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Ethan Linden, who worked at Camp Ramah of the Berkshires, is accused of telling the 15-year-old girl in 2018 that he wouldn't tell anyone about how she woke up to a boy putting his fingers inside of her genitals, reads the suit, filed in Manhattan federal court.
The girl apparently told her head counselor, who told camp officials. But after days without hearing back, she had a meeting with Linden and a guidance counselor, where Linden swore to keep all of it a secret and said not telling her parents would be the best course of action, according to the suit.
Weeks went by and questions swirled as to if any action would be taken, or if the boy was being punished, the lawsuit reads. Eventually, camp officials called the girl's parents but said only that there was a "little incident" and that it involved "just a horny little boy."
The suit goes on to say that Linden and the camp acted with "deliberate indifference to known acts of discrimination, retaliation, sexual assault, gender-based violence, and harassment."
Ramah Berkshires President Richie Friedman released a statement that reads, in part:
"The Board of Directors takes these allegations seriously. Then, as now, our priority is the safety, health, and well-being of all campers and staff in our care.
Camp understands the sacred trust that its families place in us. We are committed to preventing and responding to abuse, including through existing programs of training and supervision of staff and consent education for teens. We take seriously our responsibility as a Jewish institution and as a mandated reporter in New York State."
Friedman says Linden gave police a sworn affidavit after the alleged incident.
"Camp Ramah in the Berkshires recognizes the courage it takes for a victim of sexual misconduct to come forward. The Board is investigating the allegations in the complaint, including the response of camp leadership."
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