Major Western donors have pressed the World Health Organization to launch a deeper external probe demanding how a major sexual abuse scandal in the Democratic Republic of Congo involving its staff was allowed to happen, diplomats told Reuters.

Some 83 aid workers, a quarter of them employed by the WHO, were involved in sexual exploitation and abuse during the country's Ebola epidemic from 2018 to 2020, an independent commission said last month.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/travellers-vaccinated-with-who-approved-covid-vaccines-can-enter-us-cdc-419527">Travellers vaccinated with WHO approved Covid vaccines can enter US: CDC</a>

Women accused local and foreign aid workers of demanding sex in exchange for jobs and there were nine alleged rapes, the panel said in a report on the large-scale abuse in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and aides have shared its draft action plan with major donors - including the United States, Britain, European powers, Canada and Australia - prompting their calls for an external oversight body while the WHO also revamps internal policies, diplomats said.

The probe should examine how WHO management reacted to growing allegations and aim to establish wider accountability, they said.

The management plan, currently being revised and expected to be presented to WHO's 194 member states on Thursday, should set out robust action and identify management failures to prevent future abuses in emergency operations, they added.

"My understanding for the delay is they are actually beefing it up," a Western diplomat told Reuters.

The WHO said in an email reply that it has consulted staff, member states and others on its comprehensive plan to address the report`s recommendations and prevention in its operations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-experts-back-extra-covid-19-jab-for-immunocompromised-419991">WHO experts back extra COVID-19 jab for immunocompromised</a>

"The consultations with member states continue this week. WHO will integrate their feedback into the plan; we aim to finalise it shortly and present it to member states," it said.

A second Western diplomat said, "the draft needs to specifically mention and include an external investigation and be independent."

"Enormous Concern"&nbsp;

The UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) would be well-suited to lead the review "which should find mechanisms to ensure accountability goes as high as it needs to", he said.

"A lot of countries view these reports with enormous concern and are looking to the WHO for a major response that goes beyond treating the symptoms of the problem and makes sure something like this can never happen again," he added.

Tedros, who is seeking re-election next year, has said that WHO had terminated the contracts of four WHO employees and his priority was to hold perpetrators to account. His U.N. agency would address "management and staff failures".

Tedros, who visited Congo 14 times during the outbreak, launched the initial probe a year ago after an investigation by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and The New Humanitarian in which more than 50 women accused aid workers from the WHO and other charities of demanding sex.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-covid-19-update-high-infection-rate-in-0-19-age-group-in-india-globally-new-cases-fall-by-9-419214">WHO COVID-19 Update: High infection rate in 0-19 age group in India, globally new cases fall by 9%</a>

The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), asked whether any of its employees were implicated in the scandal, told Reuters on Wednesday: "At this point we have not received any information linking any of the subjects identified to UNICEF."

The commission cited "clear (WHO) structural failures and unpreparedness to manage the risks of incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse" and internal emails showing that the agency was aware of some incidents by May 2019.

A third diplomat said,&nbsp;"clearly it is an unfinished investigation".

"We don't have full sight of the delegation of authority or management reporting process," she said, adding that a cultural change was required, with greater emphasis on prevention and risk mitigation measures.

Another diplomat said, "we are calling for zero tolerance to be embedded in operations. We will be watching closely."

Major Western donors have pressed the World Health Organization to launch a deeper external probe demanding how a major sexual abuse scandal in the Democratic Republic of Congo involving its staff was allowed to happen, diplomats told Reuters.

Major Western donors have pressed the World Health Organization to launch a deeper external probe demanding how a major sexual abuse scandal in the Democratic Republic of Congo involving its staff was allowed to happen, diplomats told Reuters. Some 83 aid workers, a quarter of them employed by the WHO, were involved in sexual exploitation and abuse during the country's Ebola epidemic from 2018 to 2020, an independent commission said last month. Also Read | Travellers vaccinated with WHO approved Covid vaccines can enter US: CDC Women accused local and foreign aid workers of demanding sex in exchange for jobs and there were nine alleged rapes, the panel said in a report on the large-scale abuse in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and aides have shared its draft action plan with major donors - including the United States, Britain, European powers, Canada and Australia - prompting their calls for an external oversight body while the WHO also revamps internal policies, diplomats said. The probe should examine how WHO management reacted to growing allegations and aim to establish wider accountability, they said. The management plan, currently being revised and expected to be presented to WHO's 194 member states on Thursday, should set out robust action and identify management failures to prevent future abuses in emergency operations, they added. "My understanding for the delay is they are actually beefing it up," a Western diplomat told Reuters. The WHO said in an email reply that it has consulted staff, member states and others on its comprehensive plan to address the report`s recommendations and prevention in its operations. Also read | WHO experts back extra COVID-19 jab for immunocompromised "The consultations with member states continue this week. WHO will integrate their feedback into the plan; we aim to finalise it shortly and present it to member states," it said. A second Western diplomat said, "the draft needs to specifically mention and include an external investigation and be independent." "Enormous Concern" The UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) would be well-suited to lead the review "which should find mechanisms to ensure accountability goes as high as it needs to", he said. "A lot of countries view these reports with enormous concern and are looking to the WHO for a major response that goes beyond treating the symptoms of the problem and makes sure something like this can never happen again," he added. Tedros, who is seeking re-election next year, has said that WHO had terminated the contracts of four WHO employees and his priority was to hold perpetrators to account. His U.N. agency would address "management and staff failures". Tedros, who visited Congo 14 times during the outbreak, launched the initial probe a year ago after an investigation by the Thomson Reuters Foundation and The New Humanitarian in which more than 50 women accused aid workers from the WHO and other charities of demanding sex. Also read | WHO COVID-19 Update: High infection rate in 0-19 age group in India, globally new cases fall by 9% The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), asked whether any of its employees were implicated in the scandal, told Reuters on Wednesday: "At this point we have not received any information linking any of the subjects identified to UNICEF." The commission cited "clear (WHO) structural failures and unpreparedness to manage the risks of incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse" and internal emails showing that the agency was aware of some incidents by May 2019. A third diplomat said, "clearly it is an unfinished investigation". "We don't have full sight of the delegation of authority or management reporting process," she said, adding that a cultural change was required, with greater emphasis on prevention and risk mitigation measures. Another diplomat said, "we are calling for zero tolerance to be embedded in operations. We will be watching closely."

