Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Institutional Abuse

Moving forward after being abused as a youth in the Scouts or Guides 

Institutional abuse consists of psychological, physical, or sexual mistreatment towards someone in an organizational setting, such as the groups that collectively make up the scouting movement. Although people of all ages could be victims of institutional abuse, perhaps the most notorious and most serious cases have involved children and teenagers. 

The scouting movement has a long and storied history, being arguably the most famous and historically widespread organizations for young people in Canada. As of 2024, Scouts Canada states that more than 42,000 youths participate in its programs, with the help of 13,000 volunteers. 

Unfortunately, many who entered the Scouts’ ranks as adult leaders betrayed the trust placed in them over others through the years. This led to sexual abuses and assaults, many of which were ignored or even covered up by the Scouts organization. 

Membership in Scouts Canada was historically male-only, though it has been open on a coed basis since the 1990s. Alongside the Scouts, the similarly organized Girl Guides of Canada has run programs for female youths for nearly as long, with a history beginning in the early 1900s.  

In British Columbia, if you were abused as a scout or guide, you may be able to hold the parties who caused or allowed that abuse accountable in civil court, regardless of when it occurred. Aside from being abused, those who harmed you must also have owed a duty of care to you.  

If this applies to you, it is possible to pursue a tort claim and recover compensation to make up for the losses you have suffered due to institutional sexual abuse. Preszler Injury Lawyers has successfully represented many clients who were formerly scouts or guides and is available to assist you with a respectful, trauma-informed approach if you are ready. 

Is it too late to seek justice? 

No. For most types of wrongs where a person can make a civil legal claim and seek damages to compensate, the statute of limitations applies. This statute, or law, defines how long parties have, whether individuals or organizations, to file a claim in court. Generally speaking, in B.C., the limit is 24 months with an absolute limit of 15 years. 

However, certain wrongdoings are considered so extreme that there is no limitation on legal action, the sexual abuse of minors being among them. The age of abused minors is also a factor in this exemption, as individuals typically may only file tort claims in their own name after reaching the age of majority. 

Similarly, there is no statute of limitations on filing a criminal complaint of sexual abuse or assault. Police in British Columbia are specifically obliged to give “full consideration” to any report of sexual assault, regardless of the perceived severity of the offence or how long ago it occurred. Sexual assault is defined as “touching of an objectively sexual nature to which the Victim did not consent.”  

In more ways than one, it is impossible to make up for the losses that abuse causes children to endure. Nevertheless, pursuing civil legal claims are one path toward finding justice and closure in the wake of your suffering. The B.C. government has taken steps to ensure that, whenever survivors do feel ready to speak out, the system is ready to listen. 

Which scout group members do you represent in institutional abuse claims? 

Scout troops are divided into several age groups, ranging from young children to teenagers. 

Eligible groups within Scouts Canada include: 

• Venturer Scouts (Ages 15 to 17) 
• Boy Scouts (Ages 11 to 14) 
• Cub Scouts (Ages 8 to 10) 
• Beaver Scouts (Ages 5 to 7) 

Eligible groups within Girl Guides of Canada include: 

• Rangers (Ages 15-17) 
• Pathfinders (Ages 12–14) 
• Guides (Ages 9–11) 
• Brownies and Embers (under age 9)  

What is institutional abuse? 

Perpetrators exploit the power they hold over their targets to cause harm to them. As noted above, the specific abuse may be psychological, physical, and even sexual in nature. 

Abusers may use intimidation, violence, blackmail, and manipulation to force victims to give them what they want. They will often look for work that will allow them contact with potential targets.  

The institutions that hire or accept the perpetrators as volunteers without adequately checking backgrounds, or who fail to properly investigate when they received accusations of misconduct, as Scouts Canada has admitted to, have also breached a duty of care to the victims. Perpetrators are often placed in leadership roles by these institutions, enabling them to abuse those under their authority.      

