Wave of child sex abuse lawsuits threatens Boy Scouts

TRENTON, N.J. – The Boy Scouts of America is facing a growing threat from a wave of lawsuits filed over decades-old allegations of sexual abuse.

The Scouts have been hit with multiple lawsuits filed in several states by purported abuse victims, including plaintiffs taking advantage of new state laws allowing suits previously barred because of the age of the allegations.

More litigation is on the way.

A lawyer representing 150 people who say they were abused as Boy Scouts is planning to file a suit on behalf of many of them in New Jersey when the state’s new civil statute of limitations law goes into effect Dec. 1.

In a statement responding to the pending New Jersey suit, the Boy Scouts said it apologizes to the victims and encourages them to report abuse to law enforcement.