WHO donors seek deeper probe into Congo sexual abuse: Diplomats

Three Popes have apologised for the clergy's sexual abuse cases in the last two decades. But the Vatican continues to silence survivors and obstruct investigations. Palki Sharma tells you why it's time for the church to move beyond apologies to action.

Gravitas: Pope expresses 'shame' at French clergy abuse

A court in China has dropped a case against a former Alibaba manager who was accused by a female colleague of sexual assault.

The district court in north-eastern Shandong province said the “forcible indecency” committed by the man, identified as Wang, was not a crime.

The former manager, whose last name is Wang, was detained in August after the women accused him of sexual assault while they were on a business trip to the northern Chinese city of Jinan.

Police said the investigation was closed but added that Wang will remain under detention for 15 days “as punishment”.

On Weibo, Wang's wife thanked his team of lawyers in a post on Tuesday. She previously accused the female employee of framing her husband for sexual misconduct.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alibaba-fires-10-employees-for-leaking-sexual-assault-accusations-409422">&nbsp;Alibaba fires 10 employees for leaking sexual assault accusations</a>

In an 8,000-word letter, the woman had claimed that the manager raped her in a hotel room while she was unconscious after a “drunken night.” She said she woke up the next morning naked in her bed in her hotel room.

According to a letter sent to employees by Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang, Wang admitted to “intimate acts” with an inebriated female employee, adding that he will “never be rehired.”

Her allegations were widely shared on Chinese social media, drawing widespread criticism online, with many lamenting the lack of protection for women in sexual assault cases.

Facing severe backlash, Alibaba fired Wang, while the two executives who failed to act on the allegation also resigned.

Later, the company issued a statement, saying, “Alibaba Group has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual misconduct, and ensuring a safe workplace for all our employees is Alibaba’s top priority.”

(With inputs from agencies)

A court in China has dropped a case against a former Alibaba manager who was accused by a female colleague of sexual assault. The district court in north-eastern Shandong province said the “forcible indecency” committed by the man, identified as Wang, was not a crime.

A court in China has dropped a case against a former Alibaba manager who was accused by a female colleague of sexual assault. The district court in north-eastern Shandong province said the “forcible indecency” committed by the man, identified as Wang, was not a crime. The former manager, whose last name is Wang, was detained in August after the women accused him of sexual assault while they were on a business trip to the northern Chinese city of Jinan. Police said the investigation was closed but added that Wang will remain under detention for 15 days “as punishment”. On Weibo, Wang's wife thanked his team of lawyers in a post on Tuesday. She previously accused the female employee of framing her husband for sexual misconduct. Also read | Alibaba fires 10 employees for leaking sexual assault accusations In an 8,000-word letter, the woman had claimed that the manager raped her in a hotel room while she was unconscious after a “drunken night.” She said she woke up the next morning naked in her bed in her hotel room. According to a letter sent to employees by Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang, Wang admitted to “intimate acts” with an inebriated female employee, adding that he will “never be rehired.” Her allegations were widely shared on Chinese social media, drawing widespread criticism online, with many lamenting the lack of protection for women in sexual assault cases. Facing severe backlash, Alibaba fired Wang, while the two executives who failed to act on the allegation also resigned. Later, the company issued a statement, saying, “Alibaba Group has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual misconduct, and ensuring a safe workplace for all our employees is Alibaba’s top priority.” (With inputs from agencies)

China court drops sexual assault charge against former Alibaba employee

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd dismissed 10 employees for publicizing a female colleague's account of sexual assault allegations against a former manager, Bloomberg News reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The company fired the 10 employees for sharing screenshots of the woman's post in the public domain after removing watermarks that bore their IDs, the Bloomberg report said, citing an internal announcement from last week.

The employees were fired for violating policies against exposing content on employee forums, Bloomberg reported, citing the people familiar.

Three other employees have also been reprimanded for making inappropriate comments in public forum, according to the report.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-alibaba-fires-manager-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-employee-as-social-media-explodes-404150">China's Alibaba fires manager accused of sexually assaulting employee as social media explodes</a>

Alibaba declined to comment on the report.

