The management of the educational and rehabilitation center in the Lviv region committed psychological, physical and sexual violence against children
Ukraine has repeatedly declared its commitment to protecting the rights of children and their best interests, but in practice these commitments often remain only on paper. Stories about violence against children in educational and rehabilitation centers are not only terrible facts that destroy the lives of the most vulnerable, but also evidence of deep problems in the child rights protection system. The case that happened in the educational and rehabilitation center in Lviv Region, where the management of the institution, instead of care and rehabilitation, carried out psychological, physical and sexual violence against children, who were already in difficult life circumstances, is particularly disturbing. This reminds us that even in such institutions, which are supposed to be a haven of safety and development, a real hell can hide for pets.
On September 28, the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets stated, that he received information about possible physical, psychological and sexual violence against children by the director of an educational and rehabilitation institution in the Lviv region.
“As a matter of urgency, I initiated a monitoring visit, which was attended by representatives of the National Social Service of Ukraine and partners – psychologists from the Charity Fund “Voices of Children” and “SOS Children’s Villages”.
The facility we visited accommodates the most vulnerable categories of children: orphans, children deprived of parental care, children in difficult life circumstances, and children with special educational needs. We have recorded children’s testimonies that the director of the institution performed sexual acts against the female students, publicly humiliated them, and also threatened to beat them and commit them to a psychiatric hospital for “bad behavior” or violation of the daily routine.
The children complained that they were systematically told: “No one needs you”, “Your parents are drunkards”, “You are sick”, “Nothing good will come of you”. The attitude of employees led by the director towards children as “sick”, disabled – “they have a diagnosis, they are inadequate”, which made their further development and rehabilitation impossible.
Particularly shocking is the fact that over the past six months, children and others acting in their interests have made complaints to the National Police, local children’s services and the Department of Education, but have not received any response. On the contrary, for every complaint about the conditions of detention or the behavior of the staff of the institution, the children were beaten with sticks and humiliated.
After the monitoring visit, representatives of the National Police of Ukraine and the prosecutor’s office were called to the place, who, under the pressure of those present, began to document the facts of the violations. As a result of the response, criminal proceedings were opened under Part 3 of Article 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: “sexual violence against a minor”. – said Lubinets.
All of the children who testified were immediately removed from the facility and are safe.
“From Monday, I will initiate a high-level meeting involving representatives of the Lviv Regional Government, law enforcement agencies, and relevant ministries, because the inaction of the agencies that are supposed to protect the rights of the child is a crime. And the child needs immediate unconditional protection, not the abuser.
I will ensure that the investigation impartially and quickly examines the facts revealed during the monitoring visit and is on the side of protecting the rights and best interests of the child, and the result will be the prosecution of anyone who became a child abuser or did not respond with knowledge of the violation.
First of all, the principle of inevitability of punishment of persons who have caused harm and violated the rights of children, whose protection the state should stand for, must work. And my main goal is to ensure the safety of children and their belief in justice. All this must be done with respect for the child and the implementation of the principles of child-friendly justice.
Every child should be heard! And all those who commit violence against children should be punished.
Protection of children’s rights remains my priority and I will do everything possible to ensure that justice becomes a strong foundation for Ukraine!”, Lubinets said.
