SOS Children's Village: Klagenfurt Public Prosecutor Investigates Carinthian State Employees

The case concerning alleged abuse at several locations of SOS Children's Villages is expanding. As was announced on Thursday, the public prosecutor's office in Klagenfurt is investigating employees of the state of Carinthia on suspicion of abuse of office. Investigations are also underway in Tyrol and Salzburg. Meanwhile, SOS Children's Villages is striving for full clarification, but also mentioned "initial indicators of a decline in donations" in response to an APA inquiry, as stated in the afternoon.

SOS Children's Villages: "Initial Indicators of a Decline in Donations"

This is being registered in areas such as digital donations and corporate partnerships. Due to the short time frame, an exact assessment is difficult, according to the communications department of SOS Children's Villages. SOS Children's Villages is financed about 75 percent by public funds. Approximately 25 percent of the necessary funds come from donations: in 2024, these amounted to 46.5 million euros. Total revenues in 2024 were around 188 million euros.

There is an "initial suspicion based on the reporting that not all suspicions were reported to the public prosecutor's office," explained spokesperson Markus Kitz from the public prosecutor's office in Klagenfurt to APA. Whether the state fulfilled its reporting obligation or something was covered up is now to be investigated. On the other hand, investigations are being conducted against those responsible at SOS Children's Village Moosburg, where allegations of abuse were allegedly not reported, as well as on suspicion of mistreatment and neglect of minors. The state of Carinthia has since convened a special commission.

The case was triggered by a report from "Falter" more than a week ago. According to this, children and adolescents at the Moosburg location were allegedly mistreated, locked up, and photographed naked between 2008 and 2020. The information from the weekly newspaper comes from a study commissioned by SOS Children's Villages itself but never made public. In 2020, there were investigations against a former director of SOS Children's Village Moosburg and another person. They were accused of alleged depictions of abuse of minors and alleged abuse of an authority relationship. However, the investigations by the public prosecutor's office were discontinued.

In the session of the Carinthian state parliament on Thursday, State Councillor Sara Schaar (SPÖ) stated that she only learned of the unpublished study last Monday and subsequently that there were not only the three "old cases" in the SOS Children's Villages case. In "the relatively short period," she worked through this study and immediately created a ten-point change plan. This ranges from mandatory child protection training, an external complaints office, to mandatory digital recording of all incidents and transgressions in care facilities. External audits must be submitted to the state, and if a report to the state government is not made in the future, this will result in an administrative penalty.

Since 2013, according to Schaar, there have been 79 professional supervisions in various facilities of SOS Children's Villages. Club chairman Erwin Angerer (FPÖ) demanded in the debate active victim protection, which is more important than the establishment of expert commissions. In addition to a contact point for those affected, there must also be legal support in enforcing claims. The payment of financial compensation to those affected must be examined.

Report: Cases of Suspected Violence at the Imst Location Become Known

Shortly thereafter, five cases of suspected violence at the Imst location in Tyrol also became known, as recently reported by the "Tiroler Tageszeitung." The incidents reportedly concern the period from 2017 to 2020 and relate to the misconduct of two executives. The public prosecutor's office in Innsbruck is examining a possible initial suspicion. An internal study was also created for the cases in Tyrol, but it was not published.

Criticism from Social Councillor - Opposition Parties Call for Clarification

Social Councillor Eva Pawlata (SPÖ) expressed harsh criticism on Thursday towards ORF Tirol and the "Tiroler Tageszeitung" regarding the actions of those responsible at the time in the SOS Children's Village, describing it as a "system of cover-up". Cases reported by employees to management personnel did not come to light. "There were many levels where these incidents, which were actually required to be reported, then fizzled out," she told ORF. "The power structure was not visible from the outside," even though professional supervision or independent commissions - such as the Children's and Youth Advocacy - regularly visit the children. The future cooperation with the SOS Children's Village must now be discussed, but the termination of the contract was not on the table. A "comprehensive clarification" by the newly appointed commission under Irmgard Griss is now "urgently necessary," she told the "Tiroler Tageszeitung".

Meanwhile, the call for clarification had become loud from the opposition parties. Liste Fritz party leader Andrea Haselwanter-Schneider, for example, demanded stricter control mechanisms and appropriate compensation for those affected. "As a society, we have the responsibility to at least provide them with justice and support in retrospect," she said. FPÖ leader Markus Abwerzger, who is a lawyer by profession, saw the possibility of official liability claims by those affected. The public prosecutor's office must investigate the responsibility of the authorities and those politically responsible at the time.

As reported by the "Salzburger Nachrichten" on Wednesday, an investigation is also underway against a former employee of the SOS Children's Village Seekirchen. He is alleged to have abused two underage girls in 2020. The accused already has a relevant criminal record. He was legally convicted in October 2021 at the Salzburg Regional Court for sexual abuse of minors.

At that time, he received an eight-month suspended sentence and an unconditional fine because he had assaulted a minor girl between 2011 and 2013. After the conviction at that time, the employment relationship with the man was terminated. "It is very important for SOS Children's Village to emphasize that the former employee of the SOS Children's Village Seekirchen was no longer working for us at the time of his conviction," said the press office. Consequences were immediately drawn by the SOS Children's Village Seekirchen after the first report was made. The former employee was placed on leave and the employment relationship was terminated in the same year, it was said. No study was commissioned in Salzburg.

"Apparently, We Must Do Much More"

Managing Director Annemarie Schlack emphasized in a statement on Thursday that it is her "highest professional and personal concern that something like this never happens again in our organization". Much has been done since 2021, "but apparently, we must do much more," Schlack said.

In this context, reference was made to the ombuds offices for victim protection for former wards, the internal reporting office for child protection, and an anonymous whistleblowing platform set up according to international standards. "All affected persons, employees, and external individuals can use these channels to safely and - if desired - anonymously report grievances or suspicions," it was stated. The ombuds offices have also been increased by three specialists.

The reform commission of SOS Children's Village, appointed by the supervisory board and led by former OGH President Irmgard Griss, will fully convene on October 8. The organization emphasized on Thursday that independence is ensured by the structure of the commission. While the external experts of the commission conduct the investigations or commission further experts, the three members of the supervisory board in the commission have no right to intervene in the investigation and are responsible for implementing the recommendations.

(APA/Red)

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