[Montfort]

"• In San Bernardino, California, Freddie Lee Johnson, 34, pleaded guilty in April to having sex with a 16-year-old girl on a scout-related camping trip. According to court records, the girl woke up in her tent and found the officer on top of her. He was sentenced to 60 weekends in jail."

Perhaps she was of the age of consent and there was some evidence of consent. Otherwise, this sentence seems laughably lenient.

This is precisely why one does not send kids off on camping trips with people who might view them as sexually attractive. That is why we do not (or should not)send girls off on camping trips with men, or boys with gay men (or girls with lesbians, although I would imagine this happens a lot and few people even think about it).

I don't care that an individual man or woman may be trustworthy or morally upright. It is wrong to create these morally hazardous situations.

[Tax-chick]

It is wrong to create these morally hazardous situations.

Exactly! As the post after yours makes clear, these parents were sadly naive.

Unfortunately, you can't be completely sure about ANYONE, not even family, but at least take the obvious precautions.

[You Dirty Rats]

I'm not sure it's fair to single out Scouting. After all, there are religious leaders, teachers, etc. who also take advantage. Unless we want to end field trips, out-of-town sports contests, religious retreats & concerts, etc. I think that, sadly, there will be some of these incidents, as some adults are simply not responsible, and you can't always tell who is not ahead of time.

[Lorianne]

Perhaps she was of the age of consent and there was some evidence of consent.

CA has one of the highest AOC's in the nation: 18. This is precisely why one does not send kids off on camping trips with people who might view them as sexually attractive.

How do you know who will find your kid sexually attractive?

That is why we do not (or should not)send girls off on camping trips with men, or boys with gay men (or girls with lesbians...

But how do you know? These cops were not known as gay men. Married men and women are not always what they seem. Also, very few straight people would harm children. Isn't it tantamount to saying all men are rapists to suggest that men and girls should not be together. What about teenage girls' fathers, grandfather, uncles, brothers? Should we not allow them to be alone with a girl?