By the dozen, accusers tell of rampant sexual abuse at Pennsylvania juvenile detention facilities

A group of nearly 70 people alleged Wednesday they were sexually abused as children while housed in detention centers in Pennsylvania, adding to earlier lawsuits targeting what the accusers’ lawyers say is the state’s broken juvenile justice system.

The latest group of plaintiffs filed suit in state or federal court against 10 different juvenile facilities across Pennsylvania, three of them state-operated. Some of the plaintiffs said they were repeatedly raped by staff members and threatened with harm if they reported it.