Nessel urges victims to report abuse at the hands of the Boy Scouts of America

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a public service announcement (PSA) focused on the new joint investigation between the Michigan Department of Attorney General and Michigan State Police targeting the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). 

The agencies first asked the public to report instances of abuse at the beginning of June.

The BSA investigation is similar to the department’s ongoing clergy abuse investigation, which just secured its fourth conviction last week.

In January, Nessel learned 1,700 sex-abuse claims filed in BSA’s ongoing bankruptcy case were in Michigan. The department now believes there may be as many as 3,000 victims.

Nessel released the PSA to urge victims of abuse at the hands of the Boy Scouts to report that abuse, as well as to remind people that this joint investigation with MSP is separate from the civil litigation.

“I know speaking about these traumas is difficult,” Nessel says in the video. “That’s why I’m asking Michiganders to show their strength and courage by calling our trained victim advocates. It doesn’t matter if the abuse occurred last month or years ago—you deserve to be heard and we’re here to listen.”

Anyone with information about the Boy Scouts of America that could be helpful should call the investigation hotline at 844-324-3374 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tips can be left anonymously. 

Portions of this project were supported in part by Grant No. WE AX 0030 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.