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No country is without sin. And nobody has a clean slate. There are a lot of unpalatable secrets lurking in any country’s history and present. Even though it might be uncomfortable dragging them into the spotlight, acknowledging these less-than-savory facts is the first step to solving the issues in the first place.

The redditors living in Europe opened up about the dark facts about their home countries in a brutally honest thread over on r/AskEurope. These facts might not be for everyone, so fair warning, some of the things you might read are darker than dark.

If you’d like to share some lesser-known dark secrets about your home country, Pandas, you can do so in the comment section once you’re done reading this list.

#1

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Spain.

During the Francoist regime, many single mothers were told their newborn children were dead. They weren’t allowed to see the corpse, and the baby, which wasn’t dead, was given to a married couple. Many years later, the graves of many of these supposedly dead babies were found to be empty. This was done with the absolute cooperation of the Catholic church.

alexblmz , Kat J Report

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Ivan Stojnov
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not just given. SOLD BY CATHOLIC CURCH. They took about 50.000 babies in less then 3 decades and made BILLIONS !!

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#2

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of England. I don’t know how unknown this is but Alan Turing who helped to break Nazis’ enigma code was arrested for being gay and was chemically castrated by the government he helped years ago. He was banned from GCHQ and the US which greatly effected his career. He killed himself in 1954.

psychoghost847 , unknown Report

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Guy MacGregor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a well known fact. They even made a movie about it starring Benedict Counterstrike

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#3

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of In Italy a r*pist could marry his victim to avoid any legal persecution (this practice was called "matrimonio riparatore"). The women were pressed to accept the marriage to avoid social shame. Franca Viola, in 1948, was the first woman to refuse to marry her r*pist, but this practice was abolished by law only in 1981.

leady57 , Sandy Millar Report

User u/AkruX explained that they were inspired to create the thread on r/AskEurope after learning that their home country, the Czech Republic (aka Czechia), was at one point ranked the third-worst slavery haven in the entirety of Europe. They were completely shocked by this.

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Very recently, Bored Panda spoke to Brooke Burris, who chairs the Tri-County Human Trafficking Task Force in the Charleston area in South Carolina. She went into detail with us about human trafficking. It’s a deep-seated problem that is global, not located in just any one or two countries.

According to Brooke, people care about fighting against human trafficking more when they realize that it’s a local problem. 

#4

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Sweden used to treat Sami natives in northen Sweden as second class citizens for the longest time and we barely learn about it in school. As late as the 70s Sami children were still forcefully taken from their Sami parents and adopted by Swedish parents to ”make them Swedish”

Swedishboy360 , Linus Mimietz Report

#5

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Norway. How terrible we have suppressed the Sami people and how we forcefully assimilated them in order to “fit in” with the “Norwegian culture”. And how the racism against them still exist very much to this day. They are still treated horrible by Norwegians and we are barely learned anything about their history in our schools.

ClementineMandarin , Mikita Karasiou Report

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Kesam
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also, Norway is one of the world's biggest exporters of weapons.

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#6

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Poland is ranked as the most homophobic country in the EU

g_guacamole , Valentyn Chernetskyi Report

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Sam
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is this actually a surprise? I mean Poland publicly announced "gay free zones"

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"The U.S. Dept. of State has recognized that trafficking is a global problem, solved on the local level through a multidisciplinary response. The more local one's focus on the nature and prevalence of the issue, the better and truer understanding one will have as to both (1) the scale of trafficking and (2) how they specifically can take ownership of the problem and become a part of the solution,” she explained.

The expert noted that human trafficking is a far broader and more complex problem than it’s presented in movies. 

"Kidnapping and using physical force/coercion is only one means by which a trafficker can control a victim," she said.

#7

NOBODY answered from the USA!? SO MANY...but I've always thought that how the land was taken from the original inhabitants one of the worst things this 'land of the free' has done.
The massacres, the forced relocations, the infecting with smallpox, the loss of their identity as independent peoples...the list just goes on.
Continued up until taking Hawaii away from the ruling monarchy in the 1800's.

