The UN Department of Peacekeeping has, over the years, become known for its foibles. The department received considerable criticism for its handling of Kosovo, as well as the Rwandan genocide (captured in the film Hotel Rwanda). Child prostitution in countries such as Cambodia and Bosnia rose after UN Peacekeepers moved in.
And now, the latest in a series of scandals involves Moroccan members of the UN Peacekeeping force accused of sexually abusing girls as young as thirteen in Bouake, Cote d'Ivoire, where 732 Moroccan UN members are stationed.
While all UN "Blue Helmets" are barred from having sex with locals (even those who are of age), it has become incredibly common, as young girls in many countries see them as a source of income, particularly given the size of the peacekeeping units (700 foreign men in one small city?).
According to one article I read, some of the older women in Bouake (okay, by older I mean 20s or 30s) blame the girls as much as the soldiers, saying that the girls approach the men, often hounding them for sex in exchange for what amounts to just a few U.S. dollars.
That may be so, but if you ask me, it is the responsibility of the men to just say no.
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