Former Northwest Youth Corps crew member alleges negligence in campsite sexual assault

A lawsuit filed Friday, Aug. 1, alleges negligence by the Northwest Youth Corps after a sexual assault and a later physical assault of a crew member at a youth campsite.

Northwest Youth Corps, based in Eugene, since 1984 has provided conservation work for youths. Almost 1,000 youths and young adults take part in conservation projects and employment training across four states, according to the organization’s website.

The former crew member alleges a hostile work environment as well as negligence by the organization after working in Eugene in the summer of 2023 when the assaults took place, the lawsuit states.

“Northwest Youth Corps has referred the lawsuit to its legal counsel and, accordingly, I cannot provide any comment at this time,” Jeff Parker, the organization’s president and CEO, said in an email Tuesday.

The former crew member filing the lawsuit “wants to ensure that what happened to her does not happen to anyone else,” said Ashley Cadotte, her attorney, in a written statement.

While the lawsuit names the former crew member, Lookout Eugene-Springfield is not identifying her because she’s described in the court document as having been sexually assaulted, and Cadotte did not say that her client wanted to be identified in news coverage.

“Given the inherent vulnerability that comes with camping in the wilderness for five weeks, awareness and accountability for incidents such as this are vital to ensuring that appropriate supervision and safety measures are put in place and adhered to for the protection of the youth that participate on these camp crews,” Cadotte said.

The former crew member was on a nine-person crew with a five-week assignment of conservation projects and trailside camping, according to the lawsuit. The crew consisted of youths ages 16 to 18, the lawsuit states, as well as two male field leaders responsible for the crew.

She claims in court documents that the 16-year-old boy who assaulted her had earlier told crew members that he was on probation for a violent crime.

The youth, identified by one name only in the lawsuit, “would consistently brag to the crew about being violent and would display erratic behavior.”

In the days before the assault, “crew members expressed concern about [the male youth’s] behavior to field leaders,” the lawsuit states. The lawsuit also claims that the male youth assaulted another male crew member who left the program early, while the alleged aggressor continued on with the crew.

The female crew member filing the lawsuit states in the court document that on Aug. 6, 2023, the male youth entered her tent “stating he wanted to sleep in her tent.” According to the lawsuit, crew members generally slept three to a tent, although the document does not say if others were in the tent with her when the male crew member entered.

The victim, standing 4 feet 11 inches, was physically intimidated by the significantly larger male crew member, who then “had sexual intercourse with Plaintiff without her consent,” the lawsuit states.

The next evening, he again entered her tent and “made advances” toward her. She then attempted to leave, but he “physically assaulted her,” the lawsuit says. The female crew member escaped the tent and told other crew members and field leaders what happened.

On Aug. 8, 2023, a field leader “transported [the male youth] to law enforcement who then transported [him] to a juvenile detention center,” the lawsuit states. The court document contains no further details about any criminal case.

The lawsuit also stated that Northwest Youth Corps did not notify the crew worker’s mother about what happened, with the crew member calling her mother Aug. 12 and leaving the program.

The organization “disbanded Plaintiff’s entire youth camping crew approximately two weeks into the five-week session,” the lawsuit states. She was paid for the full five weeks as well as a $500 bonus, the lawsuit states.

The former crew member alleges that program leaders were negligent in failing to respond to complaints about the male youth, in failing to monitor him, in failing to provide safe sleeping arrangements, in allowing “opposite gender sleeping arrangements,” and in failing to conduct appropriate tent checks.

The lawsuit also alleges negligence in the youth program’s failure “to establish practices, procedures, and guidelines to deter sexual misconduct by youth in their care and/or their employees,” among other claims.

The lawsuit seeks $2 million in noneconomic damages relating to mental anguish and trauma, as well as $500,000 to pay for counseling and mental health treatment.