Common experiences of survivors 

The consequences of institutional abuse are far-reaching, lasting, and deeply disturbing. One of the lawyers at Preszler Injury Lawyers, Russ Howe, presented a statement to the B.C. Supreme Court in August 2022 based on his experience as counsel to childhood sexual abuse plaintiffs. 

He noted that many survivors are not ready to come forward until they are in their 50s or even later. Many find self-destructive ways to cope, such as isolating themselves and abusing substances. For better or worse, many survivors mistrust others, particularly authority figures, and have difficulty forming or keeping close relationships. The lifelong effects of their childhood pain are apparent. 

Some experiences and circumstances that many abuse victims commonly face include: 

• Pain and suffering 
• Mental health issues 
• Substance abuse 
• Relationship difficulties with friends, family and spouses 
• Distrust in authoritative persons 
• Difficulty maintaining consistent employment 
• Post-traumatic stress 
• Gender or sexual identity issues  

What can I do if I’ve been institutionally abused?  

You do not have to formally accuse your wrongdoer to the police in order to make a civil claim or receive compensation for your abuse. The criminal justice system exists to hold wrongdoers accountable for their acts, but on behalf of society, not survivors. If you do not feel ready to face the criminal justice process, civil courts operate under different rules and allow you to pursue a remedy tailored to your specific needs. 

As noted above, Preszler Injury Lawyers can guide you throughout this process, handling steps such as requesting records from the Scouts or Guides and negotiating your compensation. After speaking with you and learning more about your specific circumstances, we can provide detailed, specific advice and recommendations as your legal counsel, but all decisions ultimately rest with you. This includes the speed at which we act. Survivors might come forward but later find the claims process emotionally overwhelming and thus want to wait before pushing further. It is essential that you feel ready before we take any action on your behalf. 

We are also able to refer you to numerous services available to abuse victims through non-profit and government sources, such as trauma counselling.    

Is this a “class action”? 

Preszler Injury Lawyers pursues individual legal actions only for institutional abuse clients and rarely advises participating in class actions. We believe that every survivor should be able to tell his or her story according to that person’s individual wishes and every case is extremely personal as well as particular to an abuse survivor. 

While lawmakers and the justice system have worked towards improving access to justice for sexual abuse and assault survivors in recent decades, class-action lawsuits require anyone who is part of the group covered by it (for example, formerly abused scouts over a particular time period) to opt out of the lawsuit or else be subject to any rulings related to it. That means that you will be barred from making an individual claim later if you did not opt out before the deadline, even though you may not have received any compensation from the class action.       

Additionally, in our experience, the compensation from class-action lawsuits and settlements are typically far, far smaller than those reached through individual claims. 

What compensation are we seeking? 

Compensation for institutional abuse victims falls into two main categories. 

Non-pecuniary damages are supposed to make up for the emotional and psychological toll you have experienced, including:  

• Pain and suffering 
• Loss of consortium (injuries to existing and future relationships) 
• Loss of dignity  

Pecuniary damages are intended to cover tangible losses, including: 

• Quantifiable losses 
• Out-of-pocket expenses 
• Lost wages 
• Lost future earning capacity 
• Future care costs 

As part of the settlement, the institution may also provide survivors with a formal written apology for its role in any abuse.  

Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers to discuss your potential claim 

Being injured due to the actions of another person is already a scary experience, and one that should not go without consequences for the at-fault party. The shock and hurt are particularly serious and long-lasting when the victims are minors, the damage was intentional, and the perpetrator was in a position of leadership.  

The abuse and other harm that you suffered happened through no fault of your own and you deserve to be compensated. Here at Preszler Injury Lawyers, we understand this and understand what you are going through. We are experienced at representing institutional abuse plaintiffs. 

If you were abused in your youth at the hands of an adult who was placed in a position of trust and authority over you by the Scouts or Guides, we encourage you to call Preszler Injury Lawyers at 1-844-373-8202 or get in touch with us online for a free consultation.