How Not to Do Safety and Security
If you haven't been following the US Congressional hearing on the victimization of Peace Corps volunteers, read this disturbing AP news article. This is a classic example of why thinking about and implementing safety and security is so important. While there are always two sides to a story, for a large and well-funded organization to behave in the manner described is appalling. What is especially pathetic is this situation has been known about for years, but officials chose not to do anything about it. In my opinion, a humanitarian organization has a moral obligation and duty to mitigate risk as best as possible for its staff members and to support them following an incident. To do anything less, runs counter to basic humanitarian principles. You always look out for your people...
posted by NGO Security at 8:40 AM
1 Comments:
It's a shame that the singular exceptions latched on by the media create such a shadow of condemnation and critique against the Peace Corps. Considering that these incidences are confidential, there is simply no way to share the majority of successful treatments and actions to address victims of sexual assaults. Most, in fact, do not wish to re-live these horrible experiences. Consequently, a counter-defense to these hearings are not likely to occur. The exceptions are disgusting and heartbreaking, but that they elicit such ignorant, knee-jerk responses from pundits and "experts" is the greater shame when truth takes a backseat to sensationalism.
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