Rotherham MP Sarah Champion says 'no one is prepared to challenge culture' behind sexual abuse in the aid sector amid new inquiry

A Yorkshire MP has claimed that no one is prepared to challenge the culture that perpetuates sexual abuse in the aid sector as her Commons committee vowed to investigate the issue.

The International Development Committee (IDC), chaired by Rotherham MP Sarah Champion, launched an inquiry in 2018 in the aftermath of the abuse scandal in Haiti, where it was discovered Oxfam covered up its investigation into staff paying local young women for sex.

The follow-up investigation launched today will look at what tangible progress has been made to protect those who receive aid from sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by aid workers and peacekeepers.

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The initial inquiry found the Oxfam saga was not an isolated incident, and that across organisations, countries and institutions there had been similar cases going back at least 20 years.

File photo of Rotherham Labour MP Sarah Champion speaking in the House of Commons. Photo: PAFile photo of Rotherham Labour MP Sarah Champion speaking in the House of Commons. Photo: PA
File photo of Rotherham Labour MP Sarah Champion speaking in the House of Commons. Photo: PA

Labour’s Ms Champion, said: “I have listened in horror at how the aid sector is targeted by perpetrators of sexual exploitation and abuse. In many cases, extremely vulnerable people are taken advantage of and abused by the very people they trusted to support them.

“The fact that this inquiry is the third piece of work the committee will have undertaken on sexual exploitation and abuse in two years tells me that this issue continues to rumble on as no one is prepared to challenge the culture that perpetuates it.

“The committee will investigate what progress has been made since the UK’s international safeguarding summit in 2018. We will look at whether aid recipients, victims and survivors know their rights and feel properly supported. Crucially, we will help identify what work needs to be done by the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as it takes on responsibility for this in September to end this abuse once and for all.”

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A Government spokesperson said: “The aid sector should be free from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. The UK will continue to take robust action to make sure aid does not go to organisations that fall short of our high safeguarding standards.

“We have made huge progress on this issue, including launching schemes to stop perpetrators of sexual abuse from working in the sector. But there is still more to do. We welcome this inquiry and will make sure safeguarding remains a top priority for the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.”

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