A female employee had posted an 11-page account on Alibaba's intranet in early August saying her manager and a client had sexually assaulted her, and that superiors and human resources had not taken the matter seriously in the five days since she reported it.

Alibaba fired the manager accused of sexual assault, but was blasted by state media for not acting until the accuser went public.

The e-commerce company made its decision to fire the 10 workers after wrapping up an internal investigation and has not announced the final results of that probe to the public, Bloomberg reported.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd dismissed 10 employees for publicizing a female colleague's account of sexual assault allegations against a former manager, Bloomberg News reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd dismissed 10 employees for publicizing a female colleague's account of sexual assault allegations against a former manager, Bloomberg News reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The company fired the 10 employees for sharing screenshots of the woman's post in the public domain after removing watermarks that bore their IDs, the Bloomberg report said, citing an internal announcement from last week. The employees were fired for violating policies against exposing content on employee forums, Bloomberg reported, citing the people familiar. Three other employees have also been reprimanded for making inappropriate comments in public forum, according to the report. Also read | China's Alibaba fires manager accused of sexually assaulting employee as social media explodes Alibaba declined to comment on the report. A female employee had posted an 11-page account on Alibaba's intranet in early August saying her manager and a client had sexually assaulted her, and that superiors and human resources had not taken the matter seriously in the five days since she reported it. Alibaba fired the manager accused of sexual assault, but was blasted by state media for not acting until the accuser went public. The e-commerce company made its decision to fire the 10 workers after wrapping up an internal investigation and has not announced the final results of that probe to the public, Bloomberg reported.

Alibaba fires 10 employees for leaking sexual assault accusations

The Indonesian army's chief of staff has said that women wanting to join the troops will no longer be subjected to virginity tests.

Human rights organisations have long denounced the practice, calling it humiliating and traumatic.&nbsp;

The procedure is known in Indonesia as the "two-finger test," since doctors would put two fingers into the woman's vagina during the examination to see if the hymen was still intact.

Those who were not deemed virgins were not eligible for recruitment.&nbsp;

"Two-finger tests" was systematic, abusive and cruel, according to the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), which conducted investigations in 2014 into the practice and in 2017 renewed calls for it to end.

The military previously stated that the exams were crucial in assessing the morals of recruits.

They have "no scientific value," according to the World Health Organization, and the presence of a hymen is not a reliable sign on intercourse.

On Tuesday, Indonesian army chief of staff Andika Perkasa informed reporters that such exams were no longer conducted in the army.&nbsp;

"Whether the hymen was ruptured or partially ruptured was part of the examination ... now there`s no more of that," he said, in comments that were confirmed by a military spokesman.

Andika last week said that the army selection process for male and female recruits must be equal.

Rights activists welcomed the move, reiterating that such tests were a form of violence against women.&nbsp;

It's unclear if the restriction has been lifted for Indonesia's navy and air force as well.

In 2015, the national police force abolished the policy.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Indonesian army's chief of staff has said that women wanting to join the troops will no longer be subjected to virginity tests. Human rights organisations have long denounced the practice, calling it humiliating and traumatic.

The Indonesian army's chief of staff has said that women wanting to join the troops will no longer be subjected to virginity tests. Human rights organisations have long denounced the practice, calling it humiliating and traumatic. The procedure is known in Indonesia as the "two-finger test," since doctors would put two fingers into the woman's vagina during the examination to see if the hymen was still intact. Those who were not deemed virgins were not eligible for recruitment. "Two-finger tests" was systematic, abusive and cruel, according to the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), which conducted investigations in 2014 into the practice and in 2017 renewed calls for it to end. The military previously stated that the exams were crucial in assessing the morals of recruits. They have "no scientific value," according to the World Health Organization, and the presence of a hymen is not a reliable sign on intercourse. On Tuesday, Indonesian army chief of staff Andika Perkasa informed reporters that such exams were no longer conducted in the army. "Whether the hymen was ruptured or partially ruptured was part of the examination ... now there`s no more of that," he said, in comments that were confirmed by a military spokesman. Andika last week said that the army selection process for male and female recruits must be equal. Rights activists welcomed the move, reiterating that such tests were a form of violence against women. It's unclear if the restriction has been lifted for Indonesia's navy and air force as well. In 2015, the national police force abolished the policy. (With inputs from agencies)

Virginity check for female recruits: Indonesian army ends the abusive two-finger test

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo&nbsp;has announced his resignation as a result of a damning investigation by the state's attorney general, which found that the third-term Democrat sexually assaulted 11 women and attempted to retaliate against one of his accusers who went public with her claims.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-covid-comforter-to-sex-assault-accused-new-york-governor-cuomos-fall-from-grace-403032">Pictures: From Covid comforter to sex assault accused: New York Governor Cuomo's fall from grace</a> 
 
“New York tough means New York loving, and I love New York and I love you,” Cuomo said, “I would never want to be unhelpful in any way, and I think given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let the government get back to governing, and therefore, that’s what I’ll do.”

The resignation will go into effect on August 24, at which point Democratic Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will take over as governor for the remainder of Cuomo’s term.

