Emiliano C. Diaz de Leon hopes Boy Scouts will one day restore their trustworthiness.
Growing up in East Austin, there was little refuge for me from the gangs, drugs, and violence in my barrio, so when an opportunity arose for me to join the Boy Scouts as a teen, I jumped at the chance. I went from feeling trapped by the violence I was witnessing in my own home to the freedom of exploring the outdoors. Through the guidance of my Scoutmaster, I acquired camping and survival skills, but I also learned how to navigate through my adolescence using the Boy Scout Oath and Law as a compass. From my summers at Lost Pines to my trek through Philmont and every meeting in-between, I recited the Boy Scout Law with great pride: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Emulating my Scoutmaster who was one of a handful of positive male role models in my life, I tried to live these principles out in my daily life. Even now, they are the same principles that I try to foster in my own son. Unfortunately, these words and principles have not held true for all Scoutmasters. It has come to light that hundreds of Scoutmasters broke the trust parents and scouts placed in them. These Scoutmasters utilized their leadership role to assume power and enact unwanted sexual assaults on young boys and men. Then, in a further distortion of the Boy Scout Law, leaders, who sought to remain loyal to the Boy Scouts of America, failed to report these abusers to authorities, something which has become far too prevalent in large institutions responsible for shaping young minds. It is painful and disappointing that leadership within such a trusted organization as the Boy Scouts of America neglected to live up to its own core values, failing to ensure the safety of the boys who were sexually abused and coming forward only when courts forced them to address their history of protecting those who were abusive. As a fellow Eagle Scout, I salute the boys and men who are courageously coming forward, telling their story, demanding accountability, and insisting upon the implementation of policies and practices that put the safety of scouts first. These boys and men despite the abuse they experienced at the hands of their leaders are the true representatives of the principles outlined in the Boy Scout Law. They have shown tremendous bravery and given me hope that one day my son too can participate in a scouting program—one that is safe, inclusive, and committed to preventing sexual abuse in our communities. If you have had an unwanted or abusive sexual experience in your childhood or know a man who has, please visit www.1in6.org for information, support, and/or resources. Emiliano C. Diaz de Leon is a Cultural Capacity Specialist for 1in6. Besides his work with 1in6, Emiliano has more than a decade of experience working for multiple domestic and sexual violence centers in Texas. Since 2008, Emiliano has worked as a Primary Prevention Specialist for the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) and since October 2011 providing technical assistance to the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Engaging Men Program grantees around the country as a Men’s Engagement Specialist. Further reading: Boy Scouts Covered Up Child Abuse of Boys Photo credit: Flickr / RDECOM
Sooo what would you think if the Boy Scouts put the most advanced child protection procedures for any volunteer organization since the last allegation in the LA Times report? Because they did: The Boy Scouts of America is one group advocates say has gone farthest to institute such measures to safeguard kids.” (MSNBC, November 2011) “The Scouts’ current prevention policies are considered state of the art and several independent child-protection experts told The Associated Press that the Scouts—though buffeted in the past by many abuse-related lawsuits—are now considered a leader in combating sexual abuse. ‘The Boy Scouts have the most… Read more »