Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs $20 Million Compensation Program for Dozier School Survivors

Survivors of abuse at the Florida reform school received a $20 million restitution program after years of advocating for justice.

Decades after the horrifying events at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, survivors are still haunted by the memories of the abuse they suffered. The trauma of forced labor, brutal floggings, and sexual abuse continues to impact their lives.

For over 15 years, elderly survivors of the Dozier School have journeyed to the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, to share their harrowing experiences. They have been pleading with politicians to seek justice for themselves and the numerous boys who lost their lives at the school.

In 2017, survivors, many of whom are Black, finally received an official apology for the atrocities they endured. However, this acknowledgment was not the end of their struggle for justice.

Florida's Step Towards Restitution

Recently, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida took a significant step towards righting the wrongs of the past. He signed a crucial piece of legislation that establishes a $20 million program to provide financial restitution to the victims of the Dozier school. The signing took place in private, as announced by the governor's office late on Friday.

Eligibility for Compensation

The newly established compensation program is open to survivors who were "confined" at the Dozier school between 1940 and 1975. Those who suffered from "mental, physical, or sexual abuse perpetrated by school personnel" during their time at the institution are eligible to apply. Additionally, survivors who were sent to the Florida School for Boys at Okeechobee, also known as the Okeechobee school, can seek restitution. The Okeechobee school was opened in 1955 to alleviate overcrowding at Dozier.

The creation of this compensation program marks a crucial milestone in the survivors' long and difficult journey to seek justice and healing.

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