“Kathy Hochul, my lieutenant governor, is smart and competent. This transition must be seamless. We have a lot going on, I’m very worried about the delta variant, and so should you be, but she can come up to speed quickly,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo's resignation, which will take effect in 14 days, is a dramatic turnaround from a little over a year ago when he was hailed as a rising star in the Democratic Party for his administration's handling of the coronavirus outbreak.&nbsp;

Even that performance is now being questioned, as a separate investigation by the attorney general discovered that the number of nursing facility fatalities reported by the state was considerably higher than authorities claimed.&nbsp;

Since February, at least seven women, including many former aides, have come forward to describe uncomfortable interactions with Cuomo.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced his resignation as a result of a damning investigation by the state's attorney general, which found that the third-term Democrat sexually assaulted 11 women and attempted to retaliate against one of his accusers who went public with her claims.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced his resignation as a result of a damning investigation by the state's attorney general, which found that the third-term Democrat sexually assaulted 11 women and attempted to retaliate against one of his accusers who went public with her claims. Pictures: From Covid comforter to sex assault accused: New York Governor Cuomo's fall from grace “New York tough means New York loving, and I love New York and I love you,” Cuomo said, “I would never want to be unhelpful in any way, and I think given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let the government get back to governing, and therefore, that’s what I’ll do.” The resignation will go into effect on August 24, at which point Democratic Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will take over as governor for the remainder of Cuomo’s term. “Kathy Hochul, my lieutenant governor, is smart and competent. This transition must be seamless. We have a lot going on, I’m very worried about the delta variant, and so should you be, but she can come up to speed quickly,” Cuomo said. Cuomo's resignation, which will take effect in 14 days, is a dramatic turnaround from a little over a year ago when he was hailed as a rising star in the Democratic Party for his administration's handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Even that performance is now being questioned, as a separate investigation by the attorney general discovered that the number of nursing facility fatalities reported by the state was considerably higher than authorities claimed. Since February, at least seven women, including many former aides, have come forward to describe uncomfortable interactions with Cuomo. (With inputs from agencies)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces resignation after investigation finds he sexually harassed multiple women

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has fired a manager accused of sexual abuse. CEO Danial Zhang said that he felt shocked, ashamed, furious about the sexual assault case. He also added that the company is cooperating in the police investigation.

Alibaba fires manager accused of sexual assault

The Boy Scouts of America has reached an $850 million settlement with groups representing tens of thousands of men with sexual abuse claims, a major step toward addressing a deluge of accusations that sent the organization into bankruptcy.

In a filing on Thursday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, the Boy Scouts (BSA) said the settlement with the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice and two other groups covers claims by about 60,000 abuse survivors.

It said the accord provides a framework for a global resolution of abuse claims and could allow it to emerge from Chapter 11 protection "late this year."

"Bringing these groups together marks a significant milestone ... as the BSA works toward our dual imperatives of equitably compensating survivors of abuse and preserving the mission of scouting," the 111-year-old nonprofit said in a statement.

The groups separately called the accord a "significant accomplishment that achieves consensus" among most claimants, the Boy Scouts and more than 250 local councils.

Thursday's settlement requires a judge's approval and could face opposition from insurers that would be on the hook for payouts.

In a court filing, affiliates of American International Group Inc, Chubb Ltd , Travelers Cos and other insurers said the Boy Scouts excluded them from negotiations and gave victims' lawyers too much of a say in crafting a settlement.

"With only the fox guarding the hen-house, the outcome is utterly at odds with what BSA itself asserted was necessary for a confirmable (bankruptcy) plan," the insurance affiliates said.

Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts filed for Chapter 11 in February 2020 after being hit with hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits.

These lawsuits were filed after several U.S. states, including New York, began letting people sue over alleged sex abuses that occurred decades earlier.

The bankruptcy filing covered the national organization, not the local councils.

The case is In re Boy Scouts of America, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, No. 20-10343.

The Boy Scouts of America has reached an $850 million settlement with groups representing tens of thousands of men with sexual abuse claims, a major step toward addressing a deluge of accusations that sent the organization into bankruptcy.

The Boy Scouts of America has reached an $850 million settlement with groups representing tens of thousands of men with sexual abuse claims, a major step toward addressing a deluge of accusations that sent the organization into bankruptcy. In a filing on Thursday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, the Boy Scouts (BSA) said the settlement with the Coalition of Abused Scouts for Justice and two other groups covers claims by about 60,000 abuse survivors. It said the accord provides a framework for a global resolution of abuse claims and could allow it to emerge from Chapter 11 protection "late this year." "Bringing these groups together marks a significant milestone ... as the BSA works toward our dual imperatives of equitably compensating survivors of abuse and preserving the mission of scouting," the 111-year-old nonprofit said in a statement. The groups separately called the accord a "significant accomplishment that achieves consensus" among most claimants, the Boy Scouts and more than 250 local councils. Thursday's settlement requires a judge's approval and could face opposition from insurers that would be on the hook for payouts. In a court filing, affiliates of American International Group Inc, Chubb Ltd , Travelers Cos and other insurers said the Boy Scouts excluded them from negotiations and gave victims' lawyers too much of a say in crafting a settlement. "With only the fox guarding the hen-house, the outcome is utterly at odds with what BSA itself asserted was necessary for a confirmable (bankruptcy) plan," the insurance affiliates said. Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts filed for Chapter 11 in February 2020 after being hit with hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits. These lawsuits were filed after several U.S. states, including New York, began letting people sue over alleged sex abuses that occurred decades earlier. The bankruptcy filing covered the national organization, not the local councils. The case is In re Boy Scouts of America, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, No. 20-10343.

