Shocking report – Commission discovers abuse at SOS Children’s Villages

In total, there were 189 reports of physical or emotional abuse, invasion of privacy and sexual violence. This is evident from the committee’s final report, which has now been presented.

In so-called SOS Children’s Villages, children whose parents cannot care for them for various reasons can still grow up in a family environment. According to the report, a large proportion (about 40 percent) of the reported border violations and attacks took place in families in children’s villages.

An equally large proportion took place in intramural housing in residential groups with day and night care. When a case is reported, several people can be affected. On the other hand, there are also suspected cases that have not yet been confirmed or are still awaiting clarification.

Victims criticize emotional coldness
Those affected reported – as the report states – the lack of people they could trust, or the emotional coldness shown to them by village mothers of children or other professionals. Some children were excluded from groups, others reported being stuck for days or even weeks.

But the list of accusations is even longer: according to the report, other children were locked in the basement as punishment. Some had to stand still for a long time and look at a box or the wall. A girl placed in an SOS foster home screamed for hours during nights in the basement and was “terrified”.

Sexual violence continued for years
The majority of those affected also reported physical violence: some were excessively beaten by village mothers or village leaders of children. Others spoke of ‘being hit in the face, being pushed back and forth, being held down by force, having their hair pulled or being punched as they passed by’.

According to the report, allegations of sexual assault range from lewd comments about sexual touching “to serious sexual abuse and rape, some of which occurred over many years by employees or other caregivers.” The attacks occurred “in a web of power, emotional dependence, shame and fear of punishment.”

The research period runs from 1976 to 2023
Many of the examples mentioned date from decades ago. The newspaper also contains reports of attacks by those affected over the past twenty years. According to the report, in half of all cases the injustice was committed by association staff, and in 20 percent by other young people in care. Other cases affected multiple groups of people.

In concrete terms, the figures mentioned refer to the period from 1976 to June 2023. There are currently 38 branches in Germany and a total of approximately 5,000 employees.

Attacks continue to this day
The chairman of the committee, Klaus Schäfer, explained: “Border violations and attacks on the children entrusted to their care have occurred not only in the past, but also recently to this day in the SOS children’s villages .” a basis for further processing, which should be characterized by sympathetic remembrance, explanation and recognition of the suffering of those affected.

The chairperson of SOS Children’s Villages eV, Sabina Schutter, assured that the committee’s recommendations would be adopted and implemented. The report clearly shows that “SOS Children’s Villages has had to deal with injustice, abuse of power and border crossings since its founding almost seventy years ago.”

“We are deeply shocked by the events and sincerely apologize to all those affected,” Schutter emphasizes. “We did not always listen carefully enough, did not take all complaints seriously and did not respond adequately. We take responsibility for that.”

SOS Children’s Villages: “Every case is one too many”
The processing is also not yet completed. “We pledge: We will promptly and comprehensively investigate any report of injustice that is or has been brought to our attention and act in the interests of those affected. Because every case is one too many,” she says.

The association itself appointed the committee, which has now presented its report. One reason was a study that made headlines in early October 2021 for suggesting that two caregivers were making “border crossings” at a children’s village in Bavaria.