Abuse By Boy Scout Leaders More Widespread Than Earlier Thought

The Boy Scouts of America's own records show that more than 12,000 children have been sexually assaulted while participating in the organization's programs. The documents came to light through court testimony given by a researcher whom the Scouts had hired to do an internal review. The records reveal allegations against thousands of Scout leaders — allegations that date from the 1940s.

With such a huge number of victims, the organization could be facing multiple lawsuits and, as a result, bankruptcy. read more »

New York Archdiocese Names 120 Catholic Priests Accused of Abuse

The disclosure, one of the largest to be made by the church, comes after bishops across the country identified suspected abusers.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York on Friday identified 120 priests who have been accused of sexually abusing a child, one of the largest disclosures to be made by the church.

The list of priests is the latest in a flood of names that have poured from dioceses and religious orders across the country in recent months as the church grapples with a scandal over its handling of abuse. read more »

Important Harvey Weinstein hearing being held in secret

An important pretrial hearing in Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault case played out in secret after a judge ruled Friday that the movie mogul's right to a fair trial outweighed news organizations' arguments for keeping the courtroom open.

Both the prosecution and defense asked that the hearing be held behind closed doors because it focuses on sensitive matters — a prosecution bid to have jurors hear from many other women who say Weinstein violated them. read more »