Widespread child sex abuse by UN peace troops and aid staff, says charity

[Sash]

An international watchdog must be set up urgently to investigate widespread cases of child sex abuse by aid workers and peacekeepers, a British charity said today.

Save the Children demanded action after its research found that starving and desperate youngsters as young as six were being coerced to sell sex for food, money, soap and even mobile phones in war zones and disaster areas.

Hundreds of young people from Ivory Coast, Southern Sudan and Haiti were involved in the research behind the conclusions.

One of them was 'Elizabeth', who was 12-years-old when she was snatched from the roadside early one morning last June and dragged into the bush by 10 UN peacekeepers who raped her one by one.

Village elders who tried to report the attack to senior officers in the Ivory Coast claimed their allegations were ignored. Since the attack 'Elizabeth' says she has dropped out of school and lost interest in life.

Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive of Save the Children UK, said: “This research exposes the despicable actions of a small number of perpetrators who are sexually abusing some of the most vulnerable children in the world, the very children they are meant to protect.

“It is hard to imagine a more grotesque abuse of authority or flagrant violation of children’s rights."

The report said that all organisations, including Save the Children, had their share of abusers involved in “some of the most despicable abuse against some of the world’s most vulnerable children”.

Charities and peacekeeping bodies should face up to the fact that the scale of abuse was “significant” and that victims were being let down by “endemic failures” in responding to reported incidents, it concluded.

Better reporting mechanisms should be introduced, it said, and efforts made to strengthen child protection systems across the globe.

“In recent years, some important commitments have been made by the United Nations, the wider international community and by humanitarian and aid agencies to act on this problem," said Ms Whitbread.

“But welcome as these are, in most cases statements of principle and good intent have yet to be converted into really decisive and concerted international action.

“All humanitarian and peacekeeping agencies working in emergency situations, including Save the Children UK, must own up to the fact that they are vulnerable to this problem and tackle it head on.”

The reputation of UN peacekeepers has been tarnished in the past by cases of sexual abuse against women, notably in Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast and Haiti.

Accused of turning a blind eye for decades to cases of abuse by its peacekeepers, the world body recommended in 2005 that erring soldiers be punished, their salaries frozen and a fund set up to help any women or girls made pregnant.

The “zero tolerance” policy towards sexual misconduct includes a “non-fraternisation” rule barring them from sex with locals.

It was brought in after revelations in December 2004 that peacekeepers in DRC were involved in the sexual abuse of 13-year-old girls in exchange for eggs, milk or cash sums as low as one dollar.

In January 2007 the UN promised to investigate after an internal report by its children's aid organisation, Unicef, documented cases of sexual abuse by the 10,000 UN police, peacekeepers and staff from over 70 countries in southern Sudan.

In November last year, the UN said that more than 100 Sri Lankan soldiers were to be sent home over charges that they paid for sex while stationed in Haiti.

Publication of the findings comes amid two massive international aid efforts - for the victims of the Chinese earthquake and the cyclone in Burma

Nick Birnback, from the United Nations’ department of peacekeeping operations, said the details in the report were “absolutely appalling”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The vast majority of UN peacekeepers all over the world ... serve with honour and courage in very difficult situations and don’t engage in this unacceptable behaviour.

“The question for us is figuring out ways to address those that do and ensure there is zero impunity and zero complacency when confronted with these types of appalling allegations.”

Andrew Mitchell, the Shadow International Development Secretary, said: “Any UN soldier or aid worker found guilty of abuse should be dismissed and held accountable by the full force of the law.”

Michael Moore, the Liberal Democrat international development spokesman, said that Britain should take the lead.

“The British Government should champion a global watchdog on this issue, and the United Nations must ensure that all peacekeepers and aid workers acting on its behalf are held to the highest moral standards," he said.

“All aid programmes and peacekeeping missions must have stringent procedures in place for dealing with allegations of abuse.”


Widespread child sex abuse by UN peace troops and aid staff, says charity - Times Online

Is this the way the world is going to turn out. In say 20 years it is going to be ok to have sex with children aged barely into double figures? Have we completely lost track of our morals, or because cultures differ so much people take advantage of that difference and think it's ok? Are future generations going to think nothing of having sex with a child?
I think I've lost all faith in humanity.

[Xeno]

Think back no more than 200 years in the English 'Empire' Many substantial figures used to have wives as young as 12, 13 or had intimate relations with them. Many european countries on the main continent acted in a similar way around that time.

Now, I'm not condining the act, but it was England if my memory serves me right, that was one of the first countries to create a 'conession to sex' age limit, of as we all know - is 16. So, to say '20 years it is going to be okay...' when in fact, 200 years ago, it was deemed socially acceptable. If anything we are just devolving. (Maybe not us personally or culturally.)

On top of that, this thing has been going on for many years. I remember a couple of years ago there was I think a Panaroma, or similar program that revealed many UN Peacekeepers acting in this very way that has hit the news once again. So I find the biggest worry, the fact that several years after this was reported, its still happening and most probably in the same area's.

In fact, a short search on google brings back a disturbing amount of scandals by UN troops and members.

