Over the weekend, USA Today reported that nearly 90,000 individuals have come forward with claims of sexual abuse against the Boy Scouts of America. That’s nearly 90,000 lives disrupted, derailed, or destroyed by years of systemic – indeed, systematic – child abuse and coordinated cover-ups.

Survivors of abuse while in the Boy Scouts range in age from 8t to 93-years-old and come from towns and communities in all 50 states.

Instances of mass child abuse and cover-ups are far too common. 

It’s not a surprise that predators seek out organizations with a culture of “obedience and loyalty.” We see this in other examples of mass child abuse. It is critical for all organizations who serve and protect children to have clearly defined policies concerning child protection.

Staff and volunteers must be required to immediately report suspected abuse to the local child abuse hotline. Without clear child protection policies, effective controls, and proper training for adults, children will remain in harm’s way – and the plague of sexual abuse will continue. We must work to achieve justice for all survivors and their families, in every state across the nation, eliminate the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases.

We implore the Boy Scouts of America — at the very least, one troop — to step up and demonstrate a true commitment to child protection by partnering with The Beau Biden Foundation in protecting children through our Shield of Protection® program. We strongly urge each and every state that hasn’t already done so, to demand justice for abuse survivors and their families by undertaking meaningful statute of limitations reform. 

If you’d like to learn more about state statute of limitations, visit our partner Child USA at childusa.org. And please, where necessary, write to your local legislators to change the laws and better protect children in your state.

For more information on how you can help shield children from abuse, please visit www.BeauBidenFoundation.org/ShieldOfProtection.

If you have a reasonable suspicion of child abuse, neglect, or dependency, please click here to find the child abuse reporting line in your area and make the call.