This I find very worrying...

[MrsBigD]

\link{http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4983440.stm\Liberia sex-for-aid 'widespread' }

And naive me always thought that Aidworkers are there to help!?! What kind of world are we living in?

Those f***ing bastards.

They've known about this for months and they're still not doing anything about it.

I'm just apoplectic with rage that they're still allowing this to go on. It just sounds like a new form of colonialist exploitation

That is horrific

utterly shocking, makes me feel sick

'Men who use positions of power to take advantage of vulnerable children must be reported and fired'

i think set on fire or fired at with a big gun would be better

Am appalled to see that so many "big" aid agencies are seemingly implicated in this scandal. Really dreadful MrsBigD. Liberia has gone through so MUCH :(

Well I am wary of everyone that comes into contact with my ds, fanatical some could call it. Not just in a sexual way but with safety issues. This article just proves that those you think you could trust are not. Food for thought me thinks.

These young girls are often handed over by their own parents to these sick bastards, sometimes for a period of 2-3 days in exchange for money

Heard this on the news this morning and thought I must have misheard - aid workers and UN peacekeeping soldiers! What is going on?

I just can't believe that official authorities don't seem to do anything about it...

Isn't it bad enough that a country's 'nasty' people exploit their own? I mean what kind of message is that sending to the poeple that are supposed to be aided??? Oh I just cant formulate what I'm thinking

OMG that is horrific. I feel sick

Allowing local "justice" to prevail though GGG just continues the cycle of barbarous disregard for humanity. I think these abusers should be tried and sent to prison for a good long stretch. I think people in Liberia (and Darfur, etc, etc) are too trigger-happy already after decades of civil war and need no encouragement.
And where are they getting their guns I wonder? It makes me so ashamed. :(

don't really know why it is often kept quiet but it is widely known that where ever relief operations and peace keeping missions go brothels and the like pop up.
women and children have always been used for sex in wars rapes are fairly common to 'soil' an ethic group for example. sad but this is the world we live in

I know MrsBigD. Aid workers from settled, "safer" countries should be doing all they can to show there is a viable alternative to continuing vendettas, bloodshed and cruelty. Not participating

We don't live in it though sfxmum, it is thousands of miles away for most us lucky families. I just don't know what we can do to really make a difference in countries like the Sudan, Chad, Liberia and so on. The quality of life there has been desperate and shaming for decades now :(

wasnt making a statement about local justice really, was more pointing out that 'reported and fired' seems a little lenient.

You think you are doing your bit by supporting Oxfam and other specific aid appeals and then you hear this :(

You would hope that behind that press-release speak lurks a determination to get this stopped, GGG, I see what you mean. It does sound bland. Possibly because they have no idea just what has been going on.:(

i hope so marina, its sickening and terribly sad

I think Caligula said it all for me (at them, not C)

As Marina says, the quality of life in these countires has been desperate for decades.

When socieites have been so messed up for so long they are damaged at every level. I think what Save the Children are highlighting here is how deep those levels go.

I imagine that in many of the communities in these societies abuses of power-particular towards children - are going on daily. It just shows how far we have to go beyond giving food and cash to assist - and that is mindboggling and utterly depressing.

Remember also that aid workers and peacekeepers come from all over the world, not just the west, so I do' think its a colonialist thing. Abuse of the weak is a huge problem in the poorest parts of the world - we should respect the aid agencies for tackling it and highlighting it.

What I find mindboggling and depressing is that those people sent to help are the ones perpetrating iykwim.

Am in shock and anger - ditto what Caligula said, it is beyond belief that people who have already suffered so much should have to endure this.

There are just no words