Boy Scouts reach $850 million settlement with sex abuse victims

Former ‘Smallville’ actress Allison Mack has opened up about her involvement in the NXIVM sex cult. This comes days before her sentencing for sex trafficking.&nbsp;

In a letter, Allison asked for forgiveness and apologised to “those who have been harmed by my actions.”

As per The Hollywood Reporter, her letter stated, “It is now of paramount importance for me to say, from the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry. I threw myself into the teachings of Keith Raniere with everything I had. I believed, whole-heartedly, that his mentorship was leading me to a better, more enlightened version of myself. I devoted my loyalty, my resources, and, ultimately, my life to him. This was the biggest mistake and regret of my life.”

To “those harmed by the collateral damage of my destructive choices,” Allison said she will dedicate the rest of her life working to make amends and become a more compassionate woman.

The actress’s lawyers are asking for no jail time for her citing she recognises that she has “committed grievous wrongs and that she has earned her punishment.” They also state that Allison Mack has “publicly denounced Raniere (and her own prior association with Raniere) in the strongest possible terms.”

Her attorneys continued: “That is made clear by Ms. Mack’s plea allocution, her decision to cooperate completely and fully with the government, and is further underscored in her letter to this Court as well as her efforts to demonstrate her remorse to the public generally and more specifically to those she harmed. There is thus no need to impose an additional sentence of incarceration on Ms. Mack to achieve specific deterrence.”

Allison Mack was arrested in 2018 and charged with sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy. She pleaded guilty to charges alleging she manipulated women into becoming sex slaves for Raniere, who was sentenced last October to 120 years in prison after being convicted of seven felonies.

The actress is due for sentencing on June 30.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-salma-hayek-reveals-friend-penelope-cruz-was-upset-with-her-for-not-confiding-about-harvey-weinstein-394549" hreflang="en">Salma Hayek reveals friend Penelope Cruz was upset with her for not confiding about Harvey Weinstein</a>

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Former ‘Smallville’ actress Allison Mack has opened up about her involvement in the NXIVM sex cult. This comes days before her sentencing for sex trafficking. In a letter, Allison asked for forgiveness and apologised to “those who have been harmed by my actions.

Former ‘Smallville’ actress Allison Mack has opened up about her involvement in the NXIVM sex cult. This comes days before her sentencing for sex trafficking. In a letter, Allison asked for forgiveness and apologised to “those who have been harmed by my actions.” As per The Hollywood Reporter, her letter stated, “It is now of paramount importance for me to say, from the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry. I threw myself into the teachings of Keith Raniere with everything I had. I believed, whole-heartedly, that his mentorship was leading me to a better, more enlightened version of myself. I devoted my loyalty, my resources, and, ultimately, my life to him. This was the biggest mistake and regret of my life.” To “those harmed by the collateral damage of my destructive choices,” Allison said she will dedicate the rest of her life working to make amends and become a more compassionate woman. The actress’s lawyers are asking for no jail time for her citing she recognises that she has “committed grievous wrongs and that she has earned her punishment.” They also state that Allison Mack has “publicly denounced Raniere (and her own prior association with Raniere) in the strongest possible terms.” Her attorneys continued: “That is made clear by Ms. Mack’s plea allocution, her decision to cooperate completely and fully with the government, and is further underscored in her letter to this Court as well as her efforts to demonstrate her remorse to the public generally and more specifically to those she harmed. There is thus no need to impose an additional sentence of incarceration on Ms. Mack to achieve specific deterrence.” Allison Mack was arrested in 2018 and charged with sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and forced labor conspiracy. She pleaded guilty to charges alleging she manipulated women into becoming sex slaves for Raniere, who was sentenced last October to 120 years in prison after being convicted of seven felonies. The actress is due for sentencing on June 30. Salma Hayek reveals friend Penelope Cruz was upset with her for not confiding about Harvey Weinstein Rita Ora sizzles in bikini while shooting for new music video

Former 'Smallville' actress says 'sorry' ahead of sentencing in sex trafficking case

Giving a boost to the already-existing patriarchal society in Pakistan, the country’s Prime Minister, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/imran-khan">Imran Khan</a>, found himself in trouble after he casually passed statements <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/men-are-not-robots-ladies-wearing-small-cloths-impact-them-imran-khans-defence-of-sexual-violence-392954">justifying rape culture</a> in the South Asian country.

"If a woman is wearing very few clothes it will have an impact on the man unless they are robots. It's common sense,"&nbsp;Imran Khan said when he was asked about the rising cases of sexual violence in Pakistan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-remains-on-fatfs-grey-list-393939" hreflang="en">Pakistan remains on FATF's grey list</a>

His statement landed him in trouble as several women’s rights groups voices their concern against this careless statement by the PM and demanded a public apology from Khan.

