Austrian women allege mass rapes at foster home
Summary of story from CBS News, October 18, 2011
Further evidence has come to light regarding the allegations that systematic rape occurred at a government-run foster home in Vienna, for over four decades.
Austrian lawyer Thomas Oelboeck has been representing two sisters claiming they and 18 other girls were raped for years at the Schloss Wilhelminenberg home, which shut in 1977.
A third woman has come forward this week claiming she was also victimised decades ago as well.
“This woman, around 70 years old, reports the same series of abuse and rape as my clients,” Oelboeck told reporters. “Furthermore, this woman speaks of (two) deaths that occurred in the years 1948-1953 in great detail.”
The third woman claimed all of the girls had their ‘turn’ with the men. They would sometimes rape the girls over several nights in a row and then stay away for weeks before returning.
“We never talked about it at the home because our shame was so great, along with the pain, the insufferable pain,” she said.
Asked if money changed hands between foster home personnel and the men who allegedly victimised the girls, the woman said that it was possible.
Municipal authorities have pledged to set up an independent commission to investigate the claims.
Whilst acknowledging some children were seriously mistreated, they say it is unlikely that the claims of mass rapes now surfacing could have been kept from the public for decades.
They also say that even if the crimes can be proven and perpetrators found, the statute of limitations mean the cases cannot be pursued.
Oelboeck disputes this, adding that the fault lies with officials who “took too much time to process what happened.”