Scout's Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America

As someone who was a scout for nearly two decades, this tore my heart apart. I was a camp counselor, Vigil member of our honor's society, and an assistant scoutmaster for my home troop, so when I watched this documentary, I couldn't help but to put myself in the shoes of these victims, and it was sickening to see the complete lack of consideration of the safety of children in this program.

As long as scouting is treated more like a business than a service to our young people, these horrific things will continue to happen. There are absolutely 0 excuses that can make this alright. I hate to see people saying "this kind of stuff happens everywhere" as if that makes the complete lack of national oversight acceptable. This documentary perfectly captures how this organization values money over safety for the kids that make the organization what it is.

I cannot begin to express how important it is to see this film in its' entirety. It is difficult to watch, but these stories deserve to be heard, not just by current and former scouts, but also by the general public.

I am so grateful for the victims who bravely stepped forward to tell their stories, and for the filmmakers who gave them a platform to be heard.

This documentary is not about "destroying the boy scouts" it is a call to action for meaningful change so that future scouts do not have to experience the same horrendous treatment at the hands of adults who were supposed to protect them.

If you are on the fence about watching this documentary, I implore you to watch every minute of it. Unfortunately, I think the only way that we will see real change in the organization is if their bottom line is affected, and the only way that can happen is if enough people start making their voices heard.

I hope to see a second part to this documentary, because I think there are still a lot more stories to tell from the inside of this organization, and this film only scratches the surface.

I'll start off by saying how incredibly brave it is for these grown men to talk about what they survived as children. This was hard to watch, these poor boys really suffered at the hands of such evil men. To think these children's parents were so unaware of what was happening really bothered me, common was your young boy not acting out of character after the sexual abuse he was going through? This is not a series but it took me a few days to finish because that's how much their torment affected me. Again I am so proud of these men who finally get to tell their stories and can hopefully start the healing process if it has not begun.

The movie "Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America" is a documentary that deals with unsettling allegations of sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The documentary provides a platform for survivors to share their harrowing experiences. Very similar to the documentary "Procession", which explores sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, the director, in this case, Brian Knappenberger embarks on a journey to interview lawyers, journalists, victims of sexual abuse within the Scouts, and senior leaders of the Scouts. This is done to construct a comprehensive view of the decades-long sexual abuse perpetrated against young Boy Scouts.

The most alarming aspect is that the leadership of The Boy Scouts of America was reportedly aware of all the cases. Yet, they seemingly prioritized financial power and chose to "sweep the issues under the carpet". This raises serious questions about the organization's commitment to the safety and well-being of its members.

At times, the documentary tends to be sensational, with a significant number of interviews with young boys who have suffered molestation. There's a sense of an unfinished task. It gives the impression that the movie may not have fully delved into the issues it aimed to tackle.

This is not a particularly well done documentary, but I think it is a very important story. It's the story of how the Boy Scouts of America hid abuse from parents and the authorities. It's also the story of how an immensely powerful organization is using bankruptcy proceedings to evade justice. It's also the story of how an organization can claim on the one hand that it doesn't have any problems with abuse and on the other blame any problems it does have on homosexuals. Because, the logic goes, if they can keep homosexuals out of the organization, they can keep abusers out. But that does not make any sense whatsoever. Just think about the logic of that argument for one second, and you'll see how flimsy it is. It's an important story, as I have said, but I think the history of it is much better detailed in a podcast serious called behind the bastards. So if you want it better understanding of this topic you would do better to listen to that podcast about the founder of The Scouting movement Lord Baden Powell.

This is a crucial watch for everyone, and probably a good argument to encourage Netflix to create a free catalogue, where they make their most important and informative documentaries available for public access.

If there is a child in your life you care about and if you want to understand how pervasive abuse is, then please watch Scout's Honour. It is an especially vital watch for parent/carers to boys, so that we can better understand what stops boys and men from reporting their abuse. There was a lot of harrowing testimony - that detailed how boys were targeted, the impact abuse had on their lives and how they were rendered silence by what happened to them.

I could write an essay as to what makes this programme essential, but please just watch it. I cried often, and I am also glad a man like Detective Michael Johnson exists. I am also very proud of the men who shared their experiences with us, they are helping a lot of other children and adults by doing this.