Two Brits charged with sexual abuse of minors
in Cambodia
Khy Sovuthy / Khmer Times
David Brock, One of the men accused of sexually assaulting minors. Supplied
Siem Reap Provincial Court has charged two British nationals with indecent acts against minors after they allegedly sexually abused several boys aged 13 to 15.
According to a statement from child-protection NGO Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) on Tuesday, the court charged two Britons, aged 63 and 69, with indecent acts against minors under 15 years of age.
Duong Thavary, deputy provincial police chief in charge of the anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection department, said the suspects were arrested on February 21 after a months-long investigation. They were sent to the provincial court for questioning after being questioned by police, she added.
“After we questioned them, we learned one suspect committed the crime and the other one was an accomplice,” said Ms Thavary. “The provincial court charged them with indecent acts against eight minors and already sent them to pretrial detention at the provincial prison.”
Police also confiscated numerous media devices for examination.
Ms Thavary said this was the first case in 2018 involving foreign paedophiles in Siem Reap province, adding police cracked down on three cases last year.
According to a statement from APLE, one of the men confessed to having sexually molested some of the boys and paid for each encounter.
Samleang Seila, country director of APLE, said the organisation and its partners would provide support to the affected children and their families if such services were requested during the rehabilitation process.
Mr Seila said police and NGOs find it difficult to uncover crimes involving foreigners and children because the foreigners have changed their tactics to avoid detection.
“Now foreign suspects commit the crime but they are more careful than before,” Mr Seila said. “In general, crime cases involving foreigners sexually abusing children is lower than before.”
Over 500 charged for sexual offences, other crimes against children since 2015 in T&T
Even so, the numbers are still rising
LOOP NEWS
Police in Trinidad and Tobago have continued in their fight in crimes perpetrated against children, with 552 people being arrested and charged since May 2015 to present under the Children’s Act.
Speaking at Wednesday’s Weekly Police Media Briefing, W/Sgt. Michelle Lewis of the Child Protection Unit, Port of Spain Division said that of the 552 persons charged, 73 were charged in 2015, 184 in 2016, 289 in 2017 and six persons in 2018, for various offences against children under the Act.
The figures represent a worrying increase in the number of offences committed against persons under the age of 18, with a high percentage involving sexual penetration of a child and sexual touching of a child.
Of the 98 offences committed in 2015, 61 involved sexual penetration of a child and 28, sexual touching.
In the following year, 370 offences were committed of which 199 involved sexual penetration and 69 sexual touching.
For 2017, 406 offences were committed of which 244 involved sexual penetration and 78 sexual touching.
Fifty reports of crimes against children have been reported for the year thus far, 30 of which involved sexual penetration and 19 sexual touching.
W/Sgt. Lewis urged parents and guardians to remember that they have a duty of care over the children under their charge and an obligation to ensure the rights of the child are protected.
She also pointed to an unsettling trend emerging in custody disputes, whereby children are being coached to make unfounded allegations against one of the parties to the dispute.
The CPU is then required to divert limited resources to investigate these allegations, instead of focusing on genuine cases of abuse against children, she said.
W/Sgt. Lewis also pointed to cases of teenaged girls finding themselves pregnant without any recollection of a sexual encounter, leading investigators to conclude they were drugged, then raped.
Save the Children official fired for historical
child safeguarding concerns
child safeguarding concerns
Charity admits major failings in hiring practices after
employing worker for two decades
Sarah Marsh and Rebecca Ratcliffe
Rudolph von Bernuth, former director of international programmes at Save the Children. Photograph: Youtube / Maxwell School of Syracuse University
Save the Children has admitted to major failings in its employment procedures after it emerged that a senior official worked at the charity for more than two decades before he was fired over historical child safeguarding concerns.
Rudolph von Bernuth, who held senior posts including that of international programmes director, was at Save the Children from 1992-96 and 1997-2014 before he was sacked for serious misconduct linked to past behaviour. He has since been a university guest lecturer in the US.
Save the Children said that the allegations concerned Von Bernuth’s behaviour before and during his employment by the charity, but would not give any details of the specific complaints that led to his departure other than to say “serious concerns were raised about him”.
The UK Charity Commission told the Guardian that his dismissal was linked to “historic child safeguarding concerns”.
Save the Children also said that as a result of the case it would investigate how it dealt with claims of sexual misconduct and harassment. However, it would not clarify whether there were allegations of this nature made against Von Bernuth.
The charity said it was “appalled at and denounce his behaviour prior to and during his employment”, adding: “We are heartbroken at the pain he caused.”
Save the Children admitted it was “deeply concerned” at how it handled hiring procedures, but would not say whether it had asked for a reference before hiring Von Bernuth.
