Regarding the lack of care and concern on the part of the state for two minors in a vulnerable position, girls, says “K” Othonas Papadopoulos, lawyer for the mother of a 14-year-old who became a victim of pimping while living in a children’s shelter in Nea Smyrni.

The case came to light a month ago and led to the prosecution of three men for mincest, sexual acts with minors and child pornography.

Domino events have led to the fact that a 14-year-old girl has been in the Athens Children’s Hospital for almost a month, and her 17-year-old sister has again disappeared from the building. According to Mr. Papadopoulos, inability to look after underage girls stay in the structure under consideration continues, despite the large size that the matter has assumed.

“The phenomenon of continuous disappearances from the building has reached an unstoppable level, while a 14-year-old girl, along with other minor children, is in an unsuitable environment, in a hospital,” says Mr. Papadopoulos and continues: in an even more difficult position. Last Tuesday (04/18/2023) in the morning he requested and received permission to leave the facility. He was supposed to return at 20.00, but did not return. The next day she was reported missing, and the next day she was reported missing. Children are exposed“.

A missing persons alert for a 17-year-old was issued in March last year (dated 03.08.2023). Mr. Papadopoulos says her mother is now deeply concerned about her safety and physical integrity.

As he describes, the 17-year-old girl disappears as often as her 14-year-old sister, “systemically”, at regular intervals, and “last September she was absent from the structure for a full three weeks.”

It is noted that a specific structure in Nea Smyrni has long-term and various problems in its operation. 2013just a year after it began operating as a child protection unit exclusively for teenage girls, three girls began writing complaint that a man working in the department as a social worker insulted them. The case ended in 2018, and the man was acquitted.

Also in 2013 civil lawyer launched a five-year investigation following reports received from juveniles residing in the institution. The conclusion came in 2018. Among the main ones, for example,objects identified by an independent body at the timewas that the size of the building, the heterogeneity of the guests and the severity of their problems, as well as the problems of staff cooperation led to a malfunction of the device.

However, the most important issue was and remains the constant antics of the girls living in the building; They have been celebrated for more than a decade and, as police sources told K, are considered “voluntary” and last from several hours to several days.

As regards the criminal part of the pimping case, the case materials have just been completed and are “sent” to the prosecutor’s office. Two men said to be the 14-year-old’s pimps have been taken into custody, while a third, the girl’s client, continues to be hunted.

Application to the juvenile prosecutor’s office

Mr. Papadopoulos emphasizes that, in addition to the two sisters, their mother is also in a difficult situation, who is currently unable to take care of them, as she herself is the victim of systematic abuse by her ex-husband, who is currently also is responsible for the physical abuse of his 14-year-old daughter.

Since the mother is not yet able to take care of the two minors living in the building in New Smyrni, as she is looking for a job, went today with Mr. Papadopoulos to the juvenile prosecutor’s office.

There, the mother’s legal representative requested that the two sisters be moved to a closed guard facility as soon as possible so that they would be protected. “The response we got is that there is a lot of fullness in the structures, that there is a wait, and that there is currently no way to complete the request,” Mr. Papadopoulos notes.

As for the situation in the hospital, where a 14-year-old teenager is kept for about a month, according to Mr. Papadopoulos, this is no less problematic.

Children stuck in hospitals

For the age-old problem of minors who must be removed from the dangerous environment and transferred by order of the prosecutor to children’s hospitals spoke to “K” about Municipality of Constantinopoulos, chairman of the workers of the Children’s Church of St. Sophia. According to Mr. Konstantinopoulos, during this period 16 children are in this hospital. As he describes, their number is constantly changing, while there are periods when it increases dangerously. “We have pointed out many times and in all tones how hospitals are not the place for children to live in, who must be removed from an unsuitable environment.”

However, on the other hand, it is necessary to make sure that the environment in which they will move will be suitable. “In children’s hospitals, they are examined and looked after by child psychiatrists and social workers. Unfortunately, they often get stuck in our hospitals for a long time. Especially if they have health problems, many structures do not accept them at all. These kids can be stuck in the hospital for years.”

It is noted that, according to POEDIN, 25 children survived Easter a few days ago in three children’s hospitals in Attica, and several more in children’s clinics of general hospitals.