SOS Children's Villages Confronts Historic Abuse Scandal
SOS Children's Villages, a global charity, revealed that its founder, Hermann Gmeiner, committed sexual and physical abuse over decades. The organization paid compensation to eight victims and continues to investigate. It acknowledged further reports of mistreatment at its centers and aims to reform its practices and rebuild trust.
- Country:
- Austria
SOS Children's Villages has disclosed that its founder, Hermann Gmeiner, engaged in sexual and physical abuse over many years, uncovering eight cases with compensation paid to victims. This revelation comes amid ongoing allegations against the charity.
In recent developments, additional victims and employees have approached the organization as it intensifies investigations into both historical and recent allegations. The abuse cases, linked to four unnamed Austrian locations, spanned from the 1950s to the 1980s.
While compensation payments to victims ranged from 5,000 to 25,000 euros, the charity remains committed to transparency. It has promised to hand over all documents to an independent inquiry commission as it seeks to rebuild trust and ensure the safety of children in its care.
Google News