of America asked anyone who has been harmed to call the Scouts First Helpline (1-844-726-8871) or email scouts1st@scouting.org.
