The power these men have over us' – Sexual exploitation and abuse by African Union forces in Somalia (September 2014)

9th September 2014

The power these men have over us' – Sexual exploitation and abuse by African Union forces in Somalia (September 2014)

This 71-page Human Rights Watch report documents the sexual exploitation and abuse of Somali women and girls on two AMISOM bases in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, since 2013. The AU soldiers, relying on Somali intermediaries, have used a range of tactics, including humanitarian aid, to coerce vulnerable women and girls into sexual activity. They have also raped or otherwise sexually assaulted women who were seeking medical assistance or water at AMISOM bases. Human Rights Watch interviewed 21 women and girls who described being raped or sexually exploited by Ugandan or Burundian military personnel serving with the AU forces.