Abused monastery children denied compensation for forced labor on appeal
The Amsterdam Court of Appeal has rejected a compensation claim from a group of women who alleged they were subjected to forced labor at Good Shepherd convents between 1951 and 1979. The court ruled that the claims were legally time-barred, failing to meet the requirements necessary to overcome the statute of limitations.
The Amsterdam Court of Appeal has ruled against a group of women seeking compensation for forced labor performed at Good Shepherd convents in the Netherlands. Between 1951 and 1979, the nineteen claimants were placed in institutions including Huize Maria Immaculata in Bloemendaal, where they were subjected to long hours of manual work. While experts supported the claim that the treatment constituted forced labor, the court maintained its previous decision that the legal window for seeking damages has expired.
The judges concluded that the case does not meet the specific criteria required to bypass the statute of limitations, rejecting the argument that the trauma only became apparent much later in life. Although the women previously attempted to challenge the lower court's dismissal of the case, the appellate court upheld the original ruling. Consequently, the former residents will not receive any compensation for the hardships they endured while living under the care of the sisters.
Based on reporting by rss. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
