Trails Carolina: Allegations of Abuse

Over the last few years, the investigations of abuse at Trails Carolina Wilderness Therapy have escalated. This program originally created to supposedly help troubled youth has faced numerous allegations of mistreatment. Today will examine the history of Trails Carolina, the nature of these allegations, and the legal rights and options available to survivors. It’s a difficult subject, but an important one to address. Trails Carolina Wilderness Therapy located in North Carolina is a program aimed at helping adolescents and young adults struggling with behavioral and emotional issues through outdoor therapeutic activities. Since its founding in 2008, the program has had thousands of youth attend with many former participants alleging sexual abuse, assault, harassment, and other forms of physical and emotional abuse. Former participants have reported instances of physical and emotional mistreatment, neglect, and in some cases sexual abuse. These allegations have raised serious concerns about the safety and wellbeing of the individuals currently and previously enrolled in the program.

And this has led to investigations into the practices at Trails Carolina and the lawsuits filed by former participants. Examples of alleged abuse by former participants includes sexual assault by older participants, including older campers, reportedly preying on the younger participants through inappropriate touching when reported. Trails Carolina supposedly did not investigate or take disciplinary actions, and victims were forced to continue sleeping alongside the offenders. And in some occasions, this escalated to sexual assault and other forms of severe abuse. Second, it was staff members abusing participants. There are allegations that staff members both physically, mentally, and sexually abused participants, including not providing adequate food or water, watching minor participants shower or change clothes and sexually assaulting participants. Over the last few years, several wilderness therapy programs have come under scrutiny for abuse. If you or someone you know is a survivor of abuse at Trails Carolina Wilderness Therapy, there are legal rights and options for you to consider.

First, you can file a report with law enforcement. This will trigger a criminal investigation into the individual or individuals who perpetrated the abuse. We have a variety of content on our sites about the criminal justice process for survivors, so please give that a watch or a read to learn more about this process and be informed about it going into it. Second, you can file a civil lawsuit. If you’ve experienced sexual abuse or assault while attending the Trails Carolina program, you may have the ability to file a civil lawsuit for the abuse suffered and to seek monetary damages for the harm that happened to you. You should speak with an experienced lawyer who knows wilderness therapy abuse cases as they can assist you in understanding your rights and options, and they offer free consultations and usually take these types of cases on contingency, meaning there are no upfront costs to you.

You should speak to a lawyer as soon as possible. Whether you want to file a report with law enforcement or want to understand more about the civil justice process, the statute of limitations alongside other laws will determine your rights and options as a survivor. And time is of the essence. The allegations of abuse at Trails Carolina Wilderness Therapy revealed so far are deeply concerning. It’s crucial for survivors to know that they have legal rights and options to seek justice and healing. As investigations continue, it’s our hope that the truth will be uncovered and that measures will be taken to prevent future harm. And you can be a part of this change. Get in touch with Helping Survivors. If you’d like to know more about your legal rights and options as a survivor of abuse at Trails Carolina. We can put you in contact with an experienced attorney and other support resources.