Its Just Something a Child Never, Ever Should Have to Live through, by John Discepolo, KOMO, August 31 2010

"It's Just Something a Child Never, Ever Should Have to Live through"

By John Discepolo
KOMO
August 31 2010

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/101861278.html

SEATTLE -- Two men say money and power kept them from being protected from sexual assault as teenagers.

Now they're suing the Boy Scouts of America and its Seattle chapter over the accusations against an assistant scoutmaster.

The lawsuit directs aim at the Boy Scouts of America, claiming it allowed the Mormon Church - the single largest sponsor of scouting - to disregard its sex abuse policies.

One of the men, who only wished to be identified as "CP," says he has lived in pain for 40 years.

"It's been like a black spot inside my heart that I could never fill with enough drugs or alcohol," he said. "I was so afraid of saying something that I've lived almost 40 years of agony and several suicide attempts. It's just something a child never, ever should have to live through."

The man claims he was continuously molested by an assistant scoutmaster named Jack Leholt during his teenage years.

"It was terrible especially being your first sexual experience with another man," said CP. "And for years and years, I didn't know if I was heterosexual or homosexual, and it caused great difficulties through my life."

But CP has come forward to file a civil lawsuit against the Boy Scouts, an organization that he says "knew what was going on."

According to court documents, the Boy Scouts get millions of dollars in fees from the Mormon Church every year.

The suit claims the contributions gave the church power over the Boy Scouts to keep any reports of sexual abuse quiet. It even claims keeping abuse cases quiet is part of the church's handbook.

"I love the Boy Scouts," CP said. "I'm flabbergasted that they keep trying to coordinate an effort to kind of sidestep the whole issue and not connect the dots properly."

The Boy Scouts of America released the following written response to the allegations:

"In the 40 years since the alleged events, we've improved youth protection programs significantly, and continue to enhance these programs. Certainly we take this matter very seriously, and we will be reviewing the filing as soon as we receive it."

The Mormon Church is not named as a defendant in this case since it has already paid out confidential settlements without admitting liability to CP.

Leholt has since been convicted of sex crimes in both Washington state and Canada.