Sexual Abuse Lawsuits: Boy Scouts of America Named by More Than a Dozen NJ Accusers

By Mike Deak
Bridgewater Courier News
December 3, 2019

https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/courts/2019/12/03/nj-sexual-abuse-lawsuits-boy-scouts-america-named-14-accusers/2586906001/

While the Catholic Church has been the focus of sexual abuse lawsuits filed with extended time limits, the Boy Scouts of America is named as a defendant in more than a dozen of them.

Though the suits were filed in Superior Court in Middlesex County because the organization's national headquarters was once located on Route 1 in North Brunswick, the accusers are from across the state, from Camden to Bergen counties.

The allegations of Douglas Parker, who grew up in Middlesex County, are representative of the lawsuits filed by the firm of Rebenack Aronow & Mascolo with offices in New Brunswick and Somerville.

Parker alleges he was sexually abused from 1961 through 1964 by an assistant scoutmaster.

The sexual abuse occurred during activities sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America, including camping trips to Camp Watchung which, at that time, was in Lebanon Township near Glen Gardner, the lawsuit alleges.

The assistant scoutmaster "used his position of trust and authority" to "groom" Parker and to sexually abuse him multiple times, according to the lawsuit.

The assistant scoutmaster, not named as a defendant, was a "known sexual predator of children."

The lawsuit also alleges that the Boy Scouts of America "concealed the sexual abuse" in order to "conceal their own bad acts in failing to protect children" from the assistant scoutmaster.

Because of the sexual abuse, the lawsuit contends, Parker sustained "physical and psychological injuries," including emotional and psychological distress, humiliation, fright, dissociation, anger, depression, anxiety, family turmoil and loss of faith.

The Boy Scouts' "misconduct was so shocking and outrageous that it exceeds the reasonable bounds of decency as measured by the what the average member of the community would tolerate," the lawsuit argues.

“For far too long, survivors of child sex abuse in New Jersey have had little hope when it comes to holding the institutions that allowed their abuse to occur accountable,” said Jay Mascolo, a partner at Rebenack Aronow & Mascolo. “That ends today. While nothing can ever erase the pain and suffering that they endured, child sex abuse survivors – no matter when their abuse occurred – will finally be able to seek justice and accountability.”

“First and foremost, we care deeply about all victims of child abuse and sincerely apologize to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting,” Boy Scouts of America said in a statement. “We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to abuse innocent?children.?We believe victims, we support them, we pay for?unlimited counseling by a provider of their choice, and?we encourage them to?come forward. It is?the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) policy that all incidents of suspected abuse are reported to law enforcement.??

“The BSA?has taken significant steps over many years to ensure that we respond aggressively and effectively to reports of sexual abuse. Safeguards like mandatory youth protection training, mandatory background checks, a ban on one-on-one interactions, mandatory law enforcement reporting, and a volunteer screening database –?a tool the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for all youth-serving organizations – are key parts of our multilayered approach to help keep kids safe.”

While 14 suits were filed against the Boy Scouts of America, the Diocese of Metuchen was named in four. Three of the suits name priests who either are dead, convicted of sex abuse or removed from public ministry.

The fourth lawsuit named Father Eladio Sanchez, in what appears to be the first public allegation made against the priest, alleging he sexually abused a boy in the rectory and attic of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in New Brunswick. The accuser, who now lives in Brooklyn, according to court papers, was between 11 and 14 years old when the abuse allegedly took place from 1979 to 1982.

Mascolo said he sent a letter to the Diocese of Metuchen in July indicating that he was representing a man who named Sanchez as his abuser.

The diocese said in a statement that “as soon as the complaint was received” it “immediately reported the matter to the prosecutor’s office and has been fully cooperating with law enforcement.”

The diocese declined to provide additional information about the priest.

Contributing: Abbott Koloff/NorthJersey.com

Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@mycentraljersey.com