"9 Years in Orphanage": Testimony of a Girl Who Survived Abuse and Silence

A Syrian girl who lived at the Dar al-Rahma orphanage in Damascus revealed that she and other children were subjected to systematic abuse for years, stressing that what was revealed in 2019 was only the "tip of the iceberg" of what was happening behind closed doors.

The girl, who left the orphanage in 2013 after spending nine years there, said that physical and psychological abuse was a common practice inside the orphanage, practiced by well-known supervisors, including Farida, Maysaa, Fatima, Marwa, and Ibtisam.

She noted that "Mother Maysaa," who was in charge at the time of the infamous beating of a young girl in 2019, participated in covering up the incident at the time. She confirmed that the child was transferred out of the orphanage by order of the Director of Social Affairs, with the knowledge of Baraa al-Ayoubi.

You can listen to the audio file.

The witness confirmed that the supervisors brought many children, often without anyone visiting them. She added, "Frankly, I cannot confirm when the abuses began or where the children came from, but I would see girls and boys entering, and no one would ask about them."

She continued, "Beating, threatening, insulting, and confining them to rooms... were daily occurrences. Some supervisors specifically targeted girls."

The girl reiterated her willingness to testify in full before any independent human rights or media organization, saying, "I am a witness, and I testify strongly. Silence is enough. What happened at Dar al-Rahma is a crime against childhood."

On September 19, 2019, Zaman al-Wasl published a special report revealing that girls at Dar al-Rahma were subjected to violence, sparking a wave of anger at the time. The case was later contained without any clear accountability for those responsible.

This new testimony reopens the case and raises long-delayed questions about the reality of what was happening inside institutions supposedly established to protect children, not harm them.

If you are a victim of Dar Al Rahma or any other orphanage, or if you have documented testimony of violations, please contact Zaman al-Wasl through official channels.