UN reports 64 cases of sexual exploitation and abuse in Q3

UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations received 64 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse in the third quarter of the year, involving both UN staff and non-staff personnel working as implementing partners, a UN spokesman said Monday.

The United Nations received 39 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse involving UN personnel - 6 for peacekeeping and 33 from agencies, funds and programs, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman.

The world body also received 25 allegations involving non-UN personnel working as implementing partners, he said.

Not all the allegations have been fully verified and many are still in the preliminary assessment phase, cautioned the spokesman.

From the 64 allegations, there are 77 victims: 42 of whom are women, 24 are girls under the age of 18, 2 are men and 1 is a boy under the age of 18. The age of 8 of the victims is unknown.

The alleged perpetrators are 66 men, 1 woman, and 2 individuals whose gender are unknown.

Of the cases, 30 incidents allegedly took place in 2018, 7 in 2017, 2 in 2016, 6 in 2015 or before and the date is unknown for 19 of the allegations reported.

Of the 39 allegations related to UN personnel, one was not substantiated, 22 are at various stages of investigation, 16 are under preliminary assessment to determine whether there is sufficient information to investigate.

Of the 25 allegations relating to implementing partners, 2 have been substantiated through an investigation and the perpetrators were dismissed by the implementing partner. One allegation was not substantiated, 14 are at various stages of investigation, 7 under preliminary assessment and 1 allegation was closed at the request of the victim.

The United Nations received 70 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse in the previous quarter: 43 involving UN personnel, 24 involving UN partners, 3 involving non-UN international forces that were authorized by the Security Council.