Child abuse claims - Name them to stop them

THE notion of someone who is entrusted with the care of a child turing into a sex abuser is not new to anyone who has lived in this country for more than a decade.

However, yesterday’s accusation from Save the Children UK, that “significant” levels of sexual abuse of children as young as six by UN peacekeepers and aid workers has been under-reported is unnerving.

The relationship between a UN peacekeeper or an aid worker and a child in a crisis-torn area of the world is dependent on trust and if the charges are proven, immediate and severe action must be taken to protect these children.