Young people confined to youth detention centers, treatment centers, and residential schools are vulnerable to mistreatment. Tragically, that mistreatment often includes sexual abuse.
The Vermont institutional sexual abuse lawyers at Phillips Law Group are working on behalf of survivors to hold the state, its agencies, and individual perpetrators accountable. If you experienced sexual abuse at a Vermont youth facility, contact a compassionate attorney to learn about your legal options.
History of Abuse in State Facilities
Residential centers for youth are supposed to provide treatment and rehabilitation in a therapeutic setting. Unfortunately, these facilities have a long history of endangering and abusing residents. The attorneys at Phillips Law Group are preparing legal claims on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated in Vermont residential institutions.
Woodside
The Woodside Juvenile Detention Center was a 30-bed facility for boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17. It housed juvenile offenders and children in the custody of the Department for Children and Families (DCF) who had behavioral or other issues that prevented them from living in a less restrictive environment.
By 2006, oversight bodies were raising concerns about conditions at the facility, including excessive use of strip searches and restraints and failing to have a female staff member available for girls’ intake. A 2013 report by the U.S. Department of Justice found that seven percent of Woodside residents reported sexual abuse in the facility. In 2023, the state settled a lawsuit brought by a group of former residents for $4.5 million.
Bennington Schools
The state operated separate residential facilities for boys and girls in Bennington, and both have histories of staff-on-student sexual abuse.
In 2016, a teacher’s aide was convicted of sexually abusing students at several residential facilities, including the Bennington school housing males. In 2017, a teacher at the girls’ school was convicted of aggravated sexual assault against a student. In March 2025, a teacher was arrested for sexually assaulting students at the girls’ school, now called the Vermont School for Girls.
Sununu Center
After the Woodside facility closed in 2020, some children were sent to the Sununu Youth Development Center in New Hampshire. More than 1,000 former residents have filed lawsuits against the facility, and the state has established a fund to pay them.
Individuals who were sent from the Woodside facility to the Sununu Center and experienced sexual abuse there may be eligible to bring a claim against the perpetrators and the Sununu Center itself. They also may have a claim against the agencies in Vermont responsible for overseeing their care.
Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse
Survivors who experienced sexual abuse while confined by the state’s juvenile justice authorities or DCF can file civil lawsuits seeking compensation. Survivors can sue the perpetrator if they are still alive and can be located, the state agency that placed them in the facility, and contractors who provided services there.
The statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse, 12 Vermont Statutes Annotated § 522, abolishes the time limit for bringing these claims and is fully retroactive. A survivor can bring a lawsuit no matter how long ago the abuse happened.
Survivors who have tried to forget the past and focus on the present may be reluctant to pursue a claim, fearing they will be retraumatized. The attorneys at Phillips Law Group handle cases for survivors of institutional sexual abuse in Vermont with sensitivity and respect for their emotional needs. Many survivors find that pursuing accountability provides them with a sense of agency and empowerment.
Consult an Attorney About Suing Vermont Institutions for Sexual Abuse
Children placed in residential institutions need a nurturing, supportive environment. Instead, many are subjected to horrific conditions that can include sexual abuse.
The Vermont institutional sexual abuse lawyers at Phillips Law Group are committed to getting justice for survivors. Schedule a free consultation today if you are interested in joining a lawsuit to recover financial damages for sexual abuse suffered in a youth facility in the state.
Available 24/7