If you or a loved one experienced abuse or neglect at the Kiwanis Vocational Home in Washington, you are not alone. The Kiwanis Vocational Home, a facility in Spokane, Washington, was meant to provide care and support for troubled boys. Sadly, many former residents have come forward with stories of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect. These allegations are deeply troubling, and those responsible must be held accountable with the assistance of Kiwanis Vocational Home abuse lawyers.
The abuse at Kiwanis Vocational Home reportedly took place over decades, with survivors describing horrific conditions and mistreatment. It is crucial to hold the facility and its staff accountable for the abuse suffered by the adolescents placed in the care of the faculty and its employees.
The group home for troubled foster children operated from 1979 to 1994, during which time many individuals who were aged 11 to 17 years old when they lived there alleged they were sexually and physically abused by staff, directors, and other residents.
“In some cases, they were sent to do odd jobs at homes in the community where they were further abused,” The Associated Press reported in May 2021.
“Reports of the abuse date to the early 1980s, when one boy called police for help only to have the executive director of the home interrupt the call to downplay the report.”
Although Kiwanis argued that it was the job of Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services — later known as the Department of Children, Youth, and Families — to oversee the facility, insurance companies ultimately agreed to pay $6 million in 2021 to settle a lawsuit brought against Kiwanis International and local Kiwanis clubs by seven men who said they were sexually abused at the Kiwanis Vocational Home.
The Associated Press also noted that Washington state paid tens of millions of dollars to former residents of the O.K. Boys Ranch operated by the Olympia Kiwanis Club after similar allegations there led to news stories and legislative hearings in the 1990s.
If you or a family member were harmed while at the Kiwanis Vocational Home, you may have the right to file a lawsuit.
At Phillips Law Group, our lawyers have experience helping survivors of sexual abuse in institutional and youth facilities seek justice. Abuse in care facilities is never acceptable, and no one should suffer in silence. Our compassionate and experienced attorneys are here to listen to your story, protect your rights, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
We understand how difficult it can be to come forward when it comes to cases like these, but you don’t have to face this alone. Our team will guide you through every step of the legal process, ensuring your voice is heard.
If you or a loved one were affected by Kiwanis Vocational Home abuse, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our firm today for a free, no-obligation, confidential consultation. We are here to help you find justice and healing and to hold those responsible for the abuse at this facility accountable.
Please contact us by calling 602-222-2222 to learn more about your legal options now.
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