"Makes my heart shudder to think how many rapists feel validated today with the Prime Minister backing their crime," tweeted Kanwal Ahmed, a campaigner for women's rights, after the comments aired.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-for-the-pakistan-government-osama-bin-laden-was-a-martyr-393027">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-for-the-pakistan-government-osama-bin-laden-was-a-martyr-393027/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Women, across the country, took to the streets to protest against Imran Khan’s remarks and demand an apology, which has not been issued yet.

However, his media team quickly judged to the Prime Minister’s rescue and claimed the statement has been misinterpreted from the Urdu language, which is Pakistan’s national language.

(With inputs from agencies)

Giving a boost to the already-existing patriarchal society in Pakistan, the country’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, found himself in trouble after he casually passed statements justifying rape culture in the South Asian country.

Giving a boost to the already-existing patriarchal society in Pakistan, the country’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, found himself in trouble after he casually passed statements justifying rape culture in the South Asian country. "If a woman is wearing very few clothes it will have an impact on the man unless they are robots. It's common sense," Imran Khan said when he was asked about the rising cases of sexual violence in Pakistan. Also read | Pakistan remains on FATF's grey list His statement landed him in trouble as several women’s rights groups voices their concern against this careless statement by the PM and demanded a public apology from Khan. "Makes my heart shudder to think how many rapists feel validated today with the Prime Minister backing their crime," tweeted Kanwal Ahmed, a campaigner for women's rights, after the comments aired. WATCH | Women, across the country, took to the streets to protest against Imran Khan’s remarks and demand an apology, which has not been issued yet. However, his media team quickly judged to the Prime Minister’s rescue and claimed the statement has been misinterpreted from the Urdu language, which is Pakistan’s national language. (With inputs from agencies)

Women's rights group demand public apology from Imran Khan over rape comment

A French woman, Valérie Bacot, is set to stand trial for killing her stepfather-turned-husband who raped her for nearly 25 years.

Daniel "Dany" Polette, Bacot’s then stepfather started raping her when she was 12 years old and living with her alcoholic mother. When he raped her, she had no idea what he was doing and only realised what had happened after she learned about it in one of her biology lessons, she said.

When her mother got to know about the torture, Polette was put behind bars in 1995 for incest but he returned back to the family very soon and continued raping Bacot. "Nobody seemed to find it bizarre that Daniel came back to live with us as if nothing had happened," she said in her book Bacot’s story:&nbsp;Tout le Monde Savait&nbsp;(Everyone Knew)."Everyone knew but nobody said anything."

When he started raping her again, she overheard her mother tell him, "I don’t give a damn as long as she doesn’t become pregnant." However, she soon became pregnant at the age of 17 and Polette decided to forcefully marry the victim.

The toxic wedding brought daily beatings, which even involved hammer at one point. She bore three more children out of the forced sexual engagements with Polette and the children faced his beatings too.

Later, she was forced to be a prostitute as he pimped her in the back of his Peugeot 806 that he fitted with a mattress. He spied on her during the "appointments" and instructed her what to do through an earpiece she was forced to wear.

One day when she was raped by one of the men her husband had pimped her to, she decided she has had enough and shot Polette from a pistol he used to hide in his car.

"This is a woman who has been destroyed and devastated, not just by the lack of maternal love, the rapes, the blows, the denigration, the prostitution but also and above all by the indifference and the omerta of society," Bacot’s lawyers wrote.

"From her earliest age she was put through terrible things without anyone, not even those close to her, blinking an eye. They ignored her distress and her ordeal, which could be read on her face. The story of her life is deeply distressing," they added.

Her trial will go on for a week and has once again highlighted the alarming increase in domestic violence and sexual abuse in the EU.

A French woman, Valérie Bacot, is set to stand trial for killing her stepfather-turned-husband who raped her for nearly 25 years. Daniel "Dany" Polette, Bacot’s then stepfather started raping her when she was 12 years old and living with her alcoholic mother.

A French woman, Valérie Bacot, is set to stand trial for killing her stepfather-turned-husband who raped her for nearly 25 years. Daniel "Dany" Polette, Bacot’s then stepfather started raping her when she was 12 years old and living with her alcoholic mother. When he raped her, she had no idea what he was doing and only realised what had happened after she learned about it in one of her biology lessons, she said. When her mother got to know about the torture, Polette was put behind bars in 1995 for incest but he returned back to the family very soon and continued raping Bacot. "Nobody seemed to find it bizarre that Daniel came back to live with us as if nothing had happened," she said in her book Bacot’s story: Tout le Monde Savait (Everyone Knew)."Everyone knew but nobody said anything." When he started raping her again, she overheard her mother tell him, "I don’t give a damn as long as she doesn’t become pregnant." However, she soon became pregnant at the age of 17 and Polette decided to forcefully marry the victim. The toxic wedding brought daily beatings, which even involved hammer at one point. She bore three more children out of the forced sexual engagements with Polette and the children faced his beatings too. Later, she was forced to be a prostitute as he pimped her in the back of his Peugeot 806 that he fitted with a mattress. He spied on her during the "appointments" and instructed her what to do through an earpiece she was forced to wear. One day when she was raped by one of the men her husband had pimped her to, she decided she has had enough and shot Polette from a pistol he used to hide in his car. "This is a woman who has been destroyed and devastated, not just by the lack of maternal love, the rapes, the blows, the denigration, the prostitution but also and above all by the indifference and the omerta of society," Bacot’s lawyers wrote. "From her earliest age she was put through terrible things without anyone, not even those close to her, blinking an eye. They ignored her distress and her ordeal, which could be read on her face. The story of her life is deeply distressing," they added. Her trial will go on for a week and has once again highlighted the alarming increase in domestic violence and sexual abuse in the EU.

