NEW YORK (CBS) — Attorney Jeffrey Anderson, a longtime advocate for sex abuse victims, announced stunning new accusations against the Boy Scouts of America.
Anderson cited recent testimony from a woman he says was hired by the Boy Scouts to look into their so-called ‘perversion files,’ documentation of possible abuse dating back to the 1940s, saying it sheds new light on the magnitude of the problem.
“She revealed to us our shock and dismay that there are 7,819 perpetrators in these files, not a number known before today,” Anderson said.
Anderson says there are also more than 12,000 cases of possible child sex abuse that have surfaced.
In a statement, the Boy Scouts of America said:
“We care deeply about all victims of child sex abuse and sincerely apologize to anyone who was harmed during their time in scouting. At no time have we ever knowingly allowed a perpetrator to work with youth, and we mandate that all leaders, volunteers, and staff members nationwide immediately report any abuse allegations to law enforcement.”
“This is far from complete, and this work has just begun,” Anderson said.
Anderson says changes coming to statute of limitations laws in New York this summer will make it easier to prosecute such cases.
