A new investigation by @TRF_Stories & @newhumanitarian found that 22 women have accused aid workers of sexual abuse
These claims include rape and unwanted pregnancies, and took place in Butembo during Democratic Republic of Congo's biggest Ebola outbreak longreads.trust.org/item/new-sex-a…
These claims include rape and unwanted pregnancies, and took place in Butembo during Democratic Republic of Congo's biggest Ebola outbreak longreads.trust.org/item/new-sex-a…
The new claims come as donors pressure aid groups to do more to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, and follow our joint investigation with @newhumanitarian in 2020, during which 51 women in the nearby eastern city of Beni made similar accusations.
longreads.trust.org/item/congo-ebo…
longreads.trust.org/item/congo-ebo…
The women said that male aid workers responding to an Ebola crisis in Butembo, in the eastern DRC, offered them jobs in exchange for sex.
One told us she was forced to have sex with an employee who said he worked for the World Health Organization to obtain and keep a job.
One told us she was forced to have sex with an employee who said he worked for the World Health Organization to obtain and keep a job.
Some of these incidents led to unwanted pregnancies.
After the woman got pregnant, she became so weak she couldn’t keep her job.
She said she was told to have an abortion by some of the man's acquaintances.
She said she was told to have an abortion by some of the man's acquaintances.
Fourteen women in Butembo said men who identified themselves as workers with the World Health Organization sexually abused them during the Ebola crisis in Democratic Republic of Congo.
longreads.trust.org/item/new-sex-a…
longreads.trust.org/item/new-sex-a…
The WHO said it was referring all allegations to an independent commission that was established in October.
The commission, which began investigating in early May, said it hoped to complete its work by the end of August. It also said it would “spare no effort” in collecting victims’ testimonies and welcomed women to come forward.
A total of seven organisations were named, including two other United Nations agencies.
Reporters in Butembo conducted more than 40 interviews with the 22 women, aid workers, hotel staff and others who worked in the Ebola response over a five-month period.
There were a total of 23 victims, including a mother who died from an abortion.
There were a total of 23 victims, including a mother who died from an abortion.
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