UN: Sex Exploitation by Peacekeepers Strongly Underreported

"Members of a U.N. peacekeeping mission engaged in 'transactional sex' with more than 225 Haitian women who said they needed to do so to obtain things like food and medication, a sign that sexual exploitation remains significantly underreported in such missions, according to a new report obtained by The Associated Press...

Among its findings: About a third of alleged sexual abuse involves minors under 18. Assistance to victims is 'severely deficient.'...

A year ago, the report says, investigators interviewed 231 people in Haiti who said they'd had transactional sexual relationships with U.N. peacekeepers. 'For rural women, hunger, lack of shelter, baby care items, medication and household items were frequently cited as the `triggering need,' the report says. Urban and suburban women received 'church shoes,' cell phones, laptops and perfume, as well as money...

Each of those instances of transactional sex, the report says, would be considered prohibited conduct, 'thus demonstrating significant underreporting.'..."