I was talking with a friend of mine about this a couple of weeks ago. I maintain that there is no _fundamental_ problem with the organizations in question. The basic rules, if followed, would protect leaders and children alike.
The problem is when leaders go "rogue". Most "rogue" leaders I've seen, I have admired and would be extremely surprised to learn of anything "seriously wrong"; there were two who I would question (and who I heard questioned) & I would choose to not participate with them (if I was still in the organization). Of all the leaders who followed the rules, I suspect that none of them are perverse (and I never heard any questions about them).

I believe that the _big_ issue that all youth organizations must address is how can a "headquarters" train "field workers" to react in a clear & consistant manner when the organizations rules are "bent". In the Penn State case that opened up we had grown adults who, I feel, are now remorse that they had not acted when it was time to do so ... I wonder if there could have been a sensitization training that would have made the light go on & the child abuser reported earlier.Contrary to my friend, who believes that football & campus decorum would have won, I believe that we would have fewer victims today with in-house training aimed at getting adults to report suspected abuse as well as having no tolerance for an organizations rules being broken (ie: never mind the shower ... you are reported just for being alone with the child).

My friend's point that the abuse will shift is justified; today the coaches will text their athletes & meet up with them if they want to. Organizations have to keep up with our times and introduce a "no Internet contact" with the youth as well ... stay in touch with the parents or use mass mailings.

The sad part of these 'safety' rules, is that it could lessen the impact of the would-be role models like there was in the past from touching young lives in as strong a manner; however, it does not prevent them from becoming role models within their own right & it does stop well-doers from playing psychologist.

I just had a young man call me up & thank mee for the leadership role I played when he was younger. As he approached suicide he considered what I would think of him & say and that encouracged him to push through the hard times. I only played my role back then, did not exceed it in any way ... so I guess there's little need now for coaches, leaders & teachers to have their youth's facebook online .. isn't there?

Coming back to Kayce's comment ... I think that there is a place for these organizations; but local leadership must be trained to adopt a "zero tolerance" attitude towards rule breakers; even where abuse is not suspected, rule breaking is one sign and it opens a Pandora's Box. Even if we only double the reporting of rule breaking, I think that the effort would be well worth it.

Thank you for your comment I did not mean to trash that organization in the way it sounded most of what I have read about lately is from certan places and it is too old to prossicute now
a friend of mine is a boy scout leader and they have clear cut rules and they follow them
it was the cases I read about when people suspected or saw and did nothing b/c they did not want to hurt the org.
that part the cover up is what I hate
but that does not mean the org as a whole is bad
just like the church as a whole is not bad

I was a boy scout but please don't think of me as a defender. However, there is something totally different which makes me angry. It I this fact. I know of one case lasts year, in which allegedly a thousand files, dating back 30 years were discovered of allegations of abuse. They were filed in an area that probably had 15 or 20 thousand Boy Scout Troops and maybe a hundred thousand different boy scout leaders over the 30 years.

Over that same period of time, statistically, Hundreds of thousands of boys were abused by family members

Statistically it was a whole lot sexually safer to be involved with the scouts than it was to be in home. Yet all the 'noise' is being made about the scouts.

The truth of the matter is, that most family members do not have enough money to make it worth any lawyers time to sue them and collect damages. Thee Boy Scouts of America, on the other hand, have much deeper pockets. The same lawyer who is the lawyer of recorded in the current suit has already collected his share of the $18 million paid out in an earlier suit.

As a reporter I have seen at least a half dozen criminal charges filed by parents of children against church officials. However, often the parents filing those charges cannot afford to pursue any civil actions because the church or the official does not have enough money to make it worthwhile Lawyers are trained and skilled and do not give away their services. There is not enough money involved.

I know one woman who did pursue a civil case against her step father who had been convicted of raping her, and 20 years ago, she was awarded a half million dollars in damages. However, she has not yet collected a penny, because the man just doesn't have any money and with those payments hanging over his head he is not about to look for a job where he can make payments.

There is a lot of unfairness in the world.

I couldn't agree with you more Kayce ... and thank you crusty, you pointed out that my idea of training the field workers to report anything suspicious is still not enough ... there really was a problem "at the top".