Shelter faces closure over child abuse complaints
A children’s shelter in Attica was made inactive over Easter upon government order after complaints of abuse last September.
It is the first time an institution of this type has been closed in Greece. Short of being shut down altogether, it has been denied funding and children have been removed.
The shutdown came after Deputy Labor and Social Affairs Minister Domna Michailidou filed an indictment shortly before the end of 2021 and an internal disciplinary probe was launched regarding the complaints involving five children which the institution’s administration had not investigated.
The complaints include sexual acts between boys aged 7 to 11 in front of staff, physical violence in a “punishment” room, and children being administered expired drugs.
The institution also reportedly housed more children than it officially stated. At the same time, it accepted children of all ages, although its operating license was only for ages 2.5-4.
