Congress Rallies Against Sexual Abuse of Children.

On December 15 the United States Department of Health and Human Services received a letter signed by multiple members of Congress of the Democrat party detailing the statistical and anecdotal evidence of sexual violence targeted towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children amongst refugees, often fleeing from Mexico across the American border, and revealed shocking accounts painting the extreme vulnerability of LGBT children.

In a heartfelt plea to the DHH members of Congress cite statistics which show that although LGBT children make up less than 10% of the population in South America, they comprise of upwards of 19% of children currently in foster care, and 15% of those currently held in juvenile detention, concluding that research in the area of sexual discrimination and sexual violence show that LGBT children are more than twice as likely to be sexually abused whilst in care than heterosexual children. In order to combat this rising issue of discrimination and child protection, members for Congress have asked the DHH to implement sections of the Prison Rape Elimination Act and to increase state wide protectionary measures for refugee children currently under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The ORR places refugee minors in foster care of designated care facilities whilst they await resettlement, a process which can take years.

Children are unaccompanied and separated from their parents with often very little knowledge of the location or fate of their parents or loved ones, increasing feelings of insecurity and dependence on resident adults or older children in facilities - a dependence which lends itself to exploitation.

This phenomenon is not isolated to the Americas. On October 1 reports emerged of sexual abuse within the Nauru detention Centre, including abuse perpetrated by guards against children, prompting both the Greens and Labor parties to demand an investigation in to the matter and an immediate parliamentary discussion regarding the protection of children in offshore processing facilities. Reports stated that guards had forced children to perform sexual acts in front of them, whilst adult and adolescent women were forced to strip and exchange sexual favours with guards to receive shower access, which is restricted on the island due to its tenuous water supply.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison was informed of the allegations, which were first logged with case workers within the Nauru facility by affected refugees, and responded officially on October 3.

In his press address Minister Morrison accused the victims, claiming that the allegations “could have been fabricated as part of an orchestrated campaign, involving service provider staff to undermine the government’s border protection policies.”and suspended 10 Save the Children welfare workers on the island responsible for logging the allegations.

It’s only too easy to see the stark contrast in policy approach and we must ask ourselves who we’re trying to protect and what we’re protecting them from. Keeping refugees at arms length and sweeping allegations of misconduct under the rug sets a disturbing precedent to sexual abuse perpetrators and victims all over the country.

BY Erin Lawson