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Staffers at the United Nations, U.N., have claimed that sexual harassment, as well as a culture of impunity for perpetrators, is rife at their offices around the world. The Guardian interviewed dozens of current and former U.N. employees in over ten countries as part of the investigation.
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While fifteen respondents said they had reported or experienced some form of sexual assault, including rape, or harassment during the past five years, just seven filed formal reports of what happened.
One of the women who said she was raped by a more senior U.N. staff member noted that an internal U.N. investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate her claim, despite medical evidence and witness testimonies. “There are no other options to get justice, and I have lost my job too,” she lamented, adding that she also lost her visa and, due to stress and trauma, has spent months in hospital, according to The Guardian.
A consultant who claimed that she was harassed by her World Food Program supervisor said, “If you report it, your career is pretty much over, especially if you’re a consultant,” adding that “it’s like an unsaid thing.”
U.N. officials have indicated that underreporting of rape and other forms of sexual harassment is a major concern to combat these crimes. Antonio Guterres, the world body's secretary general, has said that he plans to prioritize “addressing sexual harassment and upholding the zero tolerance policy.”
Meanwhile, victims of sexual abuse and harassment continue to criticize the U.N. for allowing their perpetrators to walk away scot-free.
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