Survivors re-traumatized by Peace Corps after reporting rapes

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By David Edwards

A group of former volunteers who were raped while working with the Peace Corps told Congress Wednesday that serious changes need to be made to the organization.

The victims explained that in many cases, the way they were treated by the Peace Corps after reporting the assault was more traumatic than the rape itself.

"These women are alone in many cases, and they’re in rough parts of the world," Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) told The New York Times prior to the hearing.

Jessica Smochek told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that she was raped in 2004, at the age of 23, after being deployed to Bangladesh.

"The Peace Corps said that we might experience harassment during our posting, but that it just took some getting used to," she explained.

More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/11/survivors-re-traumatized-by-peace-corps-after-reporting-rapes/

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Down with the Peace Corps!

...Oh, wait a second! :think:

[ZombieHorde]

3. Down with one or more of the Peace Corps managers.

Some serious changes need to be made.

[yardwork]

5. Did you read the article at the link? Pretty eye-opening.

[Sonoman]

7. Eye-opening? Downright effing sickening.

Those women should have named names.

I wonder if the gynecologist in each case was the same guy.

In what now seems like someone else's life, I spent a good bit of time in SE Asia. During that time, I worked alongside some Peace Corp personnel. While most of them were truly wonderful and inspiring people, there were some seriously disturbed individuals as well.

From the article, it appears those seriously disturbed types were sent to Washington when everyone else went home.

Sonoman

[yardwork]

10. I have the same suspicion about the gynecologist.

[midnight]

2. It seems like this attitude toward people, in this case women, is that it's part of the job mantra..

Which is what worked so well for Black Water now Xe. Instead of watering down peoples rights, we need to be strengthening them...

[bobbolink]

6. that mantra works well at the Air Force Academy, and it isn't unknown to DU, obviously.

[BlueIris]

4. K&R. nt

[EFerrari]

8. K&R

[mainer]

9. Sickening. I had no idea it was this awful for female volunteers.

The Peace Corps should be ashamed.