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Guy MacGregor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No one haven't because it is such a recent and new nation there aren't much in the end. (Not saying there isn't at all, but their history is still quite short, and nothing they did hasn't been done before by others.)

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#8

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Australia. Basically everything to do with the First Nations/Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Mostly the stolen generations but there was a whole lot more f*cked up sh*t.

superweevil , Joey Csunyo Report

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Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The stories about stolen generations is so terribly sad and heartbreaking. Children ripped away from their mothers arms to be brought up by others (whites). This has caused so much damage it's indescribable. https://www.commonground.org.au/learn/the-stolen-generations#:~:text=The%20Stolen%20Generations%20refers%20to,through%20a%20policy%20of%20assimilation.

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#9

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Turkey. There is overwhelming violence against women in Turkey. And the first thing [anyone] asks: well, what was she wearing?, what is she doing there this late?

IAmNoSherlock , Satria SP Report

"In fact, according to a report of prosecuted sex trafficking cases in the U.S., 59% of coercive tactics used by traffickers were non-physical, compared to 41% of tactics involving physical coercion. Further, transportation is merely one type of action used by a trafficker,” Brooke told us.

Though it’s unlikely that human trafficking will be fully rooted out globally or in any particular country, it is vital to limit its scope.

“Until the Lord comes, I think evil will always exist in our world. Therefore, if I'm honest, I don't think we will be able to eradicate human trafficking entirely," Brooke said that it’s important to keep fighting injustice, but it’s equally vital to be realistic about the scope of the problem.

#10

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Spain is only second to Cambodia for missing persons cases that were never resolved.

There is a government run online search tool for finding mass graves.

iwishiwasapuppy , Sam Williams Report

#11

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of France. Forced sterilization of intellectually disabled people was a very common thing until the early 2000s. There's now a law requiring consent since 2001, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn forced sterilization still happens.

80sBabyGirl , Paul Gaudriault Report

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Ausrine Ciapaite
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually I heard of this happening in Lithuania to this day. The reason why? Because when a mentally disabled person lives in a mixed-sexes institution, it's impossible to keep them away and romance does happen more often than you think. (I don't know what happens to same sex institution). Unfortunately people there often don't realise they should use birth control ( because of their permeant mental conditions). The person is unable to care for their child so the baby would end up in an orphanage which would hurt both: parents and the child. I know it's a controversial topic and it's hard to decide what is right or wrong here.

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If a person can't make a choice on birth control, how can they be able to consent to a medical procedure? Answer: They can't. Ergo, this is eugenics, still and forever more. Two people with a problem can have a normal child, btw. IMO, this law covers up the fact intellectually less-abled women are raped in these "institutions".

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Mattewis88
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was pretty common everywhere. And please try to understand that while it sounds terrible - a lot of mentally disabled people have very diminished impulse control and while they still have sexual urges, they cannot ask for consent from another mentally disabled person and you can't always keep your eye on them in institutions where males and females mix. Also, unfortunately (and the real horror here) is the very common sexual assault and abuse of mentally handicapped persons - often leading to pregnancy. These babies cannot be cared for by their mother and the dad.... well, would you let a rapist have your child? It may sound cruel, but it is in the end, for the greater good.

leodomitrix avatar
Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you understand that this covers up those rapes? the rape still occurs!

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Jennifer Norton
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a parent of a special needs adult I can tell you this isn't as cruel as you think it is. Our daughter isn't mentally capable of taking care of herself let alone a child. She lives with us but as we get older if she has to go live in a group home and she can still bear children we will probably do this. It's for her safety and well being. I know the wording "forced" makes it sound cruel but the alternative of putting someone with a child like mentality through pregnancy and child birth can be so much worse!

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Trisha Howson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I very much agree. I had to put my sister in a home it was heartbreaking. My father would not care for her. And I was worried about this or worse happing. I would have took care of her but I currently I have three children and I do not want them to relive my nightmarish childhood. My mother was diagnosed with bipolar and schizophrenia and manic depression. There was a lot of crazy stuff that happened. Bad stuff. But anyway. I love my sister. I feel bad about putting her in home. But when she ran away couple years ago from home and my dad would not sign a paper cause she was over 18 and they wanted someone to sign so they could look for but said they needed to do evaluation on her to make sure she was okay. Dad would not sign it. So I did. I was scared some day I would learn someone had killed her or would use her in bad aways or get taken advantage of. She is like a child in a lot of ways and wouldn't take care of herself. She seemed a lot better last time I seen her.

