“Based on our investigation, the county of San Diego was apparently one of the largest employers of child molesters in the state of California,” said Blake Woodhall, lead attorney for the Herman Law Firm. Woodhal land his team represent more than 50 adults who say that, when they were childre n in the mid 1990s through the 2000s, they were sexually abused, drugged and intimidated by staff members at the County’s Polinsky Children’s Center in Kearny Mesa. Based on our investigation, the county of San Diego was apparently one of the largest employers of child molesters in the state of California.Blake Woodhall, lead attorney for the Herman Law Firm A handful of the alleged victims spoke publicly for the first time during a new conference on Friday morning that was led by the attorneys representing them in their civil complaints. Some of them did not want to use their names. They were willing to be seen and share their stories. “I am here today to demand accountability,” said one man who said he was sexually abused a number of times at the facility. “I am here to say that institutions like Polinsky must be held responsible for their failures. No child should ever feel abandoned in a place to provide refuge.” A woman said, “Now I’m here to break the silence and the chains that bind me so I can stop feeling like a victim and start being more of a fighter.” Kimberly Dennis used her name as she shared her experience as a child in the custody of the county’s Polinsky Center during Friday’s news conference. Kimberly Dennis used her name when speaking at the podium. “Trust does not come easily when you’re faced with such adversity and such fear,” Dennis said. “The experience of being adopted was extremely hard, as I acted out in fear and not wanting to be placed with anybody.” Last September, another law firm, this one based in Los Angeles, filed civil complaints representing 100 other former Polinsky residents. Slater Slater Schulman frequently takes up cases involving sexual abuse. The firm’s founding and managing partner, Adam Slater, said in a statement, “It is utterly unacceptable that such heinous acts were allowed to persist in a place meant to provide safety and care. These were children seeking refuge during a highly disruptive moment in their young lives.”  Attorneys from both firms are working together to gain compensation for all their clients. “By giving them a voice through civil litigation, it helps the process to heal,” Woodhall said. “When you live in silence with something like this — the shame, the embarrassment and the pain just eats at you, over and over.” Woodhall, who believes there are many more survivors who have not come forward, is encouraging them to share their experience by reaching out to his team. NBC 7 contacted the county for comment on the lawsuits filed so far. As of this publication, there had been no response. In past reporting on this story, a county spokesman said the county does not comment on pending litigation. ...read more read less