More abuse claims about Ark of the World expected

Amid expectations that more reports are yet to come, police and prosecution authorities have so far received testimonies of at least two incidents of sexual abuse of young boys by a prominent member of the well-known children’s charity Ark of the World (Kivotos tou Kosmou).

The first concerns a complaint by a 19-year-old who was previously hosted in the charity’s facilities and allegedly fell victim to sexual exploitation in 2021. He gave a detailed statement to the police child protection division on Wednesday night regarding a certain member of the NGO and the sexual abuse he was subjected to by the same person.

On Friday a second statement was given to the Attica Police by a boy who lives at one of the NGO’s facilities on the eastern Aegean island of Chios. He witnessed the sexual abuse of an underage roommate by the same person that the 19-year-old had reported. 

The incident on Chios occurred in 2021 but the eyewitness refrained from testifying at the time to the police, apparently out of fear.

However, the case’s publicity and the launch of a preliminary examination has created a new environment, with police and Citizens’ Protection Ministry officials estimating that the number of complaints for abusive behavior will increase. 

As Kathimerini has already revealed, the investigation was launched five months ago by the Ombudsman during an inquiry into administrative irregularities. In the intervening period, the Ombudsman’s staff received the first of two complaints of sexual abuse. They forwarded it to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which in turn ordered law enforcement authorities to launch a preliminary investigation. 

However on Friday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office asked for the case file back, signaling dismay with the publicity given to the case.

Referring to the complaints of abuse, Citizens’ Protection Minister Takis Theodorikakos stressed that “the law is the law and applies to everyone.”

On Thursday, the charity issued a statement saying it had no knowledge of allegations of child sexual abuse at one of its facilities but would assist in the investigation of them.

“We unequivocally condemn such incidents and assure that the Ark of the World and its social services will assist the authorities in investigating the claims,” it said.