The Guardian asked Save the Children to elaborate on any knowledge of wrongdoing in other jobs but the charity refused. Von Bernuth did not respond to repeated attempts to contact him for comment.
The revelations add to significant problems for the charity, with staff demanding the removal of Sir Alan Parker as its international chairman over complaints of inappropriate behaviour by former executives. They believe he should step down because of failures to deal with the complaints from staff against the charity’s former chief executive, and the former policy director Brendan Cox, the widower of murdered MP Jo Cox.
Based on how Von Bernuth’s employment was handled, the charity said it would order a review of all prior investigations, adding that there would be a thorough inspection of how it looks at claims of sexual misconduct.
In a statement, the US arm of the charity said that “in an effort to take a fresh look at these issues” it had asked the former chairman of the US securities and exchange commission, Mary Jo White, to investigate. It said the investigation would look at “the organisation’s current procedures for hiring and related employment practices and for addressing claims of sexual misconduct and harassment”.
Von Bernuth worked for Care International for two decades before joining Save the Children, where he was most recently the international programme director based in London.
Care International told the Guardian that Von Bernuth resigned in May 1992 and that it had no records of formal sexual misconduct complaints. “More than 25 years have passed, and our records don’t indicate whether or not a reference was given [to Save the Children] at that time,” it said.
Von Bernuth is understood to have worked in the London office on secondment from the US branch of the charity and to have left suddenly in 2014. One former staff member who asked to remain anonymous said: “When he left, no one was told anything. He just ... disappeared.”
His case was reported to the UK Charity Commission and he was not provided with a reference upon leaving. He was investigated, with details passed on to authorities in the US and the UK.
A spokesperson for the Charity Commission said: “Our records from 2014 indicate that the charity Save the Children International made a serious incident report to us in March 2014, relating to a staff member and historic child safeguarding concerns ... we established that the individual in question was suspended and later had his employment terminated by the charity.”
Since 2016, Von Bernuth has been the president of the board of directors for Hospice and Palliative Care of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison counties, New York. He has also been a guest lecturer on humanitarian issues at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School. Neither organisation responded to requests for comment.
His public profile also says that he retired from Save the Children in 2015 and that the Canterbury School, a boarding and day school he attended in Connecticut, awarded him a distinguished alumni award last year.
Save the Children is one of a number of charities to be affected by a crisis that has swept the sector since Oxfam staff were accused of sexual misconduct in Haiti in 2011. Last week, the heads of 22 aid organisations took the unprecedented step of apologising for the sector’s failure to tackle sexual abuse. They vowed to toughen safeguards against misconduct.
The letter, signed by the heads of ActionAid UK, Christian Aid, Cafod, Care International UK, as well as Oxfam, Save the Children and others, said: “We are truly sorry.”
Jerusalem Ultra-Orthodox Elementary School
Accused Of Physical, Sexual Abuse
Accused Of Physical, Sexual Abuse
By JTA
Schoolboys of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Hasidim of Toldot Aharon group stand in their synagogue during the ‘Homesh’ ceremony in Jerusalem. The ceremony is attended by five-year-old children starting to study the Torah for their first time in their lives.
MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images
JERUSALEM (JTA) — A lawsuit filed against a venerated haredi Orthodox elementary school in Jerusalem alleges physical and sexual abuse within the institution.
The lawsuit was filed last week in Jerusalem Magistrates Court against Talmud Torah Kaminetz by a former student who is now an adult. He was assisted in preparing and filing the lawsuit by Din Ve’Cheshbon, a haredi organization that is fighting against sexual abuse cases and institutional coverups within the haredi sector.
Talmud Torah Kaminetz is held up as a standard-bearer in the Lithuanian stream of the haredi education system.
The lawsuit names a teacher, the principal and the institution as defendants. The incidents began about 18 years ago when the alleged victim was 9 years old and in the third grade.
A teacher who tested the students privately in Torah and other religious subjects allegedly repeatedly pinched the student’s private areas during the testing sessions. When the student started to skip the sessions, the principal allegedly called him to his office, where he would hit the boy, sometimes with a stick. On one occasion, according to the documents, it was with such force that the stick snapped in two.
In sixth grade, the student told a rabbi at the school about the incidents. The following day his mother received a call from the school accusing the child of spreading lies about the rabbis in the school. The mother said she was also told that she should be grateful that her son was accepted to the prestigious institution, even though the family is of Sephardic descent, and that if they continued to complain the boy and his brothers would be expelled from the school.
Woman reveals abuse hell at hands of parents and praises centre for helping turn her life around
The Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre has helped more than 600 victims through counselling and providing emotional support
A woman has bravely told how she was sexually abused by her father and his friends which her mother did nothing to prevent.
The woman, now in her 50s, spoke about her horrific experience as a guest at the opening of new offices of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (RASASC) for North Wales which has helped her deal with the devastating trauma that’s affected her life.
