Employee at Hyogo facility for disabled people dismissed for assaulting multiple residents

Written with extracts translated from NHK

September 24 2020

NISHINOMIYA – A male employee in his thirties working at a support facility for persons with disabilities in Nishinomiya City has been disciplined and dismissed for repeated abuses such as hitting multiple residents and holding their face against the floor.

According to Nishinomiya City, in July, a male employee in his thirties said, “There is a bruise on the face of the resident” at the “Nishinomiya Sunago Medical Welfare Center,” a support facility for people with severe intellectual and physical disabilities.

When the facility checked the camera in the room, it was found that the employee was roughly changing the position of the sleeping male resident and hitting his face against the floor.

Examining the footage left on the camera for about a month, the male staff repeatedly abused a total of 10 residents, including riding on their bellies, blocking their mouths, and kicking their limbs.

When the city received a report from the facility and conducted an on-site investigation, the employee admitted the abuse and said, “I did it because of work stress,” and the facility was dismissed as a disciplinary measure by the 24th.

Ken Kotani, the secretary general of the facility, said, “I am very sorry to the users, family members, and related parties as a person who should protect the lives, lives, and dignity of people with serious disabilities. We will make improvements as soon as possible.”