NEW YORK (NY)
CBS News
December 10, 2018
CBS News has identified hundreds of reports of sexual abuse that occurred at children’s camps across the United States. We found reports of more than 500 victims who were allegedly sexually abused at children’s camps over the past 55 years. At least 21 of those cases surfaced this year alone.
Victims’ advocates tell us the real number of abuse cases is likely much higher, since many are never reported.
“After you took a shower, you’d put on your towel, and he didn’t want you to wear underwear under it,” the Texas boy said in a video, telling a psychologist what a camp counselor did to him in 2009. It allegedly happened over the course of 12 days at an overnight summer camp named Camp La Junta.
“He would check all the kids, but under their towel,” he said. “He wouldn’t look under there. He’d just stick his hand up.”
When he returned home, the boy’s mother says she knew something was wrong. “He was a different kid,” said the woman, identified as Jane Doe. “He was not the happy-go-lucky little boy that loved to play outside. He was totally different. He just wanted to lay on the couch.”
It wasn’t until 10 months later that her son revealed a 20-year-old camp counselor named Matthew Bovee had allegedly molested him.
Duncan asked, “And what was your initial reaction?”
“I wanted to throw up,” Jane replied. “I was nauseous. And all I could think of is to tell him I love him.”
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