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Caroline Nagel
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was a 'normal' practice in a lot of countries, not just France.

jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I met a woman in the US who was told she had cysts that needed surgery. They gave her a hysterectomy and she didn't find out until a nurse who had been involved in many of these secret abuses started looking for all the victims. It was widely done in the US to young black women between the ages of 18-21 to prevent the spread of what was considered second-class human beings.

hellodolly avatar
Hello Dolly
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Holy crap! Stealing peoples insides are not okay! Especially with the long term impacts that has. I have long been asking for a hysterectomy because I have some medical problems but I have been denied since it could have terrible effects due to lost estrogen. Losing estrogen too early is not good.

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Rosemary Probert
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Many French doctors still think autism is a mental illness while other countries have realised it's just another way of thinking. It's true autism often leads to depression, but that's because we don't fit the mould of so called "normal" people so are often bullied. Actually the evidence shows autism isn't as rare as was once thought. There is a wide spectrum and many "eccentrics" and geniuses fit on the higher functioning levels.

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JanduSkaMat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't see nothing wrong here. If you are intellectually disabled how could you possible think of consequences of actions such as getting pregnant during sex, let alone taking care of a baby!

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Kimi Tomminello
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The answer is not to sterilize people. It's to stop intellectually disabled people from being taken advantage of and preyed upon.

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Andy Acceber
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, I'm deeply disturbed by all the commenters here saying forced steralization is okay. As a queer person, do I need to remind you that homosexuality was considered a mental disease by many for generations and used as an excuse to steralize people? Do I need to remind you that hysteria was once considered a legit mental disorder that only impacted women? Or that Stephen Hawking had a disability that could impair thinking though he was also a literal genius? Or that within just the last 20 years or so, the general understanding of autism went from it being a feared developmental disability to an understanding that the brains of autistic people just work differently? My point is our understanding of disabilities changes constantly. As much as we think we may understand mental disabilities today, none of us are experts. Permanently forcing our understanding of disabilities today on someone by steralizing them is a horrible, short-sighted, dehumanizing decision.

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JanduSkaMat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get your point. But if your IQ is below 50, you still have rights, you still have sexual urges, but you cannot take care of baby for christ sake!

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Rai Grant
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With all due respect, if this is really a problem, two solutions come to mind. Firstly, segregate the sexes, then no pregnancies can occur. However, if it is seen as necessary to have males having access to severely disabled, highly vulnerable women which they could r*pe, surely birth control implants would be a better option than forcing a very major operation on the poor lasses? Seems a bit unnecessarily extreme to actually sterilise people . There are other choices.

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Just chucking around
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just got off birth control and I can say that the side effects of it are hell even for a person who has no known disability or mental health issues. The hormones cause all kinds of physical discomfort as well as emotional instability. Plus they can't mix with a lot of medications. Plus the only non hormonal option can puncture your cervix, especially if the person having sex with you isn't concerned about your comfort. Plus they increase your chances of clots and strokes which may be extra hard to identify in a person with special needs. I'm not saying yes to sterilize, just saying definitely no to forced birth control.

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julien
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"the most significant era of eugenic sterilization was between 1907 and 1963, when over 64,000 individuals were forcibly sterilized under eugenic legislation in the United States. In 1972, United States Senate committee testimony brought to light that at least 2,000 involuntary sterilizations had been performed on poor black women without their consent or knowledge. Overall, according to one 1989 study, 31.6% of African American women without a high school diploma were sterilized while only 14.5% of white women of the same educational status were sterilized."

