After the scandals where the peacekeepers of the UN forces in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) were accused of sexual exploitation and abuse in 2015, prevention and response systems were put in place. Yet this violence continues and is rarely reported by the victims, reveals an investigation published Wednesday October 16 in the newspaper Le Monde in partnership with The New Humanitarian. This is due to a lack of information and confidence in the UN force.
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In the investigation by the French daily and the press agency The New Humanitarian19 women recounted the rapes they suffered, but also the consequences on their lives: traumatized and stigmatized, some had to leave their families to flee to another city with their children.
Testimonies collected by Barbara Debout, journalist specializing in Central Africa who carried out this investigation: “ Not all of them filed a complaint for fear of reprisals. Generally, they do not know where to turn and they doubt whether legal action can be taken against their attackers. This is really common to all victims. This shows that there is little communication about a possible help center or even a toll-free number to be able to call in the event of an attack. »
There Minusca explains having put in place mechanisms reporting: 42 local prevention committees, a toll-free number or awareness campaigns, via SMS or community radio stations. But according to the journalist’s investigation, neither the victims nor the NGO local people have never heard of these initiatives.
The spokesperson for the Minusca Florence Marchal explains it in the context of the Central African Republica large country where it is difficult to move and communicate: “ We have 344 victims who were able to follow training and who today can practice a profession thanks to this training, to be able to regain both their financial autonomy but also their pride and their independence. »
The UN recorded allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation against more than 730 soldiers of Minusca since 2015.