SOS Children's Villages: New Allegations in Abuse Suspicion Case Involving Major Donor
The "Falter" accuses the long-time former president of SOS Children's Village Austria, Helmut Kutin, who died in 2024, as well as the managing director Christian Moser, who was placed on leave in early October, of being complicit in this case.
The "Falter" refers in its article to an email from 2017 that was leaked to the editorial team, which indicates that Kutin had promised the major donor three nights in an SOS training camp in Nepal, where children from the children's village were staying. Kutin was reportedly already informed about the man's sexual inclinations at that time, according to internal documents. Furthermore, a visitation ban had been in place at the SOS Children's Village in Nepal for two years due to sexual assaults.
Knowledge "since at least 2015"
"The bosses in Austria had knowledge of abuse allegations 'since at least 2015' according to an internal report," the "Falter" continues. The weekly magazine sought confirmation of any complicity from SOS Children's Village, which responded in a statement with the note "We do not name individuals in the ongoing review process."
The case involving the major donor became public at the end of 2022. It was revealed at that time that the man, who was already deceased, was suspected of sexually abusing children under care during his visits to Nepal. According to the then statements from SOS Children's Village Austria, he traveled there from 2010 to 2014 because he co-financed the construction of a village - in the high six-figure euro range. He was reported to the public prosecutor's office in St. Pölten in 2021. Eight minors were affected, the boys are now young adults, according to the then managing director, Elisabeth Hauser.
In March 2023, the Independent Child Protection Commission (ICC) led by Waltraud Klasnic delivered a final report on the allegations. "We must admit that the well-being and protection of the children were not always the top priority. The interests of the donor and his goodwill partly came at the expense of the children," Hauser said at the presentation.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.