Police Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones officially opens the new Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre in Bangor. Also pictures are MP Hywel Williams, AM Sian Gwenllian and deputy chair for RASASC Nonn Williams
The woman, whose identity is being protected, said her mother was present and aided and abetted the abusers from when she was a toddler until she left home at 16.
The offices in Parc Menai, Bangor officially opened by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones provide a service across North Wales’ six counties and last year 600 people were referred to them for support.
The woman said: “My father was abusing me and my mother was part of what was happening. I can’t remember a time that it wasn’t happening."
More people are coming forward to report rapes, with North Wales having the highest rate of rapes against children in England and Wales
“There were other people involved. It was absolutely terrifying and painful for a child, but I think the emotional hurt and betrayal of trust is what does more damage. I needed professional help, and I came to the wonderful Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre in North Wales."
“I had counselling that meant for the first time I was able to tell someone exactly what had happened. It was like this big secret that was on my shoulders the whole time. It meant so much to actually have someone say to me that they believed me and that it wasn’t my fault. It had a big emotional impact on me, I cried a lot at that time."
“It took a lot of hard work and commitment, but I started to rebuild my life. I’ve gone from someone who was on benefits and so depressed I wasn’t really doing anything to someone who is working."
“I’ve got a really good wide circle of friends. I’ve got a lovely life. I go on holiday. All of the things that I felt had been written off for me because of what other people had done to me. There are long term effects from what I experienced, I don’t have any children of my own. I never got married, but I try to focus on what I have got rather than what I’ve lost.”
“It’s a consequence of what has happened to me but compared to sitting in a cupboard feeling miserable about it, I do have a life and I didn’t before I came to RASASC North Wales.”
RASASC director Jane Ruthe said: “We help men, women, anyone of any gender. We work with people who have experienced recent rape. We work with people who have experienced childhood abuse, and perhaps not told anyone for many years."
“We work with people whenever they experienced sexual violence, whether it happened recently or a long time ago, whether they have ever told anyone before, whether they are going through a court case. We do also have a children’s service."
“One lady in her 80s who said that she’d actually been raped when she was in her late teens. She’d never been able to hug her children. She never phoned again and she never came in but she said she didn’t want to die without having told anyone.”
Mr Jones said: “The number of rapes and other serious sexual assaults, often committed by partners or people known to their victims, reported to the police are high."
“However, they remain under-reported and more needs to be done to encourage victims to come forward, regardless of when the crime was committed.”
Mr Jones hit out at the UK Government for failing to provide centres like RASASC North Wales.
He said: “While I very much welcome the fact that there is an ongoing Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, I feel that the Westminster Government was incredibly short-sighted in refusing to fund support centres such as this one in order to support the brave people who gave evidence to the inquiry. The need for such support is greater than ever.”
Survivors benefit greatly from counselling/support centres. For many it can turn their lives around completely. But many who never get that support suffer miserably all their lives and often fail to be the person they might have been.
Governments all over the world need to budget for dramatic increases in counselling services for the hundreds of millions of victims of child sex abuse.
Child-abuse survivor of Kincora residential home dies
Compensation for victims recommended last year but collapse of powersharing halted this
Clint Massey, a former resident of Kincora Boys’ Home, outside Banbridge Courthouse in May 2016 as a public inquiry examined allegations of abuse at the notorious facility in east Belfast. File photograph: Lesley-Anne McKeown/PA Wire
Kincora child abuse survivor Clint Massey has died.
Mr Massey spent eight months in the notorious East Belfast residential home at age 16.
The facility opened on Belfast’s Upper Newtownards Road, close to Stormont’s Parliament Buildings, in May 1958 and closed in October 1980 following the sex abuse scandal.
Survivors’ campaigner Margaret McGuckin said: “So saddened to hear early today of Kincora child abuse survivor Clint Massey passing. RIP. Clint was a very shy insecure timid man when we first met.”
Clint and the other victims of Historical Institutional Abuse deserving of redress, continue to die rather than receive the help they so patently deserve.
‘Sadly missed’
She said the group had helped to support Mr Massey. “Sadly missed Clint by all your friends in Savia and further afield. God bless,” she added.
The chairman of a public inquiry into the abuse, Sir Anthony Hart, dismissed allegations of security force or state collusion in the abuse.
No credible evidence was found of complicity in exploitation of sex abuse at Kincora, or that prominent individuals within the establishment were involved.
Of course, if you are careful not to dig too deep...
Instead, failings by the health authorities and Royal Ulster Constabulary were blamed after dozens of residents complained of being targeted.
Following the public inquiry, recommendations were made in January last year to the Northern Ireland Assembly to award compensation to victims and survivors.
