Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Abusing the neediest children

expatbrian

As a sociology grad student I had the opportunity to work with victims of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. It's all absolutely heart wrenching but the abuse of children is so emotionally charged that I ended up quitting the program and changing my vocational direction completely. When I realized that I was much more interested in beating the abuser than I was in counseling him (or her), I knew that field was not for me.

This article came out today about a study concerning the abuse of the neediest children in the poorest locations by foreign aid workers.
A new report by Save the Children U.K. accuses some aid workers and peacekeepers of sexually exploiting children living in countries affected by conflict and natural disaster. As Tendai Maphosa reports from London, the report says the general silence surrounding the abuse is also shocking.
I can't even imagine being in a place where there is so much despair, hunger and death, and exploiting that situation for personal gratification. How could you possibly get aroused in those surroundings? Another article goes on to say,
The report details a "litany" of sexual crimes against children as young as six, based on field research in Sudan, the Ivory Coast, and Haiti. The sexual crimes include: being forced to have sex or participate in child pornography; being subjected to improper touching and kissing; or being withheld food unless one performed a sexual favor.
So in other words, aid workers, who have the food to give a desperately hungry child as young as six, will only give that child the food if the child performs a sexual act. I'm not sure I can think of anything more repulsive than that. They ought to be whipped and then shot.

I also ran across this video of workers in a Vietnamese orphanage. It's hard to watch but it certainly can be much worse than this. Its little wonder why some children grow up to be socio and psychopaths.


I'm actually speechless on how to end this post. It's just so fucking sad.

cross posted from World Gone Mad
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3 Comments:

Blogger rockync said...

I also saw the article and I was horrified beyond all reason. I haven't watched the video you posted because I don't think I can stand it. The abuse of such little helpless victims is so far out of my ability to understand ANY motivation whatsoever. Move over, I'll bring the gutting knife...

9:21:00 PM  
Blogger expatbrian said...

The video is not comfortable in any language (its in Vietnamese) but there are much worse. I think these things are important to watch, however, because it brings the situation to the forefront of our consciousness and it needs to be there for action to be considered. Its no different in that way than being able to see the caskets coming home from Iraq or viewing the real brutality taking place there. we need to see it and FEEL it, even if it makes us uncomfortable. We owe that to the victims. It's much more uncomfortable for them.

10:26:00 PM  
Blogger rockync said...

Oh, I've been up close and personal when I volunteered as a Guardian Ad Litem for several years. There are those who think it was some great breach of constitutional rights to take the children in Texas from the poligamist ranch out there. My contention of get the children to safety, THEN try to sort it out, was not too popular, but I stand steadfast on the grounds that children, as minors without resources, need adults who will be their voice and the protectors. Children, like women, are not chattel but unlike women, they usually don't have the ability to escape their tormentors.

11:24:00 AM  

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