“Boys Will Be Boys”

The corrupt and useless organization known as the UN is screwing the pooch once again:

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 18 – The United Nations has developed procedures to curb sexual abuse by peacekeepers, but the measures are not being put into force because of a deep-seated culture of tolerating sexual exploitation, an independent review reported Tuesday.

“A ‘boys will be boys’ attitude in peacekeeping missions breeds tolerance for exploiting and abusing local women,” said the report, by Refugees International, a Washington-based advocacy group. “This attitude is slowly changing, but the U.N. must go beyond strong rhetoric and ensure that the resources needed to change this culture are available.”

[...]Sarah Martin, the author of the new report, said she had visited peacekeeping missions in Haiti and Liberia and had found that a “wall of silence” kept sexual abuse cases from being investigated. Rapes were often belittled as simple acts of prostitution. “They’d say, ‘Why should we ruin someone’s otherwise illustrious career over an act with a prostitute,’ ” she said in the briefing.

She said Liberians had complained to her about some peacekeepers’ conduct with the comment, “This behavior would not be accepted in the home country of these soldiers; why are these soldiers playing around with our children?”

Ms. Martin said guidelines adopted at headquarters were not being taken seriously in the field, adding: “Until there is a better understanding of the zero-contact rule, peacekeepers will continue to think of it as a rule that makes no sense. Fear of punishment is not enough to ensure compliance.”

Yes, fear of punishment is not enough when there is no punishment going on. What the hell did they expect?