On Wednesday, a North Little Rock attorney representing victims of sex abuse at the hands of Boy Scout leaders held a press conference to publicly oppose a $1.8 billion settlement.
The money is being offered as part of a bankruptcy exit plan for Boy Scouts of America, which is facing claims from 82,000 victims of sex abuse, including 900 in Arkansas. The victims would be compensated based on what type of abuse they endured, and where they live. Payouts are higher in states where the statute of limitations hasn’t run out. That includes Arkansas, where a new law passed in 2021 raises the cut-off age to make legal claims of child sex abuse from 21 to 55. Despite this, the payouts being offered are still far too low, some victims say.
The 82,000 victims are being asked to vote on whether or not to accept the settlement.
The Boy Scouts of America issued this statement about the process.
To survivors—we hear you, and we are deeply saddened by your past experiences. While we understand that nothing we do as an organization will undo the pain you’ve endured, the BSA is sincerely committed to providing equitable monetary compensation and incorporating your input in our procedures to prevent future abuse. The BSA initiated its financial restructuring to equitably compensate survivors like you who were harmed during their time in Scouting, and we’ve remained steadfast in that commitment. We are confident that by voting to approve the BSA’s Plan of Reorganization, survivors will receive the compensation they deserve, quickly.
There is still work to be done to obtain confirmation for the BSA’s amended Plan of Reorganization. However, it is important to note that the vast majority of survivor claimants in the case have been represented in the development of the settlement agreements outlined in the disclosure statement. The BSA’s Plan of Reorganization is currently supported by representatives of approximately 70,000 survivors, including participation from the Future Claimants’ Representative and Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice. This comprises over 80% of the total number of survivors.
We are confident that this global resolution is the best path forward for survivors and for Scouting. With the support or survivors, this Plan is poised to establish the largest sexual abuse compensation fund in the history of the United States.
The BSA is committed to supporting survivors in any way possible. That’s exactly why we partnered with 1in6 — a trusted national resource for male survivors — to meaningfully expand its online services after hearing from one survivor about how the support helped him and could be impactful for others. This 5-year partnership enables more individuals who suffered abuse while in Scouting to anonymously access vital, independent support from trained advocates when and how they need it. Survivors can access these independent services at www.1in6.org/BSA.
Local councils would contribute toward the settlement. Quapaw Area Council, which covers Central Arkansas and has more than 300 sex abuse claims against it, would pay $4.5 million under the proposed plan. Attorney Josh Gillispie says that amount is not nearly enough. “BSA’s Plan includes settlements with Local Councils that leave them with over a billion dollars of cash and property in excess of their current need to fulfill the mission of Scouting,” Gillispie said in a release.
A spokesman for Boy Scouts of America said the amounts from local councils represent meaningful contributions that would leave enough resources intact for the scouting program to survive.
As part of the Boy Scouts of America’s financial restructuring, the specific contributions each local council will make to help fund the Trust for survivors were filed with the Court. These figures were determined through a combination of information filed in the claims process and what local councils could meaningfully contribute while ensuring Scouting can continue in their areas.
This is a necessary step in the BSA’s ongoing efforts to reach a global resolution that will equitably compensate survivors and ensure Scouting’s future by resolving past abuse cases for both the national organization and local councils. We are committed to working with all local councils to ensure they are able to make the necessary contribution to the Trust while ensuring that the mission of Scouting continues in local communities in Arkansas and across the country.
Victims have until Dec. 14 to vote on the settlement.