English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Art. 1 Purpose, scope and subject matter
1 The aim of this Act is to acknowledge and redress the injustice suffered by victims of compulsory social measures and placements in Switzerland prior to 1981. 2 It also applies to persons affected by measures arranged prior to 1981 but implemented thereafter. 3 It regulates: a. the solidarity contribution for the benefit of victims; b. the archiving and inspection of files; c. counselling and support for the persons affected; d. the academic inquiry and measures to raise public awareness; e. further measures in the interests of the persons affected.
Art. 2 Definitions
In this Act: a. compulsory social measures means measures for the protection or raising of children, adolescents or adults arranged by public authorities in Switzerland prior to 1981 and implemented by such authorities or on their behalf and under their supervision; b. placement means the placing arranged by public authorities or private individuals of children and adolescents outside their families in homes or institutions, with foster families, or in commercial or agricultural workplaces prior to 1981 in Switzerland; c. person affected means a persons affected by compulsory social measures or placements; d. victim means persons affected whose physical, psychological or sexual integrity or mental development was directly and seriously impaired, in particular through: 1. physical or psychological violence, 2. sexual abuse, 3. forced removal of a child from his or her mother and release for adoption, 4. forced or surreptitious administration of medication or medical experimentation, 5.
Art. 3 Acknowledgement of the injustice
The Confederation acknowledges that the victims suffered injustice that affected their entire lives.