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Delaware man sues Boy Scouts, Mormons over sex abuse

Updated: 12/12/2012 2:18 pm | Published: 12/12/2012 10:40 am

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Angel Moroni (Todd Petersen, ABC 4 News)

MARYCLAIRE DALE
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A Delaware man is suing the Boy Scouts of America and the Mormon church over childhood sexual abuse committed by the scoutmaster at his church-sponsored troop.

Melvin Novak's lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Philadelphia. It charges that newly released Boy Scout "perversion files" support his claim that the organization hid abuse for years.

Former scoutmaster Vance Hein is in prison for violating after a 1999 conviction in Novak's case.

The 28-year-old Novak says the abuse plunged him into years of substance abuse.

The Scouts say they deeply regret past abuse within the organization. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says abusers deserve both "legal prosecution and Church discipline."

The Associated Press generally does not identify sexual abuse victims, but Novak wants his name publicized to heighten awareness.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Teerevor - 12/12/2012 3:20 PM

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My kids won't go to scouts unless I can go with them the whole time. I'd rather be there to make sure things are ok. I'm atheist, so I don't need to worry about a church in the mix. I didn't have a problem in the scouts when I went but I didn't get too involved. I'm glad this didn't happen to me.

onelove627 - 12/12/2012 1:20 PM

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Not putting mine into scouts because the church is too involved. But you don't understand that it's different outside of utah sallyjitterbut. the church doesn't run anything in any other states like it does here.

sallyjitterbug - 12/12/2012 1:01 PM

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Dear mstant57, May I advise you to take him out of school as well.

mstant57 - 12/12/2012 11:24 AM

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And they wonder why I took my son out of the Boy Scouts. Other than the fact the the church is pushed upon the children, you have crap like this that the scouts and the church constantly try to hide.

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