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julien
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

" In 2011, investigative news released a report revealing that between 2006 and 2011, 148 female prisoners in two California state prisons were sterilized without adequate informed consent "

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julien
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"The Oregon Board of Eugenics, later renamed the Board of Social Protection, existed until 1983, with the last forcible sterilization occurring in 1981. In Georgia there was a sudden spike within the United States in 2020. Reports show that illegal hysterectomies were performed in Georgia on immigrants at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Irwin County center. In addition to eugenics purposes, sterilization was used as punitive tactic against sex offenders, people identified as homosexual, or people deemed to masturbate too much."

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julien
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"During the Progressive Era (ca. 1890 to 1920), the United States was the first country to concertedly undertake compulsory sterilization programs for the purpose of eugenics. After World War II, public opinion towards eugenics and sterilization programs became more negative in the light of the connection with the genocidal policies of Nazi Germany, though a significant number of sterilizations continued in a few states through the 1970s. Between 1970 and 1976, Indian Health Services sterilized between 25 and 42 percent of women of reproductive age who came in seeking healthcare services. "

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Wim Cossement
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not everyone should be allowed to have or keep their kids, a lot of people see this as a right that can't be touched but this is causing more harm than good. If people are not fit for it, why should their child also suffer the consequences? They take children away from criminals and drug addicts but mentally r******d people that cannot take care of themselves cannot take care of children, no matter how much they love then or not. I've got like 5 friends working in special education where the IQ is less than that of a 6 year old yet some of them are 2nd or 3rd generation r******d inbreeds and that's not a good thing.

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julien
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

" The compulsory sterilization of American men and women continues to this day. In 2013, it was reported that 148 female prisoners in two California prisons were sterilized between 2006 and 2010 in a supposedly voluntary program, but it was determined that the prisoners did not give consent to the procedures."

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julien
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

" Scholarly research has determined that people who found themselves targets of the eugenics movement were those who were seen as unfit for society—the poor, the disabled, the mentally ill, and specific communities of color—and a disproportionate number of those who fell victim to eugenicists' sterilization initiatives were women who were identified as African American, Hispanic, or Native American."

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julien
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

During the Progressive Era (ca. 1890 to 1920), the United States was the first country to concertedly undertake compulsory sterilization programs for the purpose of eugenics. President Lyndon B. Johnson, in 1965, announced the establishment of federal funding of birth control used on the poor.

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RafCo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

USA also did this to black and poor women up through the 1970s.

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julien
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

" Compulsory sterilisation in Sweden were sterilisations which were carried out in Sweden, without a valid consent of the subject, during the years 1906–1975 on eugenic, medical and social grounds. Between 1972 and 2013, sterilisation was also a condition for gender reassignment surgery."

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julien
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

actually NOT specific to France : many countries did it, see EUGENICS : " An estimated 40% of Native American women (60,000-70,000 women) and 10% of Native American men in the United States underwent sterilization in the 1970s. A General Accounting Office (GAO) report in 1976 found that 3,406 Native American women, 3,000 of which were of childbearing age, were sterilized by the Indian Health Service (IHS) in Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and South Dakota from 1973 to 1976."

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Betsy Novack
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's just wrong. How many of our disabled haves suffered through rape of people who claim to be intellectually able. Sterilize those bastards.

kyrie24 avatar
ilikeplants
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US, as well. Senators were even openly pushing for it from the senate floor in the 80s.

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Brat hard
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know but that seems like a good idea from evolutionary & survival point of view & the reasons mentioned in top comment

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Rick Hoppenbrouwer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lauren Boebert should be a be on that list. Someone that stupid should never be allowed to breed.

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Alenka Sovová
Community Member
2 years ago

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Abby
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

you can thank the U.S.A for this its called eugenics and got popular during ww11 because of Nazi Germany the holocaust is the biggest example of why eugenics is wrong.

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Pezor Zass
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The ideas have been around forever but got their modern start after people misunderstood Darwin. it "got popular" _before_ WWII, then it very quickly got unpopular due to how the Nazis used it to justify their insane bs. It was big in the US at times, but it was big all over Europe and elsewhere, too. There are lots of reasons to hate on the States, but this isn't one of them.

