When humanity expires
Today is the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse. The reminder seems almost redundant in the flood of abuse cases that have been coming to light in recent months. The most recent concerns allegations of sexual abuse made by boys who were wards of the Ark of the World charity’s shelters. The Athens Prosecutor’s Office has ordered a preliminary inquiry.
There are more than 1,400 children in Greece who are growing up in shelters created for their protection. The deputy labor minister who is responsible for social welfare, Domna Michailidou, made sure that a set of standards and rules governing how such facilities operate was introduced, in a first for the country. Some people did not like that; in fact, they reacted to the move.
Michailidou is committed to deinstitutionalization by bolstering the fostering system. She also supports the establishment – and bankrolling – of programs like semi-independent living facilities where older teenagers and young adults can make the transition from shelters to small apartments.
“Public facilities are slow because they are understaffed and bogged down in red tape, but they do deinstitutionalize the children. Private and church facilities tend, by and large, to treat the children as a means of attracting donations,” Michailidou told Kathimerini in an interview in May.
It is clear from all the different information we have that the issue is complex and runs deep. It’s not much of a stretch to assume that among the hundreds of facilities for children operating without rules and inspections, many were and are doing anything but providing protection. How many stories remain untold? How many abusers have gone and are going unpunished? The fact that it’s something that happens everywhere in the world – abusers becoming members of staff to have “easy access” – is no excuse.
There is one thing, however, that is widely understood: Despite what is said, there is a growing acceptance of the fact that children will always be the most vulnerable members of our population and the targets of sundry perverted and sadistic tendencies.
In their testimonies to Kathimerini yesterday, three youngsters staying at Ark of the World shelters mentioned how one of their daily tasks is changing the labels on food products that had expired and were destined to be donated to people in need.
Does that seem irrelevant? Not at all. Because it points to expired humanity.
