The organization claims its child abuse prevention program is the best in the country. However, in 2005 the man who ran that program, Douglas Smith Jr., was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for trafficking in child pornography on the Internet.
As part of a lawsuit against Phelps and the Boy Scouts of America, the Stewarts' attorney, Tim Kosnoff, got an unprecedented look inside thousands of secret files through 2005.
"I was blown away," Kosnoff said. "It was staggering."
Ow. There goes any chance they had of getting through stuff.
I never had a problem in Scouting, and never heard of one—either the UK is better, or it got covered up just as well. I suspect some of both, but a lot of the former.
Ummm, I was a teen when I was a scout and even attended Camp Siwanoy one summer. I'd say the BSA is a para-military organization: they're run a LOT like the military with uniforms and nit-picking inspections (even the SOCKS must be perfectly straight) and military-style traditions and such.
I'm not sure a "don't ask don't tell" policy regarding gays would solve anything, and I gotta wonder how many of these accusations are substantiated. I fear enough are genuine to make the entire situation a heartbreak. Non-consentual relations are just wrong at all times regardless of gender or age, but I suspect that many accusations were based on homophobia and their rejection of gays.
ferret was not fully awake and cognizant when wrote my reply from a quick outline. You're correct, I forgot the age gap and dealing with minors. I was thinking more of scout to scout "exploration", not the leaders.
While we wore uniforms to Boy Scout meetings, on camping trips we didn't. Jeans and Tshirts in summer, clothing for the weather in the other seasons. Same deal with Explorers. No inspections at any time. I wasn't aware of any "funny adult" incidents in Scouts or Explorers, at least not in my troop.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-30 06:53 pm (UTC)*headdesk*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-30 07:11 pm (UTC)"I was blown away," Kosnoff said. "It was staggering."
... I'll bet you were...
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-30 10:22 pm (UTC)I never had a problem in Scouting, and never heard of one—either the UK is better, or it got covered up just as well. I suspect some of both, but a lot of the former.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-31 01:07 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-31 09:17 am (UTC)Hardly. The only ways it was really safer was lower population density, but that's not as big a factor for this sort of thing as other things.
Back then, this sort of thing wasn't talked about, wasn't reported. But it was happening.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-31 06:52 am (UTC)I'm not sure a "don't ask don't tell" policy regarding gays would solve anything, and I gotta wonder how many of these accusations are substantiated. I fear enough are genuine to make the entire situation a heartbreak. Non-consentual relations are just wrong at all times regardless of gender or age, but I suspect that many accusations were based on homophobia and their rejection of gays.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-31 12:22 pm (UTC)But yes.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-31 01:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-08-31 02:07 pm (UTC)