abuse

FILE - A man works on a computer, cyber codes cascading over him, in this imaginative illustration dated May 13, 2017. Today, a startling report reveals a troubling spike in the online sexual exploitation and abuse of children in Kenya. Consider young Winnie Muyam. Digital platforms were once her gateway to a vibrant social life and a universe of entertainment. Last year, everything changed for the 17-year-old. She started receiving messages from strangers, at first innocuous, then alarmingly intrusive. "They began by…

Caroline Darian, the daughter of Gisèle Pelicot, has bravely stepped into the spotlight, urging other victims of sexual assault to break their silence and share their stories. Her family’s decision to go public is rooted in a profound desire to empower those suffering in silence, encouraging them to "speak up and not remain in the shadows." In a heart-wrenching turn of events, her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, was found guilty of systematically drugging and raping Gisèle for nearly ten years. To add a layer of horror,…

The harrowing child sexual abuse scandal that shook Britain, involving primarily Pakistani men who groomed, trafficked, and assaulted young white girls, is once again at the forefront of political discourse. This resurgence in focus has been notably spurred by none other than Elon Musk, who criticized the response from British leaders, particularly targeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Musk, a well-known supporter of US president-elect Donald Trump, has provocatively called for Starmer's resignation, arguing that the Prime…

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, the Anglican Primate of Southern Africa, has issued a cautionary note suggesting that we may see an uptick in reports of misconduct involving church officials, especially following the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Welby's departure came on the heels of an investigation that unveiled his failure to report allegations of abuse perpetrated by John Smyth—a barrister, educator, and director of Christian camps—during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Smyth was a prominent figure…

In a groundbreaking moment for New Zealand, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has issued a heartfelt apology to individuals who suffered abuse while under state care. This acknowledgment of the "unimaginable pain" experienced in child welfare homes and psychiatric facilities marks a significant step towards reckoning with a dark chapter in the nation’s history. The recent public inquiry revealed that approximately 200,000 vulnerable New Zealanders faced abuse throughout various decades of state care, labeling these findings…

The Catholic Church is facing an urgent call to unify its policies regarding compensation for victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy, according to the inaugural report from the Vatican's child protection commission. For years, the institution has grappled with widespread scandals and disheartening revelations concerning sexual misconduct by its clergy members and the subsequent attempts to cover it up. The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors asserted, “Acknowledging and compensating victims is a…

In a significant gathering at the United Nations Human Rights Council on February 26, 2024, in Geneva, delegates from various nations convened to deliberate on pressing global human rights dilemmas. Amidst this backdrop, Kenya's election to the council for the 2025–2027 tenure stirred the pot, faced with heavy criticisms from civil society groups due to alleged human rights transgressions. Photo by Janine Schmitz/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images NAIROBI, Kenya (AX) — Kenya's leap onto the United Nations Human Rights Council…

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on an Eritrean official it accused of being involved in serious human rights violations in the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region, where thousands of people have been killed and more 2 million displaced people.…

According to the Thomson Reuters Foundation and The Humanitarian, no less than 70 women, mostly housekeepers, were forced to sleep with those responsible for the response in Beni and Butembo. The first cases were convicted in September last year in Beni. Today, it is in Butembo that the two media gathered testimonies about the same type of abuse. Several organizations, especially international ones,…

Human Rights Watch has published a new report in which it points out that at least eight bloggers who mainly broadcast their production via the Youtube platform have been threatened, arrested or even prosecuted for a year. A poet has also been missing since February last year after being critical. The American NGO Human Rights…