Lithuanian authorities investigate sexual harassment complaint from 14-year-old in care

A 14-year-old girl in a socialisation centre in Gruzdžiai has filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment by a 60-year-old janitor, LRT.lt reports. The girl claims the man touched her chest and made sexual advances.

Her father, Remigijus, reported the incident to police in May, but authorities initially refused to open a pre-trial investigation. After two rejections and two appeals to the prosecutor, police finally launched the probe.

The girl’s lawyer, Jonas Nekrašius, confirmed the investigation is now underway.

Meanwhile, staff at the Kuniūnai socialisation centre have responded with scepticism. According to Kristina Mišinienė, head of the Centre for Combating Human Trafficking and Exploitation, employees described the girl in extremely negative terms, suggesting she dressed in an overly sexual manner the day after the alleged incident, as if to justify it.

“I don’t know if the incident happened or not—that needs to be clarified. But I’m shocked by how they talk about the girl. It feels like they see her as the worst, most uneducated child, and everyone is taking the employee’s side. I can’t imagine how they can re-educate anyone with that attitude,” Mišinienė said.

The girl has a history of trauma, including substance abuse, anger issues, and a background of neglect. She has experienced sexual and physical abuse, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. Her family situation is complex: her parents separated when she was two, and she has lived with both her mother and father at different times. She is currently under temporary guardianship at the Kuršėnai Family Home, with a civil case underway to restrict both parents’ custody rights.

The socialisation centre has declined to comment on the case. The girl’s identity and her family members’ full names are being withheld to protect her privacy.