"It's not as if we murdered babies in their cots" - Oxfam

[JaimesGoldenHand]

Apparently the Oxfam CEO thinks the reaction to the Aid Worker rape and use of prostitutes and the subsequent apparent cover-up has been disproportionate. It happens in all aid agencies so why the fuss.

I was in two minds as to whether to boycott Oxfam but this has decided me. I feel physically sick.

This is the article I was trying to find yesterday.

Why it's time we talked about the sex lives of humanitarians

www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2014/jul/10/humanitarian-workers-sex-global-development?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard

Making decisions on the best way for staff to visit brothels is a familiar dilemma for some humanitarian logistics managers. While providing the organisation's car ensures the driver is likely to get humanitarians home safely, having its logo on a jeep outside a brothel is hardly ideal for the organisation's reputation.

Written by 2 female journalists and taking the same unfortunate line that Mary Beard seems to be taking of "oh well it's tough out there but people have needs"

Maybe they think it's empowering for them, earning their aid, rather than being given it...

I have a horrifying feeling there are many anti SWERF lefty dudebros and handmaidens who think exactly that.

World vision have admitted its staff in Haiti were making people pay for aid (aid paid for through donations) with either money or sex.

Aid agencies have put the country in a position where a lot of the work that could be done by locals is being done by volunteers from other countries. How do they think the locals will pay for that aid?

The patriarchal approach these big charities take to developing countries is problematic.

I think he needs to resign immediately.

There is no way back after that comment.

In terms of supporting Oxfam anymore, I just can’t do it. Raping under age victims exposed to the most horrific tragedies is sickening. Unless there are successful prosecutions, the current CEO resigns and the charity is overhauled from the top down by a competent female CEO determined to remove the rot then they will never ever get my support again.

I would say it is game over

That article!

Human right # 1 for these organisations

Men have a human right to sex.

How many women working out there were visiting brotels? I'm willing to guess not very many. We seem to be able to understand that sexual explitation is bad, and don't tend to pay for sex. We are capable with going without if there isn't a willing partner. Meanwhile,men abuse their power all over the world every day to obtain sex.

So yes as an experiment, there should be women in these roles and see how that goes.

Failing that, a rule of NO SEXUAL INTERACTION WHATSOEVER WITH ANY OF THE LOCALS.

If they want sex then they find another willing aid worker / or go without.

amp.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/jul/29/aid-worker-rape-humanitarian-south-sudan-sexual-violence

It's not just local women

Yes Lass I read that article on Twitter. Peak Guardian.

Making decisions on the best way for staff to visit brothels is a familiar dilemma for some humanitarian logistics managers

#peakguardian
#peaksexualexploitation
#peakrape
#peakmen

That article is appalling! Honestly going without sex whilst on trips to these countries would just seem like an expected part of the job, no? Don't we expect that from soldiers sent on deployments to places like Afghanistan for months at a time? Why would aid workers consider themselves any different?

a rule of NO SEXUAL INTERACTION WHATSOEVER WITH ANY OF THE LOCALS.

If they want sex then they find another willing aid worker / or go without.

A bit like the rules of no sexual interaction in student/tutor, police-officer/victim, social worker/client relationships?

That would be novel, wouldn't it?

a rule of NO SEXUAL INTERACTION WHATSOEVER WITH ANY OF THE LOCALS

Yes to this.

The best way for aid workers to visit brothels...?. I can't believe what I'm reading.

That article is disgusting. Sex is not a human right.

No aid workers should be exploiting locals. Just unbelievable (but at the same time very believable) #peakmen

That article was co-authored by Pauline Oosterhoff.

It is perhaps little wonder the CEO of Oxfam thinks aid workers using prostitutes is not as bad as murdering babies in their cots if some one with her credentials seems to agree accessing prostitutes is just part of the package.

www.ids.ac.uk/person/pauline-oosterhoff

"We never murdered babies in their cots".

Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris didn't murder any babies in their cots either. In fact, like Oxfam they both raised £££millions for charities, and they both brought joy to many unsuspecting fans for 40 years of public life too.

But Mark Goldring needs to realise, making many positive contributions in your public life does not entitle you to a free reserve of depravity to even out the scale. Prick.

Haven't RTFT, but I was a bit uncomfortable about Oxfam a long time ago, when I heard one of the employees from very high echelons (who I knew informally) say of course she always flew first class, if she flew economy with the amount of flying she had to do, she would have died 🙄

Just saw this on twitter and it felt relevant

This behaviour is endemic in charity workers. Humanitarianism and aid are built on colonialism and so we have a lads club of men who go abroad magnanimously saving people and reaping their rewards.
I have heard of this with other charities before this scandal broke.

Predators o where the prey is. That is why they are found signing up as volunteers. They need to be screened but rarely are. That is why the pedophiles offends 200 times before they are caught.

I think they don't really think about where the money has come from, they feel they are put there to do a job and apart from that they can do what they like.

apparently, on Question Time, a section of their manual was read out. it was written in 2006. i don't have a verbatim quote but it said something about the use of prostitutes being discouraged.

If the actual manual for staff behaviour said that, there's no hope.

Essentially I'd think of that two ways - one, I'm surprised it mentions it all because I'd assume it was gross misconduct of the type that doesn't need to be listed.

or I'd expect it to say that anyone found to be using a prostitute would be sacked and reported according to whatever jurisdiction they are in.

so that wording is quite something.

I also agree he should resign immediately after that comment.

Gets worse - turns out three of them were also found to have intimidated witnesses. Yet they were still allowed to resign and have their names redacted from the report.

on Question Time, a section of their manual was read out. it was written in 2006. i don't have a verbatim quote but it said something about the use of prostitutes being discouraged.

If the actual manual for staff behaviour said that, there's no hope.

Essentially I'd think of that two ways - one, I'm surprised it mentions it all because I'd assume it was gross misconduct of the type that doesn't need to be listed.

If using prostitutes is not illegal (as it is not in the UK, nor in many countries) then why is it an employer's business if an employee does that at all? I would have no idea if any of my co-workers used prostitutes but if they did I would not expect them to be dismissed for it.

If it's illegal where they are then yes, that's a potentially dismissable action, depending on the contract terms.

The Oxfam issue seems to be a lot deeper though, there were underage 'prostitutes' (they're not really prostitutes if they are underage are they, just kids, being sold), porn on computers, sex on the Oxfam premises, threats to co worker witnesses and a massive cover-up. That is the issue.

Now, don't start suggesting I agree with prostitution, I don't but it is not illegal and, as such, nothing to do with your employer. I am really surprised an employee handbook mentioned it, it shows they knew there was an issue which is very worrying.

Isn't it about bringing your employer into disrepute? Lots of jobs have those sorts of expectations, such as teachers, police and so on.