A landmark inquiry report revealed that thousands of people have suffered abuse in New Zealand's care homes over the last seven decades.
According to BBC, an investigation found that some 200,000 children, young people, and vulnerable adults, whether in the state or faith-based care in New Zealand, have gone through in the last 70 years.
As per the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry’s final report based on six years of investigation on the experiences of around 3,000 people, one in every three has suffered abuse in the care home, including rape, child labor, and electric shock, from 2009 to 2019.
Over 2,300 survivors spoke to the inquiry, and it was discovered that ‘abuses and neglect almost always started from the first day.’
Moreover, the report also found that survivors from Maori and Pacific bear the highest levels of physical abuse and are ‘degraded because of their ethnicity and skin color.’
The report said, “Many survivors died while they were in care or by suicide following care. For others, the impacts of abuse are ongoing and compounding, making everyday activities and choices challenging.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon apologized for the finding after the publishing of the report and called it ‘a dark and sorrowful day in New Zealand’s history as a society.’