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ZAPanda
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think you have a fair point, but there are practical considerations. Do the heavily handicapped vote? If not, why not? Do they drive? If not, why not? So, from that, do you think it is morally correct to allow them to become parents, given that they lack the sufficient responsibility capacities to drive or vote? What I'd like to suggest you do is read a very considered and deadly serious piece of work by David Benatar (professor of philosophy), called "Better to have never been". He argues that humans should not exist. Take him down first before you think this is bad please.

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Guy MacGregor
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2 years ago

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Never heard of it before, and I am doubting. Will check

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#12

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Portugal has massive problem with domestic violence (including femicide and child abuse). Strict catholic patriarchy was THE rule until 1974, so it's still hanging around in older generations and trickling down on their descendants. And most offenders get off with a slap on the wrist because we still have courts full of old ass judges.

SerChonk , Milada Vigerova Report

#13

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of I think many people, that don't live in german-speaking countries, don't know that Austria was a fascist dictatorship for 4 years before the Anschluss

RapAddictedAustrian , Dimitry Anikin Report

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ADHORTATOR
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

they surrendered without firing one shot in 1938 and embraced the Nazis...after the war they considered themself as the first victims of Nazi Germany....

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#14

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Huge collaboration of Dutch people during WW2 , snitching where people were hiding. Supporting the Nazis, joining the forces.

The Dutch railway company (NS) transported Jews, Sinti and Roma to Germany.

Royal Dutch Shell reported their jewish employees to the Nazis to be deported.

ZapSpar , Bundesarchiv Report

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Mr Zipperface
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All occupied countries had an element of collaboration, collaborators were mostly looking out for themselves although there was a lot of score settling too, people are people the world over.

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#15

Netherlands. In 1620, the Dutch East India Company committed genocide on the people on the Indonesian Banda Islands, under the flag of the Dutch fleet. Murdered 95% of the population as punishment. Their crime? Selling nutmeg to the Portuguese and the English.

I don't even like nutmeg that much. Their population still isn't at the level it was before the genocide.

Slobberinho Report

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Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The VOC was a very powerful company. They didn't care about the suffering they inflicted, it's all about the money and power and influence. Not something to be proud of. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_conquest_of_the_Banda_Islands

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#16

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of In Ireland we were under such control of the Catholic church until 2000s. Our constitution was drawn up with their approval and still says that women have a role in the home. Anyway the control of the church meant that the church got away with shielding and transferring paedophile priests ( well known). The not so well known was the following three things outside Ireland are:

Mother and baby homes - This was where unwed mothers were brought. They were a shamed, has their children taken away. The children either died or were adopted illegally to Irish and American families. They also burned their records and one in Tuam Co Galway dumped the bodies of many children who died in a septic tank (tank where sewage is stored from houses not connected to the main sewage system).

Magdalene Laundries - this was where runways and some troubles were brought. They were slaves in a laundry and received nothing and were treated terribly and the religious orders made money off the backs of this slavery. The last one wasn't closed till the 90s which is messed up.

Also corporal punishment in schools until the late 60s early 70s especially in industrial schools (some of which were for troubled boys and the abuse there was messed up.

So yes we have a dark past. Now it makes sense why there are few young Catholics in Ireland. We don't mention it much but we know and it makes me ashamed and I'm 25.

diffles2 , Alejandro Luengo Report

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XenoMurph
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my school we had a "priest" who had been moved for "accusations". And was moved from our school for a similar thing. But he was badly beaten, as he was coming out of the church one night. The story was that he was mugged and the contributions were stolen but we all thought if was for other reasons. This was late 80s as things were starting to change. The catholic church was losing support fast by then as the stories were coming out. Father Ted had a big effect on breaking the spell the church held over the country.

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#17

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Germany. Female genital mutilation in Germany. It makes me incredibly angry as it is an more or less unpunished crime for decades now and nothing is done really.

Every few years, when sombody decides to report about it measures are announced, but nothing will be really done.

Schnauze-Lutscher , Zohre Nemati Report

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Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is because the immigrants from certain countries mutilate their young girls mostly when on holiday... Unfortunately it's hard to prove and control. I think it would help if the women were better educated and taught about the consequences (bodily harm and legal). Some mothers don't want this for their daughters but are pressured by relatives... It's terribly sad.

