Man sues for assault as 7-year-old
Boy was allegedly abused at Camp Barker in 1977
A 1977 summer trip to Camp Barker resulted in a 7-year-old boy being sexually assaulted by a camp employee, according to a state Child Victims Act lawsuit recently filed in the Rensselaer County Clerk’s office.
“Camp Barker was a great place, then something like this happened,” the plaintiff said in a telephone interview. The Times Union is not identifying him due to the nature of the lawsuit.
“It was embarrassing,” the man said about the events in the “big boys” camp. He described himself as small for his age when he went to the part of the camp for older boys.
He decided to file the lawsuit after worrying about his own son taking part in activities away from home. He said he has only told 10 people, including his wife.
The lawsuit filed by Herman Law of New York City describes how in 1977 the boy was sexually abused by a man who was older than 18 and only identified as “Tony” in the court papers.
The now-shuttered Camp Barker at 91 Dyken Pond Road was operated by the Troy Boys Club then at the time of the incidents, according to the lawsuit. The Troy Boys Club is now part of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Capital Area.
The lawsuit names the Troy Boys & Girls Club, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America as the defendants.
The local and national Boys & Girls Clubs each issued statements Wednesday saying they were aware of the lawsuit and each takes steps to protect the children in their programs.
“Although the alleged incidents took place a long time ago, we understand that time does not erase their impact or pain. We are treating this allegation with the seriousness it deserves, and will work diligently to have this matter resolved in a manner that provides support and comfort to survivors and their families,” the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area said.
“We fully recognize that although these alleged incidents occurred many years ago, time does not erase any pain experienced by survivors and their families,” the Boys & Girls Clubs of America said. “It is important that these matters are resolved in a manner that provides support and comfort to those affected by these events.”
The deadline for filing civil lawsuits under the
state’s Child Victims Act is Friday. The Child Victims Act extended the statute of limitations for filing child sexual abuse lawsuits. A Times Union
analysis reported in July that in the Capital Region about 74 percent of CVA cases have been filed against the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese, with 9
percent against the Boy Scouts.