Violence and Abuse Over Years: Serious Allegations Against Carinthian SOS Children's Village

In an SOS Children's Village in Carinthia, children are said to have been beaten, tortured, and abused by educators until a few years ago, according to research by the Vienna weekly newspaper "Falter". The minors are said to have been locked up and photographed naked, as stated in the publication on Tuesday. The allegations are said to have been covered up. SOS Children's Village spoke in a statement of "misconduct and violence by educational professionals and leaders".

SOS Children's Village commissioned the study itself

According to "Falter", the location affected is Moosburg near Klagenfurt. The information from the weekly newspaper comes from a study that SOS Children's Village itself commissioned. However, the years-old results have not been published to this day.

"The suffering that children experienced in the care of SOS Children's Village deeply affects us. Findings from the study and from numerous other internal review measures show that mistakes were made at the Moosburg location and that we were not always able to fully ensure the protection of children," said the NGO in a statement to the APA.

Beatings, bites, and deprivation of food and water for the children

The "Falter" quotes from the study that an educator had nude photos of children on his private laptop. A children's village mother is said to have locked a girl in her room every night for three years, and children are said to have been punished with deprivation of food and water. For example, a water tap is said to have been dismantled. The educator watched the children while showering "to prevent secret drinking," quotes the "Falter" from the study. The defenseless minors are also said to have been bitten and beaten.

A children's village director is said to have been informed about the incidents and documented them. But instead of helping the minors, he himself is said to have been violent towards them, according to the study.

Pedagogical Misconduct Between 2008 and 2020

SOS Children's Villages reported having investigated a "comprehensive review process" of several cases that occurred between 2008 and 2020. In 2020, an external accompaniment was brought in at the request of management to analyze the structures and developments at the Moosburg site from an "external perspective." The Institute for Men's and Gender Research was commissioned with the study.

According to the statement, the organization apologizes to all those affected, some of whom have already undergone a victim protection process. Compensation payments and the financing of therapy sessions have also been granted. "We cannot undo the past, but we want to make a gesture of reparation."

"Structural Changes" as a Consequence

SOS Children's Villages wants to refute the accusation that there was no review. A "comprehensive processing" was initiated in 2020, part of which was the study cited by "Falter." According to SOS Children's Villages, measures for the site were derived from this.

"The missed reports were made up, SOS Children's Villages parted ways with executives, and the allegations were comprehensively reviewed with the help of external support. Structural changes were made at the site," the statement said. In 2021, a new management structure was implemented, among other things. The review took place in close cooperation with the client, the child and youth welfare service of the state of Carinthia. Additionally, there was a several-month admission stop for the Moosburg site. "The child and youth welfare service evaluated SOS Children's Villages in pedagogical as well as economic matters. In December 2020, the admission stop was officially lifted," said SOS Children's Villages.

A request from APA to the Carinthian child and youth welfare service's responsible councilor, Sara Schaar (SPÖ), remained unanswered for the time being.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.