Family Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) and Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) spoke on Saturday about the case of abuse at a Viennese secondary school, which is becoming increasingly common. The sexual assaults on mainly underage boys over the years by a sports teacher who may have had two accomplices “shows a shocking systemic failure of all involved Viennese authorities,” Raab said.
“How is it possible that a complaint was lodged years ago, but there have been no investigations? How is it that the Vienna Ministry of Education knew about it for years, but did not provide a full explanation and the accused teacher could continue to work in sports clubs and holiday camps?” Raab wondered on a broadcast, calling for “100% education and stricter laws when it comes to who takes care of our children.” It is still possible for convicted sex offenders to work in childcare and working in holiday camps: “It’s not only absurd, it’s dangerous.”
Protecting children as “absolute priority”
“There must be zero tolerance for sexual violence. The current ongoing investigation is bringing to light more and more suspected abuse cases in Vienna and apparently proves a systemic flaw in the federal capital,” said Education Minister Polaschek. It is a “personal concern” for him to protect children from any kind of abuse. abuse: “Therefore, the protection of children and the full investigation of these alleged acts must be an absolute priority.”
He points out that extensive measures have been taken in the past with many partners to prevent abuse in educational institutions, from special training for teachers to pedagogical teaching materials and support for teachers through school psychology and psychosocial support materials. “In the future, we will continue to do everything we can to prevent sexual violence and take strong action against any form of abuse,” Polaschek said.
Advertisement “sanded”
The case of the sports teacher, now under investigation by one of the Viennese education authorities dating back to 1996, is not limited to the federal capital. The teacher, who committed suicide in the spring of 2019 after a former student had reported him and extensive child pornography material had been seized during a search, during the summer months as a supervisor at a holiday camp for children and young people on Lake Wolfgang. . Attacks were probably also committed here – a former participant had already reported the sports teacher in 2013, but his report “froze” even though the pedagogue was questioned as a suspect by the Lower Austrian State Criminal Investigation Department.
Two alleged accomplices
The physical education teacher was therefore able to continue his work undisturbed in a Viennese sports club, where he held a leading position, and there may also have been attacks on underage boys. In connection with this, a victim’s lawyer made a complaint on Monday against two close acquaintances or friends of the sports teacher, who acted at the club as a basketball coach or as a supervisor in other sports.
The younger of the two was only elected vice president last December. After the allegations became known, the Sportunion has relieved him of all positions until further notice. The basketball coach has long been out of the club and may have disappeared from the basketball court since mid-2019 after the Vienna Basketball Association (WBV) found out that the man had repeatedly gotten too close to his young athletes physically and reported it to the police. from Vienna.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
