Youngsters were hit with implements such as leather straps, crucifixes and a dog’s lead at Smyllum Park orphanage in Lanark, as well as at Bellevue House in Rutherglen, the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) concluded.
Chair Lady Smith said being hit was “a normal aspect of daily life” for some children, and they found no love, compassion, dignity or comfort at the two institutions run by the nuns of the Catholic order the Daughters of Charity (DoC) of St Vincent de Paul.
The inquiry further reported that children were sexually abused at Smyllum.
“Children were sexually abused by priests, a trainee priest, Sisters, members of staff and a volunteer,” Lady Smith said.
Children at the homes also suffered punishments for wetting the bed, emotional abuse, force-feeding and abusive bathing routines, the inquiry said.
The findings are contained in the first interim report from the SCAI, which is examining historical allegations of the abuse of children in care and started public hearings in May 2017.
From the end of November last year, the inquiry heard evidence over 20 days from 54 witnesses about their experiences at Smyllum and Bellevue, which closed in 1981 and 1961, respectively. Some 21 written statements were also submitted to the probe.
Issuing her findings on the DoC case study, Lady Smith said: “To children, ‘home’ should mean a safe place where they know they will…
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