Though the New Hampshire’s state attorney general has decided not to file any charges in the ongoing investigation of sexual abuse at the prestigious St. Paul’s School, according to the New York Times, the state will have an independent monitor on campus for as many as the next five years. This act firmly places the legendary boarding school under government oversight. No formal criminal charges will be filed against the school that has been the subject of sexual abuse reports over the last several years.
The investigation into the school initially began in July of 2017 when state attorney general Gordon J. Macdonald announced a criminal investigation into the numerous reports of sexual abuse, including one that was part of testimony in a rape trial against a former student. Nearly two dozen witnesses offered testimony to MacDonald, but the results of the investigation, according to the attorney, would only have led to misdemeanors and fines. His hope now is to create an option that means reform.
The school will pay for the monitor and create a victim advocate on campus. Moves like these could create possibilities for other schools that have had similar problems with faculty sexual abusing students. The hope from many is that these kinds of changes will continue the national conversation around prep schools and the ongoing sex abuse scandals so many have seen break over the past several years.
If you or someone you love has been affected by private school sex abuse, contact Paul today.