Choate Rosemary Hall, an elite boarding school in Wallingford, issued a statement apologizing for decades of sexual abuse involving faculty and staff members who engaged in sexual misconduct with students.

A 50-page report issued after a seven-month long independent investigation initiated by the school includes graphic recounts from 24 students about alleged abuse from 12 faculty members.

The report alleges that from 1963 to 2010, students were subjected to kissing, inappropriate touching, sexual intercourse, and forced or coerced intercourse.

In its statement, the Choate Rosemary Hall stated that it was profoundly sorry, that the report was devastating to read and that these adults violated the “sacred trust between students and the adults charged with their care.” The school stated it is committed to reviewing and refining its policies for protecting students.

No current faculty members were included in the report.

Seventh-Month Long Investigation

According to the school’s statement, Choate began investigating its history with sexual misconduct after a 1992 alumnae reported deeply troubling information about sexual misconduct she experienced as a student with a faculty member.

Around the same time, several other schools were coming under fire for sexual allegations.

The school hired a local lawyer to conduct an independent investigation into reports of sexual misconduct at the school. Over the course of her investigation, she conducted interviews with 101 individuals, including former students and current and past faculty and staff.

Her report details troubling recounts of the experiences of 24 former students. She found that although Choate acted quickly to some reports of misconduct, others were handled improperly.

Many victims stated that they did not report the abuse at the time because they feared the faculty would not believe them.

Obligation to Report Child Abuse or Neglect

According to Connecticut statute, teachers and other school faculty are included among those who are mandated by law to report child abuse and neglect to the Department of Children and Families (DCF).

The law mandating reporting of abuse has been in existence since 1965, and teachers were added to the list of mandatory reporters in 1967.

Despite this, Choate did not make any reports to DCF regarding faculty sexual misconduct before 2010, according to the Boston Globe.

In July and December 2016, the school filed complaints with the department about some of the complaints included in its recent report. However, those were not accepted by DCF because the students were no longer minors.

Connecticut Sexual Abuse Lawyers

Sexual abuse such as that described in the Choate report can have devastating consequences on the children who are subjected to such abuse.

If you or someone you love has been a victim of sexual abuse, you may have legal options that can help you obtain the justice you deserve. We are committed to defending your rights and fighting for justice for our clients.

Under Connecticut law, the statute of limitations for sexual abuse of a minor states that you have 30 years after you reach adulthood to file a claim against an abuser.

However, you should not hesitate to contact our experienced team for help with your claim. We provide free consultations and do not get paid unless we recover compensation for you.