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#18

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Russia. Most Russians actually support their government and especially Putin

Looz-Ashae , Kremlin.ru Report

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Caro Caro
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Brainwashed into thinking that the outside world is against you, don't underestimate the fear when living in a regime / dictatorship. Russians aren't stupid, just scared.

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#19

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of The regional languages in France were progressively replaced by French from 1789. Only a few are still remaining (mostly those who aren't understandable by a French speaker, like Breton, Basque, Corsican, Alsatian, Francoprovençal etc.) but apparently more than 90% of our regional languages are now dead. You only find them in regional accents.

MapsCharts , anthony Choren Report

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Sam
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

France actually outlawed specific letters needed to write in Breton. Like the Turks have done with Kurdish.

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#20

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Georgia. State of LGBT rights. They are non-existent, you can easily get killed by religious people and nobody will give a sh*t.

Gioware , daniel james Report

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Sam
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Georgian "patriots" publicly murdered a journalist covering the storming of an LGBTQ rights building

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#21

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of France. I'd say war against colonised Algeria. It is really a shameful thing involving war crimes, torture, ... A lot of veterans won't talk about it because of how ashamed they feel.

Look it up.

Grand_Papi , Levi Meir Clancy Report

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ZAPanda
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But yeah, keep complaining about immigrants from Africa when they come to france to live somewhere that ISNT a mess as a result of colonial violence? Irony abounds.

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#22

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Lithuania often ranks among the top countries by suicide rates. It's like ~1/4000 lithunians is gonna kill themselves.

TheMantasMan , Victor Malyushev Report

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Firstname Lastname
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Population as of 2020 was 2.795 million according to google, so that's nearly 700 lives voluntarily lost.

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#23

United Kingdom.

King Edward VIII was a Nazi sympathiser; he and his wife visited Germany in the 30s to have dinner with Hitler and inspect SS troops.

In the 60s, he is believed to have said to a friend: "I never thought Hitler was such a bad chap."

HailToTheKingslayer Report

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Angelar
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everybody knows that Wallis Simpson and her husband were Nazi sympathizers, lol

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#24

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Romania. A few years back there was a scandal of a pediatric doctor that did extremely painful medical experiments on children he was supposed to be treating, such as putting a metal rod near their backs and putting screws into their spines to "fix" scoliosis or something similar with bones he considered weren't growing properly. He mostly targeted poor families, or families with kids with weird conditions because he figured they wouldn't be able to or have the power to question his practices.

Also the fact that it's been revealed several orphanages drug the kids there and tie them to their beds to keep them compliant.

I've also read a religious article of an "exorcism" that was performed on a little kid they called posessed because "he would suddenly go very still and start shaking violently" (to anyone with a brain it's obvious he was just seizing). Instead of following the procedure for a seizure, which is making sure he isn't in danger of hurting himself by bashing his head or something, they rushed him to a church and placed him on the floor there (and it wasn't a soft floor by any means).

Or the fact that we've had gay people thrown in prison for being gay several years after communism fell (I think either late 90's or even early 00's).

Or, not that sinister but just plain stupid and more recent: the church brought "moase" (aka remains of "saints") during the current pandemic and hundreds of people just lined up to kiss them, all on the same spot too :) (it's a /s smile, don't get me wrong).

kriiiiiis , Oksana Gogu Report

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UpupaEpops
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

According to the Romanian Orthodox Church, epilepsy is considered a demonic possession and depression is a sign of lack of faith.

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#25

Switzerland.

"Verdingkinder" basically orphans used as slavelabor. They were often mistreated.

There is a movie about it if anyone is intrested

Emochind Report

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Q B F T
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nothing about Switzerland being built on the money of drug dealers, despots, warlords, fraudsters, - and going further back - Nazis? Switzerland: the streets are clean but the money is filthy.

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#26

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of In Ireland homosexuality was only decriminalised in 1993, after a 16 year legal battle which ended up in the European Court of Human Rights in 1988 (it took 5 years to implement the courts ruling).

