UN peacekeepers, that are sent out to maintain peace and security, are affecting the rate in sex trafficking tremendously. Peacekeeping in the UN began after World War II when an organization decided it needed to step in and take care of international relationships. Today, the demand for peacekeepers is higher than it was ever before. Due to this high demand, peacekeepers include troops from different countries, selected whether they have experience or not. Troop members are responsible for following their home nation’s rules; therefore they tend to disregard the UN policies. This starts to cause problems when women and children are being sexually abused and sex trafficking is being increased wherever the UN peacekeepers are. In order to reduce sex trafficking, curfews must be set up for the peacekeepers, laws need to be enforced forbidding unauthorized communication with the residents, and more female peacekeepers must be selected.
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, members involved in peacekeeping missions have been accused of committing acts of sexual exploitation to the citizens present. This behavior of sexual misconduct caused by peacekeeping missions still continues, even after a bulletin was issued, named ‘Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse’, which was implemented upon UN members following a previous incident involving sex trafficking in West Africa. Peacekeepers involved in these acts visit brothels and support sex trafficking, allowing it to take place by forging documents and helping out with the transport of women from place to place illegally. This sexual abuse and rape is most common where Blue Helmets are deployed. Children are being offered promises of education, money, and food in exchange of having sex with the UN troops. This happens so very often because the incidents are not being reported to officials, neither by the victims nor by the by standing UN troops who are free of committing these heinous acts. According to Sarah W. Spencer, author of Journal of Public and International Affairs, sexual exploitation continues to increase because of the lack of attainment, and not the lack of procedure.
Due to higher sex trafficking rates taking place where UN peacekeepers happen to be located, actions must be taken to stop the guilty peacekeepers and punish them. Raising awareness and speaking out against this abuse would contribute greatly to the issue. With curfews being in order, it will be ensured that none of the peacekeeping members are out doing their own thing. While unauthorized communication is forbidden between the troop members and residents, the residents are in a safer situation and they are less likely to be trafficked. Having more female peacekeepers will allow the women and children of certain areas to have someone to talk and relate to. Female peacekeepers also have a better chance of stopping future acts of sexual violence from occurring.
The complete hypocrisy of claiming to be peace keepers and exploiting children willing is a hard thing to consider since they do claim to be UN.I do not believe though that all females just because they are the same gender as the exploited will guarantee protection. Curfews makes more sense but an elaboration on what these curfews would exactly do would help.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that people are claiming to be there to help and are actually making the problem worse. It's terrible that members of peacekeeping forces are committing horrible crimes against the people they are supposed to be protecting.
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