Berlin – The groundbreaking ceremony by Swedish Queen Silvia (80) is not only a sign of her tireless commitment, it is a promise: HERE children who have suffered unimaginable things will find a place of refuge …
A place that Rosie (now 21) would have longed for four years ago when she decided to take the courageous step of bringing the perpetrator of the attack on her to justice. What the young woman had to go through was a long and difficult road. Other children and young people affected by sexual violence should be spared this in the future: That is why the Childhood House is being built!
Trainee Rosie (21) was herself a victim of sexual violence. At the groundbreaking ceremony, the young woman spoke about her experience with the investigators and the long road to her statement
Photo: Christian Spreitz
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The groundbreaking ceremony on the grounds of the Virchow Clinic of the Charité (Berlin-Wedding) made Queen Silvia of Sweden on Thursday. 25 years ago she had Childhood-Foundation founded. “A heart for children“ supports children who have experienced violence and abuse. For years, the BILD aid organization has been supporting the construction of Childhood Houses in Germany and, among other things, contributes to the furnishing costs.
Childhood House as a refuge for children
The Childhood House is an outpatient facility where victims of crime are carefully cared for in a protected space
Inside the facility, which is scheduled to open next year, Kinder and young people are cared for by psychologists and the trauma clinic, and examined by doctors in a child-friendly environment so that the evidence can be secured and documented in a court-proof manner.
25 years ago, Queen Silvia founded the World Childhood Foundation
Photo: Christian Spreitz
Bernd Oeltermann from the board of the BILD aid organization “Ein Herz für Kinder” met Queen Silvia of Sweden on the eve of the Childhood House groundbreaking ceremony at a dinner of the Swedish Embassy
Photo: Private
Police and judges should also be able to question the child in a safe place. The questioning will be recorded on video and can be shown at the main hearing before Directed This way, the child would not have to relive his trauma every time he makes a new statement.
“The Childhood House should be a place that ensures that children emerge stronger from all clarification processes,” emphasised Queen Silvia of Sweden at the ceremony.
A big step for everyone: The groundbreaking ceremony for the Childhood House in Berlin
Photo: Christian Spreitz
Rosie: “I felt very uncomfortable”
Rosie, who had not yet been cared for according to the Childhood concept, reports: “Immediately after the crime, I told a friend.” She encouraged her to go to the police. Then her ordeal began. “I waited a long time at the police station, then three men came. I sat alone in the room with the three men and felt very uncomfortable.”
“I feel much better today,” she says. She has started her dream training as a kindergarten teacher
Photo: Christian Spreitz
Back to life thanks to trauma clinic
And she continued: “I wasn’t given much attention and I wasn’t offered a break, no water, nothing.” After that, interviews were often postponed. “The traumatic experiences kept coming back,” Rosie said.
With the help of her family and the Charité Trauma Clinic, Rosie has now found her joy in life again.
Full of joy, Rosie shows the bracelet that Queen Silvia gave her after her moving speech
Photo: Christian Spreitz
In Berlin alone, around 1,000 children and young people were victims of sexual violence last year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are around one million minors in Germany who have been affected at some point.
The groundbreaking ceremony has now taken place precisely for them: for a new wooden building with a green roof and child-friendly furnishings, a place where they can feel safe again.
At “Ein Herz für Kinder” every cent donated goes directly to children’s aid projects
Photo: A Heart for Children
If you would like to support “A Heart for Children” in its efforts to combat child abuse and help abused children, please donate to:
Recipient: BILD hilft eV A Heart for Children
IBAN: DE60 2007 0000 0067 6767 00
BIC: DEUTDEHH
Or donate online at www.ein-herz-fuer-kinder.de or at www.paypal.me/einherzfuerkinder
