[Hungary] Child hunting with air-soft rifle: shocking torture reported by former residents of Kalocsa children’s home

Two former residents of the Kalocsa children’s home decided to report their stories of torture and abuse suffered while they lived there. Two supervisors of the home also commented anonymously on the atrocities taking place within the walls of the institution.

Both former residents of the children’s home and the supervisors have described in great detail the physical and verbal abuse that home residents have suffered for decades. The newspaper asked the EMMI’s Directorate-General for Social Affairs and Child Welfare to comment the matter, but they stated that, apart from one case in 2018, they are not aware of any further cases.

The home employs more than 30 supervisors and more than forty children live within the walls of the institution. In theory, children can seek help from the child rights representative, but in practice, their telephone and internet access is limited and supervised.

At the request of 24.hu, the ombudsman’s office sent its 2016 report, which was launched after the report of a former employee. The study states that the qualifications of educators and supervisors working in the home are insufficient, they use cigarettes and a reward for the kids, slap on the face, and hitting the palm with a keyring are seen as educational tools and not as abuse.  The ombudsman did not turn to the police after this finding, because it is required that “the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and his staff to directly witness or suspect the commission of a crime during their on-the-spot inquires”.

The children’s home director did not answer the questions addressed to him.