Boy Scouts abuse survivor shares story told in new documentary

The "Leave No Trace" documentary is about the Boy Scouts of America's history of abuse.

Dr. Stuart Lord is one of the thousands of people to come forward over the years to tell their story of abuse at the hands of members of the Boy Scouts of America, including many here in Georgia.

Their accounts are included in the recently released documentary “Leave No Trace,” which tells of the downfall of the once-revered American institution that filed for bankruptcy in 2020.

Lord says he joined the Boy Scouts at an early age and trusted his scout leaders, especially because of his background in the foster care system.

“I had to break away to go to college,” Lord said, “Going to college was my escape from my abusers.”

Lord is now an academic and a higher education administrator. He said he still believes he benefited from scouting and is the man he is today because of the organization.

However, he feels there is still more that can be done to protect children and provide justice for the victims of abuse.

The documentary “Leave No trace” explores the history of the organization and the grand scale of its coverup over the years. It debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this month and can be found on HULU.

Dr. Stuart Lord is among the survivors featured in the “Leave No Trace” documentary on the Boy Scouts of America’s history of abuse.(Courtesy of Stuart Lord)