- Three men who say they were sexually abused as children in Illinois youth detention facilities will speak out about their experiences as part of a lawsuit accusing decades of systematic child abuse at those facilities. I came forward for the sake of it.
- Many of the 95 plaintiffs in the case said they were threatened or offered incentives to remain silent.
- The lawsuit follows similar allegations of child sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers in New Jersey, California, Maryland and other states.
Three men who say they were sexually abused as children while incarcerated in an Illinois juvenile detention center came forward Tuesday as part of a lawsuit documenting disturbing allegations of systematic child abuse spanning decades. Ta.
Calvin McDowell, 37, who claims he was abused by a pastor at a suburban Chicago youth center as a teenager, said he doesn’t want others to suffer as he has suffered for decades. Told.
“Instead of being cared for, I felt more alone than ever,” McDowell said at a news conference in Chicago. “I kept secrets from my loved ones out of fear and shame. There were nights I wanted to give up on life.”
Lawsuit Alleges Decades of Child Sexual Abuse in Illinois Juvenile Detention Centers Across the State
The Associated Press typically reports that people who say they were sexually assaulted either agree to be identified or, like McDowell and two other men who are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, have their names published. We will not publish your name unless you agree.
The complaint filed Monday alleges widespread abuse, including gang rapes, forced oral sex, and beatings of children by correctional officers, sergeants, nurses, therapists, pastors and others at nine youth detention centers from 1996 to 2017. It is claimed that there was. Many of the 95 plaintiffs, identified mostly by their initials in the lawsuit, said they were threatened or paid to remain silent.
The lawsuit follows similar allegations of abuse at youth detention centers in New Jersey, California, Maryland and other states.
Jeffrey Christian says he was abused at two different youth centers in Illinois at a press conference in Chicago, May 7, 2024. Christian, along with two others, came forward as part of a lawsuit detailing disturbing allegations of systemic child abuse spanning decades. abuse. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)
Ten of the 95 men and women who filed charges in Illinois attended the press conference.
Jeffrey Christian, 36, said he was abused by counselors at two different youth centers in Illinois, including groping him during counseling sessions. The family’s efforts to report the abuse were ignored at the time, he said. This was a familiar pattern for other families.
“I want the world to know what happened to me and the other survivors who survived with me,” Christian said. “I want to shed light on the dark times I went through as a boy.”
As Christian cried, another survivor patted him on the back and cheered him on. There were nods and applause as survivors spoke. Some said meeting others who had gone through the same harrowing experience helped them find peace.
The lawsuit alleges that the state of Illinois failed to supervise, discipline, remove and investigate the alleged abusers, allowing the abuse to continue. The complaint alleges the abuse occurred at youth centers across the state, including Chicago, St. Charles and Harrisburg. Several detention centers have since been closed.
The lawsuit, filed in the Illinois Court of Claims, names the state of Illinois and its Department of Corrections and Juvenile Justice as defendants. The lawsuit seeks damages of approximately $2 million per plaintiff, the maximum amount allowed by law.
A spokesperson for Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who took office in 2019, and the two correctional departments said the alleged incidents occurred under the previous administration and that allegations of employee misconduct “will be thoroughly investigated.” ” he said. They had no further comment Tuesday.
Lawyers who filed the lawsuit said they were skeptical that things had changed.
Attorney Todd Matthews said there are hundreds of other former child detainees in Illinois alleging sexual abuse and he expects more lawsuits to be filed. Jerome Block, an attorney who has helped bring lawsuits against juvenile detention facilities in other countries, said states have always maintained that they have proper procedures in place to stop abuse and that children are safe. Ta.
“It’s hard to believe the state when it says it’s OK now, because that’s what we’ve been saying for the last several decades,” Block said.
Some survivors said they hoped to get more answers through legal action, including the names of their alleged abusers.
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The complaint mentions six named repeat offenders. But many others have been identified by what the alleged victims remember, such as physical characteristics or nicknames.
Stephen Lucas, 36, was about 13 years old when he said he was repeatedly abused and harassed by supervisors at a youth facility in County Down. He hopes that coming forward will help others.
“I was afraid to reveal my hardships to those close to me because I didn’t want to be seen in a different way. But by participating in the lawsuit, a part of me that I had kept locked away for 22 years was released,” he said. said. “I’m finally taking back what was taken from me all those years ago.”
