Survivor of Sexual Abuse at Endicott Boys Club Tells His Story

A Broome County man who was repeatedly sexually abused by an Endicott Boys Club employee when he was a child has told his story publicly for the first time.

Bill didn't want his last name used when he was interviewed on WNBF Radio Thursday. He had been waiting decades to discuss what he encountered starting when he was 12 years old and how it forever changed his life.

Bill had filed a lawsuit in the case in 2019. A judge awarded $500,000 in damages last year, although he has yet to receive any payment.

In the broadcast interview, Bill said his wife didn't know what had happened to him in the 1970s until he filed the lawsuit.

Bill noted sexual abuse was a topic that was rarely discussed at the time. He said after the series of incidents over a two-year period, he ultimately quit school and began using alcohol and drugs.

The perpetrator was employed by what had been the Louis N. Picciano Boys Club. It became the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Broome County. The organization suddenly closed in August 2019.

Bill said the only gratification he felt after the lawsuit was settled was that he now would be able to finally talk about what he went through. He said others who had experienced similar sexual abuse came forward after he took legal action.

Bill said he wanted to encourage anyone who has been sexually abused not to remain silent. He said: "Don't be afraid to say something." He said "things are different today" than they were in the past and there are "more avenues to help people."

The National Sexual Assault Hotline number is (800) 656-4673.

LISTEN: Bill told his story on WNBF Radio on January 12, 2023.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

103 iconic photos that capture 103 years of world history

Stacker gathered some of the most iconic images from the past 103 years, beginning in 1918 and leading up to 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.