Historical sexual abuse claims against the Scout Association have risen dramatically since the publicity surrounding allegations against Jimmy Saville.
The Association has admitted that between its formation in 1907 and October 2012 it had only seen 12 abuse compensation claims, but that post Saville, a further 36 abuse claims had been made.
The Scout Association confirms it has already paid out almost £500,000 to victims of abuse by members of the scouting movement.
A statement released by the Scouts said:
"We apologise to all those who have been abused during their time in Scouting.
The safety and support of young people in Scouting is our number one priority"
The UK Scout movement has 10 million former members and hundreds of thousands of current members.
The organisation has indicated that it wishes to ensure that victims of abuse receive compensation in a timely manner and that it would ‘never use gagging orders to silence those who have been abused’.
Our lawyers have noticed a sharp increase in enquiries, including calls from former Scouts who have suffered abuse during their time in the Scouting movement. People who were previously afraid of speaking out are gaining the courage to come forward and talk openly about their experiences. In some case people have bottled up their emotions for decades and this has made it even harder for them to overcome the trauma they have experienced. Fortunately things are changing.
If you, or someone you know, has been abused, or affected by this story you can contact us for a free and confidential assessment of your legal position. Call us on freePHONE 0333 888 0445 or by e-mail at [email protected]