[Bimbo]

Sounds like a made up report. I can't believe that out of 10 UN Peacekeepers not one had a conscience, you would never ever find a group of 10 paedophile rapists togther in the same place its just too unlikely.

[teflon]

I think kids should be allowed to have sex as soon as they are biologically able, but society is unprepared to cope with the ramifications of a couple of 12 year old parents.
Obviously older men shouldn't have sex with young girls, maybe 21 should be the upper limit.

I remember the protest marches they had to reduce the gay age of consent amongst men to 16 a few years back, how many 16 year olds did you see on those marches? Not bloody one. It was all middle aged teachers, scout leaders and priests in disguise.

The world is such a hypocritical place. I think each case has to be judged on it's own merits or otherwise, sweeping laws and outrageous lies like the ones in the quoted article should be discouraged.

Seriously who the hell are we to tell Africans not to have sex with under 16's when they have done it for thousands of years and we suddenly decided about 100 years ago not to bother with it anymore? At least they got some eggs and a dollar out of it.
Trying to suggest we are morally superior to them, just because we figured out agriculture; scientific method; education; preventative medicine; not eating our own shit and getting off our own arses and actually doing something was worthwhile, is conceited and disgusting.

Some of that was me being serious. Not a lot.

[draganess]

It makes no difference what legal age for sex is. Are you telling me the 12 year old girl gave her consent to been gang raped? I think the article is appalling.

How can we evolve and move forward in so many ways but when it comes to sex every one wants us to go back 200 years so perverts can have sex with kids? We used to make kids work down mines and in factories and in awful conditions, should we do that again too?

Ask any one thats been sexually abused, it ruins their lives, it steals childhoods and causes mental and physical issues.

As for the age limit for someone to have sex, that should be when the person having sex is old enough and responsible enough to be a parent! Look at your kids, if they are grown up think of them as children and tell me you would kill someone if they touched them? What would you do to protect them? Or maybe the people that think the age limit should be dropped have no children.

The point of the article is that these women and children don't have a choice! Or should the age limit for sex be any limit a man wants to force himself on another person? One of the problems with the UN is that it has to deal with so many different cultures. But forcing yourself on someone is wrong doesn't matter what culture you come from. Your their to give unconditional aid not to sell what you have for sex. It would be interesting to see what culture/country the abusers come from.

Tef you may not be serious in some of the stuff you have said but they are points that have been talked about for years.

[teflon]

Originally Posted by draganess

when it comes to sex every one wants us to go back 200 years so perverts can have sex with kids?

I couldn't resist quoting you out of context there

But the point still remains that, just because we with our ultimate wisdom and high-horse ethics consider it to be perverted, doesn't give us the right to impose those views on other cultures.
Imagine the reverse situation where it was some far-flung culture trying to dictate to us some idea we find to be totally alien and unnecessary like Islam trying to force us all in the West to wipe our arses with our own bare hands like they do, the filthy blighters (kebab shops yum!).

Until the day I become Supreme Ruler of the World, and impose all my barking mad edicts on everyone, we are just going to have to accept that different places have different ideas about how to go about their dirty little lives.

[Xeno]

like Islam trying to force us all in the West to wipe our arses with our own bare hands like they do, the filthy blighters (kebab shops yum!).

Eeek!

[draganess]

Originally Posted by teflon

I couldn't resist quoting you out of context there

But the point still remains that, just because we with our ultimate wisdom and high-horse ethics consider it to be perverted, doesn't give us the right to impose those views on other cultures.
Imagine the reverse situation where it was some far-flung culture trying to dictate to us some idea we find to be totally alien and unnecessary like Islam trying to force us all in the West to wipe our arses with our own bare hands like they do, the filthy blighters (kebab shops yum!).

Until the day I become Supreme Ruler of the World, and impose all my barking mad edicts on everyone, we are just going to have to accept that different places have different ideas about how to go about their dirty little lives.

I don't give a dam what other cultures do or think about the age of legal sex Im talking as a mother of 3 daughters one of which is 12 year old. Sex at that age is WRONG I dont care what the dam law says or what any one says about it.

Why is it that children have rights till it comes to the legal age limit of sex? We protect our children the best way we can but hell to it when it comes to sex? Forget that!! And Im sorry but if you think that its right to have sex with kids because its legal in some cultures to do so then your sick in the head. Look out side at the kids playing on the street. Do they get your going? if so then your sick in the head.

[Sash]

I honestly don't think Tef is that way drag hun, his post was tongue in cheek I'm sure. Sadly the way of the world is people see things differently and western culture is a heck of a lot different to many many others.
I agree though, anyone tried to get near my kids with a thought anywhere near sexual before the age of legal consent, and before my children where ready, would have their bits on a plate for dinner.

[teflon]

Thanks Sash
I was just trying to make a point but drag obviously isn't smart enough to understand polemical debate so in her eyes I'm a raging nonce now :S
I'm not sure which would be worse, actually being a raging nonce or being that thick.

Surely I'm allowed that dig since what she said to me was ridiculously unacceptable.