French woman faces trial for killing her stepfather-turned-husband who raped her for 25 years

Sexual abuse has been normalised in England's schools. Girls are inappropriately touched, raped, and asked to share explicit photos. WION's Palki brings you the details of a report published by U.K's education watchdog.

Gravitas: Sexual abuse 'normalised' in U.K. schools

Pope Francis has issued the most sweeping revision to Catholic church law in decades. Toughening regulations for clerics who abuse minors and vulnerable adults. The Pope has revised church law to explicitly criminalise the sexual abuse of adults by priests who abuse their authority.

Pope Francis revises Catholic church law, expands rules on sexual abuse

The New Hampshire police&nbsp;on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against musician Marilyn Manson after he allegedly failed to answer to pending charges in a 2019 incident involving a videographer.&nbsp; 
 
The alleged assaults involved a videographer, the police said, adding that Manson, his agent and legal counsel had been aware of the warrant "for some time" and "no effort has been made by him to return to New Hampshire to answer the pending charges". 
 
"The Gilford Police Department has an active arrest warrant for Brian Hugh Warner (aka&nbsp;Marilyn Manson) for two counts of Class A misdemeanor Simple Assault stemming from a 2019 incident at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion," the police said in a statement on Facebook.&nbsp; 
 
The incident dates back to August 2019 when the musician had performed at a concert a the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion.

The videographer had been subcontracted by a New Hampshire-based company to video the concert, and had been located in the stage pit area when the alleged assaults occurred, the statement added. 
 
A Class A misdemeanor in New Hampshire can carry a possible jail sentence of up to a year and a fine of up to $2,000. 
 
In the recent weeks, Manson has been accused of abuse and rape by several women including actress Evan Rachel Wood, his ex.&nbsp;

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/los-angeles-police-probe-marilyn-manson-violence-allegations-365000">Los Angeles police is already investigating</a> allegations of domestic violence against the musician.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-marilyn-manson-accused-of-sexual-harassment-again-lawsuit-claims-he-bragged-of-raping-women-385948">Also read:&nbsp;Marilyn Manson accused of sexual harassment again, lawsuit claims he bragged of 'raping women'</a> 
 
Manson was dropped by his record label after the allegations. 
 
The singer and songwriter is known for his Gothic-inspired black outfits and heavy make-up. His hits include 'The Dope Show' and 'Personal Jesus'. 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/game-of-thrones-star-esme-bianco-sues-marilyn-manson-for-alleged-rape-abuse-381887">'Game of Thrones' star Esme Bianco sues Marilyn Manson for alleged rape, abuse</a>

The New Hampshire police on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against musician Marilyn Manson after he allegedly failed to answer to pending charges in a 2019 incident involving a videographer.

The New Hampshire police on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against musician Marilyn Manson after he allegedly failed to answer to pending charges in a 2019 incident involving a videographer. The alleged assaults involved a videographer, the police said, adding that Manson, his agent and legal counsel had been aware of the warrant "for some time" and "no effort has been made by him to return to New Hampshire to answer the pending charges". "The Gilford Police Department has an active arrest warrant for Brian Hugh Warner (aka Marilyn Manson) for two counts of Class A misdemeanor Simple Assault stemming from a 2019 incident at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion," the police said in a statement on Facebook. The incident dates back to August 2019 when the musician had performed at a concert a the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion. The videographer had been subcontracted by a New Hampshire-based company to video the concert, and had been located in the stage pit area when the alleged assaults occurred, the statement added. A Class A misdemeanor in New Hampshire can carry a possible jail sentence of up to a year and a fine of up to $2,000. In the recent weeks, Manson has been accused of abuse and rape by several women including actress Evan Rachel Wood, his ex. The Los Angeles police is already investigating allegations of domestic violence against the musician. Also read: Marilyn Manson accused of sexual harassment again, lawsuit claims he bragged of 'raping women' Manson was dropped by his record label after the allegations. The singer and songwriter is known for his Gothic-inspired black outfits and heavy make-up. His hits include 'The Dope Show' and 'Personal Jesus'. 'Game of Thrones' star Esme Bianco sues Marilyn Manson for alleged rape, abuse

Arrest warrant issued for Marilyn Manson by New Hampshire police for assaulting videographer

For nearly two decades, the global aid organization Mercy Corps had operated with a troubling secret: A daughter of one of the group’s longtime leaders, co-founder Ellsworth Culver, had accused him of years of sexual abuse.

When his daughter Tania Culver Humphrey first came forward with the allegations in the early 1990s, the leadership of the international nonprofit organization was largely dismissive and allowed Culver to stay on in an executive role. But on Wednesday, after an extensive accounting of how the organization handled a case that eventually reached around the world, Mercy Corps apologized for what it acknowledged were “extensive failures.”

