Civic associations are an inexorable part of the bedrock of American society: charities, local sports teams, Lions and Kiwanis clubs, churches, and even community organizations such as the Boy Scouts. These are the groups that join a community together and serve to form a society. They provide a sense of connection, affiliation, and bonds that keep valid disagreements from collapsing into acrimony and sharp divisions.
The Boy Scouts of America, an institution that has carefully crafted its reputation on preserving a well-delineated moral ideology, has sought asylum in bankruptcy court amid an onslaught of lawsuits all centering around the sexual abuse of its young members.
The unsurprising Chapter 11 filing will give the organization leeway to remain in operation as it restructures its finances and devises a trust fund from which it will pay financial compensation to what could potentially be hundreds of victims. Victims for whom the Boy Scouts have proposed a mere 80-day window in which they can come forward before they will no longer be allowed to solicit for damages.
Not dissimilar from other Chapter 11 claims that involve the victims of sexual abuse, like the Catholic Church dioceses and USA Gymnastics, Chapter 11 laws offer a means for the debtor to conceivably wriggle their slimy way out of paying what they actually owe. The amount awarded to the victims of sexual abuse from institutions that have filed for bankruptcy, depending on the total number of debts owed by and assets held by the organization, is substantially less than a settlement against an organization in the black.
Critics of the bankruptcy filing claim that it is a shameful route for the not-for-profit, which, like so many American bastions of moral fortitude before it, has realized it can pay its sexual assault victims less than they are owed with a Chapter 11 filing in place. Exactly how much less has yet to be determined.
On the face of it, the Boys Scouts of America are openly and wantonly violating their own sworn oath in a desperate effort to save their institution, a dying symbol of an obsolete way of life.
If you or someone you love have been the victim of sexual abuse by the clergy, you have rights. It takes a lot of strength to come forward as a victim of sexual assault in Missouri. Telling someone what happened to you is utterly terrifying, humiliating, and traumatizing. Sexual assault is often traumatic for the victim but also for the whole family. Our sexual assault attorneys are here to listen to you in a compassionate and judgment-free environment and can explain your rights as a sexual assault victim.
You deserve a skilled and compassionate sexual assault attorney who will work with you through this difficult and complex process. We realize how scary filing this type of lawsuit can be. You might be anxious about the consequences that a lawsuit will have on you and your family members.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of sexual assault that occurred when you were a child, contact the sexual assault attorneys at Monsees & Mayer, PC today to schedule your free consultation. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. At Monsees & Mayer, we are dedicated to providing our clients with the utmost respect and confidentiality.