Boy Scouts Release Files on Sexual Abuse

The Boy Scouts released 14,500 pages of documents on Thursday detailing how the organization—along with the help of local community leaders—allegedly sheltered scoutmasters and other scout officials accused of sexually abusing children. Dubbed the “perversion files,” the materials were collected mostly between 1959 and 1985, and contain stories of numerous boys being raped and molested. Often, the perpetrators appear to have been able to avoid prosecution in order to keep the Boy Scouts from embarrassment. The Oregon Supreme Court ruled several months ago that the Boy Scouts had to release the documents.