However, just days after the report, powersharing collapsed at Stormont, meaning no government has been in place to approve the release of funds. – Press Association
Victimized again by the government!
Charges laid against 8 Ontario residents by OPP's
child sexual exploitation unit
by Mike Wilson Orangeville Banner
ORILLIA — Eight southwestern Ontario residents have been arrested following the execution of 10 search warrants across the province by the Ontario Provincial Police's child sexual exploitation unit.
The individuals reside in Stratford, Fordwich, Formosa, Walkerton, Orangeville, Owen Sound and Kintore.
A total of 36 charges were laid ranging from child pornography charges to possession of marijuana.
"Our most fundamental responsibility as a society is to protect our children from those who would do them harm," said OPP commissioner Vince Hawkes. "The OPP will continue to aggressively identify and pursue individuals who use technology to exploit children. These investigations highlight the many OPP, municipal and First Nations officers who are working diligently to keep our children safe."
Summary of Search Warrants Executed and Charges Laid
OPP say that there are no connections between the following cases, and that they are all independent investigations. None of the charges against any of the accused have been proven in court.
Fordwich
On Feb. 6, 2018, members of the OPP's child sexual exploitation unit, OPP digital forensics unit and the Huron County OPP detachment executed a search warrant at a residence in Fordwich after receiving a report from a social media outlet that an unknown person had uploaded an image of child sexual abuse to the internet.
As a result of the search, police claim that computers were seized that contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 6 police arrested 49-year-old David Harold Banks of Fordwich and charged him with two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, and one count of making child pornography available.
Police also allege that they located a quantity of stolen property and illegal drugs during the search. As a result police arrested 23-year-old Justin Horrigan of Fordwich and charged him with two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, one count of possession of marijuana, one count of possession of cannabis resin, and one count of failure to comply with recognizance.
Formosa
On Feb. 7 members of OPP's child sexual exploitation unit, OPP's digital forensics unit and the Walkerton OPP detachment executed a search warrant at a Formosa residence following an online, undercover investigation.
Police claim that they seized computers that contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 7 police arrested 47-year-old Daniel Bruce Davidson of Formosa and charged him with one count of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, and one count of making child pornography available.
Walkerton
On Feb. 7 members of OPP's child sexual exploitation unit, OPP's digital forensics unit and the Walkerton OPP detachment executed a search warrant at a Walkerton residence following an online, undercover investigation.
Police claim that as a result computers were seized that allegedly contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 13, 2018, police arrested 31-year-old Justin A. Campbell of Walkerton and charged him with three counts of possession of child pornography, and two counts of making child pornography available.
Stratford
On Feb. 5, 2018, members of OPP's child sexual exploitation unit, OPP's digital forensics unit and Stratford police executed a search warrant at a Stratford residence following an online, undercover investigation.
Police say that as a result of their search, computers were seized that contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 5 police arrested 35-year-old Ernest Jordan Hesse of Stratford and charged him with one count of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, and one count of making child pornography available.
Orangeville
In January 2018, during the course of an online, undercover investigation, the Sûreté du Québec identified an offender seeking to have sexual relations with two girls, ages six and eight.
Further investigation was conducted by the OPP and on Feb. 7, 2018, the child sexual exploitation unit, accompanied by Orangeville police executed a search warrant at an Orangeville residence.
In addition to evidence of this offence, police claim that they located computers containing images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 7 police arrested 40-year-old Christopher M. Robinson of Orangeville and charged him with two counts of agreement to commit a sexual offence against a person under 16 years of age, two counts of invitation to sexual touching a person under 16 years of age, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, and one count of making child pornography available.
Owen Sound
In January 2018 the OPP child sexual exploitation unit received an investigation from the Department of Homeland Security in Buffalo, New York, after an agent identified a group of individuals exchanging videos and images over the internet of children being sexually abused.
Further investigation by the child sexual exploitation unit resulted in OPP investigators, accompanied by Owen Sound police, executing a search warrant on Feb. 15, 2018 at an Owen Sound residence.
During the execution of the search warrant, police claim to have located computer equipment containing images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 15 police arrested 29-year-old Jacob Robert Baker of Owen Sound and charged him with two counts of possession of child pornography, and one count of distribution of child pornography.
Kintore
On Feb. 22, 2018, members of the child sexual exploitation unit, St. Thomas Police, OPP's digital forensics and Oxford County OPP detachment executed a search warrant at a residence in Kintore after receiving information that an unknown person using the internet was in possession of images of child sexual abuse.
Police claim that two computer devices were seized that contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 22, 2018, police arrested 36-year-old Lee David James Hughes of Kintore and charged him with two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, one count of breaching probation, one count of breaching court order, and one count of possession of cannabis marijuana.
Fordwich, ON
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