On February 19th, women living in a refugee camp in Cologne, Germany wrote an open letter describing widespread sexual harassment and abuse at the hands of the camp's security guards. According to the letter, a group of nine guards regularly photograph and film women while they breastfeed, take showers, and sleep.
Women and girls are afraid to go to the bathroom alone because that is where many have been raped. The letter states,
"They wait in a group for the women going to the toilet on the outskirts of the camp; they intercept them, and they rape them while other people in the group watch.”
These women have escaped terror in their home countries, but instead of finding peace in Germany, they are experiencing terror of another kind. The guards allegedly keep the victims quiet about the attacks by
threatening to tell their husbands or kick them out of the camp.The Cologne police are investigating the allegations and have opened at least two cases as part of that investigation.
The security company, however, says that they will use "every legal means to disprove the accusations." We need to make sure that these women find justice, and that others don't fall into the hands of predators.
It is horrific that these women and girls have been abused by the very men hired to protect them. If this was happening undetected right under the nose of authorities for who knows how long, who's to say that it isn't happening in other camps, as well?
Please sign this petition demanding that the German government increase their oversight of refugee camps and protect women and girls from rape. Women and girl refugees are some of the most vulnerable people in the world. There needs to be more done to protect them from rape and abuse.
On February 19th, women living in a refugee camp in Cologne, Germany wrote an open letter describing widespread sexual harassment and abuse at the hands of the camp's security guards. According to the letter, a group of nine guards regularly photograph and film women while they breastfeed, take showers, and sleep.
Women and girls are afraid to go to the bathroom alone because that is where many have been raped. The letter states,
"They wait in a group for the women going to the toilet on the outskirts of the camp; they intercept them, and they rape them while other people in the group watch.”
These women have escaped terror in their home countries, but instead of finding peace in Germany, they are experiencing terror of another kind. The guards allegedly keep the victims quiet about the attacks by
threatening to tell their husbands or kick them out of the camp.The Cologne police are investigating the allegations and have opened at least two cases as part of that investigation.
The security company, however, says that they will use "every legal means to disprove the accusations." We need to make sure that these women find justice and that others don't fall into the hands of predators.
It is horrific that these women and girls have been abused by the very men hired to protect them. If this was happening undetected right under the nose of authorities for who knows how long, who's to say that it isn't happening in other camps, as well?
Please increase your oversight of refugee camps and protect women and girls from rape. Women and girl refugees are some of the most vulnerable people in the world. There needs to be more done to protect them from rape and abuse.
