In Scotland, several private establishments are involved for acts of physical, psychological and sexual abuse. A great investigation, under the name Scottish child abuse research It was launched in 2015 by the authorities, to establish and understand the scope of these abuses.
Among the interested schools, the Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh is remarkably involved for the abuses committed between the 1950s and early 2010, mainly in the boarding school. A report, published in June 2025 and presented by Lady Smith, shows that it was a real system implemented by several teachers.
The report questions eight people, seven men and 1 woman, two of whom are cited by name. According to Lady Smith, there was “a more or less continuous line of indecency and these abuses were” normalized for generations “, especially because” abusers were sometimes protected by tradition, antiquity or loyalty of the governors. “
Physical, psychological and sexual violence
In the document, several types of abuse committed. There have been sexual aggressions, by these teachers, but sometimes also among students.
The eight teachers involved are accused of “voyeurism, naked incentive, exhibitionism, as well as obscene and libidinous practices.” With regard to the teacher, “it was about encouraging older students to have sex with her,” the report specifies.
Some internship students were also victims of physical violence. “Two teachers are distinguished by their sadistic resource to corporal punishment, hitting them beyond the authorized limits and showing extreme violence. One of them acted despite their pastoral responsibilities. The seriousness of their blows was notable, but the school did not prevent him from committing them or sanctified it,” the document describes.
Students considered vulnerable
The report also mentions harassment among students. The children who were “perceived as different” were often vulnerable and victims of abuse.
“The most obvious difference that made a vulnerable child was his lack of sports skills, but abuses could also occur due to social status, lack of school capacities or physical differences.”
All these behaviors have been able to continue for decades due to a “lack of supervision”, but also due to “insufficiently critical” inspection reports, as the BBC points out.
The establishment apologizes
In 2014, one of the teachers involved committed suicide after learning about a police investigation. After this, there were many changes in the establishment.
“The school understood that continuous improvement was necessary. Human resources processes have been improved. The latest directors recognized that the old methods were wrong and that a total franchise was necessary,” the report said.
The establishment apologized for the abuse committed. “The report reveals a past of unacceptable abuse suffered by many alumni and highlights the lasting impact on their lives later. To all those who have suffered abuse, we present our most sincere and without reservations,” said the current director of the establishment, Jonathan Anderson.
Source: BFM TV