JerHigs , Robert V. Ruggiero Report

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John Carr
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On the upside, we were the first country to legalise same sex marriage by public vote

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#27

I guess colonization is a dark time for many countries, in Denmark is was no different, but often you talk about the islands is the Caribbean or Africa, but the treatment of Greenlandic people has been absolutely horrible in Denmark.

They have been treated 2. rank citizens, and everything was dictated from Denmark and they had little to no say in it. Still I have heard that higher education in Greenland is taught in Danish not Greenlandic, but they might have changed that?

Plyspeter Report

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ZAPanda
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

https://www.courthousenews.com/denmark-issues-final-apology-for-1950s-social-experiment-on-inuit-children-from-greenland/

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#28

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Turkey. The years 1980-1983 were very dark years for Turkey - a paranoid nationalist military junta coupled with guerilla warfare in the countryside and massive political repression. Add torture in military prisons, kangaroo courts, and state-funded assassinations to that.

Pardon my French, but the bastard who caused all that died before his jail sentence was approved.

ArcherTheBoi , Svetlana Gumerova Report

#29

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of Greece. We are the only country in EU where the Sharia law is still legal.

jimijoop , Majid Korang beheshti Report

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anarkzie
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not saying this is not true, as I do not know the facts but this really sounds like b.s. Sharia law is not even 100% practiced in most majority Islamic countries. The far right in the UK makes the same claims over here and what it actually amounts to is Islamic courts of arbitration dealing with Muslims weddings, which are not recognised by UK law on account of a marriage being between 2 people over here, not 1 man and 4 women.

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#30

Italy, as many by now know, is a f****d up burocratical nightmare.
Until 1981 there was a law called "Delitto D'Onore" (= Crime in name of someones honor) that stated that people found guilty of kiling someone to maintain the familys reputation would be given a lesser conviction than someone found guilty for the same crime but for other reasons.

If a woman was found committing adultery, it was "legal" to kill her (and her lover in some instances). Of course no one batted an eye when the cheater was the husband. It was extended to families too, the brother or the father could kill a sister/daughter they found out she had an unwedded sexual relationship (EVEN IF SHE WAS SINGLE).


The most (yeah, even more) messed up part was that until 1930 (yeah they realised this was not a top notch idea earlier but still) the husband could kill the children if he knew they weren't his. (there was a weird legal part where they could be killed only if they were less than 5 days old or wasn't registred by the state Register... like AH WELL THAT MAKES IT REASONABLE)

I repeat, the law for Honors Killing was in place until 1981!!
And some people still act as if it was reasonable. No wonders we struggle to eradicate what we call "femminicidio" (=femalemurder, is a term used for the death of women that could be prevented if laws against abuse in marriages/relationship was taken seriously and action taken promptly) to this day.

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AnnaBanana
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never knew this was a thing in Italy. Middle East and south east Asia, yes. Italy...no.

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#31

30 Dark Facts About These Countries That Not Many People Know Of I don't know if it's not known but Italy passed racial laws during WWII.

More recent: the "trattativa stato mafia" aka "state-mafia negotiations" in 1993 and 1994.

Essentially it was a secret negotiation between very high government figures and Sicilian Mafia chiefs, at the end of the "massacre season" in which Mafia carried out literal terrorist attacks, since there was a very strong battle against them carried out by the Palermo group (pool di Palermo).

The prosecutors Falcone and Borsellino died at the end of the massacre season, after they hit hard the Sicilians with the Maxiprocesso (aka Mega-Trial)

giorgio_gabber , Michele Bitetto Report

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Beans
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The story of Falcone and Borsellino is super famous in Italy, and incredibly tragic. They were heroes who fought at risk of their own lives to take down systemic corruption in the government and to eradicate the Sicilian Mafia. The mafia blew up an entire f-king bridge to get Falcone and killed his wife and bodyguards too. Borsellino was assassinated two months later. He kept fighting even after his friend had died and he knew they were out to get him too. I can't imagine living like that and still trying to take down the mafia. They achieved a lot but it's never enough. Even now there is mafia roots in the Italian government. People say Berlusconi has ties to it and a lot of right-wing government. Surprise surprise. It's a big dirty secret even now.

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