Inside the Boy Scouts ‘perversion files’ and who is on the list – as Netflix documentary Scout’s Honor unveils abuse cover-up and the records get fresh scrutiny
The release of a Netflix documentary has sparked new research into historical sexual abuse records kept by the Boy Scouts of America.
These records of suspected pedophiles, a “red flag” list known as the “perversion files,” were kept confidential by the Boy Scouts until they were made public in 2012. They detail allegations of child abuse by Scout leaders between 1947 and 2005.
Their release sparked a deluge of lawsuits — a whopping 82,000 claims — from victims who say they were abused as scouts, leading the organization to file for bankruptcy in 2020.
Netflix’s documentary, Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America, reveals the role of the internal red flag and how the largest youth organization in the US covered up sexual abuse and failed to report many allegations to police.
The Boy Scouts started collecting the files soon after it was founded in 1910. But what were the “perversion files” for, why are they called that, and who are on the list?
The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910 and soon after began collecting a red flag list of child molestation allegations against Scout leaders.
Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America is a Netflix documentary that explores victims’ stories and the impact of the ‘perversion files’
What are the Boy Scouts of America ‘perversion files’?
The “perversion files” are internal records kept by the Boy Scouts of America to track the volunteer Scout leaders and the “red flags” raised about them.
Thousands of these documents, which catalog allegations of child abuse committed by Scout leaders between 1947 and 2005, were published in 2012 following a lawsuit.
The Boy Scouts of America have defended them as a way to get rid of bad leaders and prevent abuse, saying their confidentiality was necessary.
But the primary purpose of the data — to protect children from pedophiles — failed.
The Boy Scouts of America are accused of covering up decades of allegations and failing to report the majority of victims’ claims to parents, the public, or even the police.
The files have long been the focus of legal battles, some of which were settled out of court.
In 2020, there were more than 82,000 sexual abuse claims against the Boy Scouts, after which the organization filed for bankruptcy.
Scout’s Honor is available to stream on Netflix. It features survivors, whistleblowers and experts discussing the impact of abuse within the scouts
A certificate of registration issued to a Boy Scout by the organization in 1959
Former Boy Scouts of America executive Michael Johnson speaks about his efforts to reform the system in Netflix’s Scout’s Honor
Why are the records known as the “perversion files”?
The “perversion files” have become shorthand for the red flag list.
A New York Times writer calls for the dissolution of the Boy Scouts described the name as ‘grotesque’ in 2020.
The term was used internally by the Boy Scouts of America itself to describe the records, although it was described as “red flag list” earlier in history.
A 1935 New York Times article describes the organization’s listing of hundreds of “degenerates” who had been scout leaders
a New York Times article from 1935 describes how that name described the organization’s list of hundreds of “degenerates” who had been scout leaders.
Former Chief Scout Executive Dr. James E West explained that for the organization’s first 15 years, geographical and alphabetical maps were made for every man who held a commission in the Boy Scouts.
He said, “We made a note on the map indicating that we should consult a confidential file to see if there was anything of interest to note.”
“We put a red label, or a red sticker, over the card for the man we wanted to be careful with, that is, to be sure and look closely at his file.”
He concluded, “That was the origin of the so-called red flag list.”
The Los Angeles Times put all the files on an interactive map and created a searchable database of the allegations
Tom Krumins is one of the victims who shares their story in the Netflix documentary Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America
Who is accused of sexual abuse in the ‘perversion files’ and who are the victims?
In 2012, 14,500 pages of the “perversion files” leaked online, crashing the website hosting them within the first few hours.
Shortly afterwards, the Los Angeles Times put all the files on an interactive map and created a searchable database of the allegations.
It analyzed court records to provide information on nearly 5,000 cases between 1947 and 2004, which can still be viewed in the database. About 1,900 of them have detailed reports, with all means of identifying the victims redacted.
An unknown number of records have been deleted.
In the Netflix documentary Scout’s Honor, survivors, whistleblowers and experts discuss the impact of abuse within the Scouts.
It also focuses on cases such as the milestone against troop leader Timur Dykes.
Dykes remained a member of the Boy Scouts of America even after the organization was made aware of allegations of abuse.
He admitted to a bishop in the early 1980s that he had molested 17 boys and that he had been arrested for some of the crimes.
The bishop, an official representative of the Boy Scouts, told no one about the admission.
A court found the Boy Scouts of America liable for the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old boy and awarded damages of $18.5 million.
That test result led to the final release of the files.
The identities of most of the victims have been kept confidential, but some have made their claims public.
In the documentary, Tom Krumins, a survivor, says, “We want to feel like our voice is being heard. We want to feel that there is a chance to heal.’
In April, a $2.4 billion bankruptcy reorganization plan went into effect. allowing the Texas-based Boy Scouts to continue operating while compensating over 80,000 casualties.