“We feel deep regret that Mercy Corps failed in its responsibility in 1992 and 1993 to understand the extent of the abuse, assist in pursuing justice, and potentially prevent further harm,” the organization’s board members said in a statement.

The apology came as Mercy Corps released an independent report it had commissioned that described horrifying accounts from Culver Humphrey of abuse that extended far beyond her childhood home near Portland, Oregon. 
 
Speaking to investigators for more than 100 hours, Culver Humphrey reported that both before and during his time at Mercy Corps, her father brought her on international work trips, offering her for sex to men. Other young girls in those countries were also being exploited, she told investigators, including one she says died in a Thai hotel after a night of “severe sexual and physical abuse.”

The independent investigators did not reach conclusions about the veracity of the allegations and wrote that in examining Culver’s activities around the world, they were not able to find witnesses who recalled seeing or hearing about abusive behavior. But the investigators noted that Culver Humphrey’s accounts matched up with travel records, and their report seemed to accept that abuse did occur, referring to her as “the survivor.”

The investigators noted that they had not felt the need to reinterview several of Culver Humphrey’s childhood friends, who for an investigation published by The Oregonian had corroborated her accounts of abuse that had occurred at or near her home.

“We unreservedly believe Ms. Culver Humphrey,” Mercy Corps’s chief executive, Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, said in an interview.

Culver Humphrey said she had been distressed by the failure of the organization to much earlier conduct a serious investigation into the allegations about her father, who died in 2005. But she commended Mercy Corps and its new leadership for the effort it had undertaken in recent months.

“It’s been extremely hard and painful, but there was definitely this genuine effort to figure out how to be transparent with something so awful — and take accountability for it,” she said in an interview. “I want it to be a new standard for other organizations.”

Mercy Corps got its start in 1979 with a focus on refugees in Cambodia but grew to operate across the globe, with 5,600 people operating in 40 countries with half a billion dollars in annual donations and other revenue. Culver, who had previously worked with the aid organizations World Vision and Food for the Hungry, helped start Mercy Corps in the early 1980s and became its president in 1984. He was later granted the title of co-founder.

Culver Humphrey, 50, told investigators that her father began abusing her in her early childhood in the 1970s and that the abuse persisted into her teenage years, sometimes involving a variety of perpetrators at Mercy Corps’ headquarters in Portland.

Medical records she provided show that she had reported details of her father’s abuse to counsellors in the 1980s. In 1992, she talked about the abuse at a women’s prayer group, where someone passed along information that ultimately came to the attention of Mercy Corps’ leadership.

But the investigators this week announced a number of failures in how the allegations were handled: Mercy Corps leaders disclosed the investigation to Culver, who was then the president and chief executive, despite his daughter’s request that he not be informed. After that, the report said, the organization seemed to accept his contention that his daughter had reported false memories, showing him “undue deference” and failing to ensure the allegations were fully investigated.

Culver resigned from his position as president in 1994 but continued as vice president. This week’s independent report found that the organization had failed to fully investigate or take action on the reports about Culver. In one email noted in the report, a former board member sent a letter to the Mercy Corps leadership in 2018 regarding Culver, saying, “I saved his job and career when he was accused by his daughter.”

Culver Humphrey, who now lives in Portland with her husband and two children, approached Mercy Corps again in 2018, asking the organization to take a closer look at how her complaints had been handled in the past. The organization responded to her in a letter, standing by its initial assessment that there was “insufficient evidence” to support her claims against Culver.

That changed after the article in The Oregonian in 2019 detailed some of Culver Humphrey’s allegations and quoted witnesses who corroborated details of her story, including a childhood friend, Michelle Green, who reported that Culver had sexually abused her, too.

The independent investigation released Wednesday, conducted by Freeh Group International Solutions, a global risk management firm that specializes in business integrity and due diligence, detailed reports from Culver Humphrey of extensive abuse.

The allegations went beyond what she had earlier reported occurred with her father at their home in Portland and included her claims, not reported in the earlier Oregonian article or an initial report released last year, that her father had taken her on business trips to foreign countries and arranged for her and other girls recruited locally to have sex with men.

In one account described in the report, Culver Humphrey said she was about 9 on one such trip when she and a local girl of about the same age were abused through the night by her father and another man. By the next morning, Culver Humphrey reported, the other girl was dead. Investigators said they were limited in their ability to corroborate the report but “reviewed documents and survivor statements which confirmed the timing and location of this trip as well as the relationship between both perpetrators.”

Culver Humphrey also reported witnessing her father abuse other children brought in during another business trip, according to the report. She told investigators that on a trip to Honduras her father arranged an encounter in which a foreign military officer sexually abused her. She estimated that she was 13 or 14 at the time and said her father told her it would “help other children” by supporting the work of Mercy Corps, according to the investigation.

The investigators said Culver Humphrey identified eight men who she said had participated in the sexual assaults. While none are currently affiliated with Mercy Corps, according to the report, seven of them previously were affiliated with the organization. Investigators said the details of the reports had been passed along to law enforcement agencies.

Some of the allegations appeared to date back to the years before Culver was at Mercy Corps, when he was an executive vice president at Food for the Hungry, a relief organization based in Arizona. The group said in a statement Wednesday that it was “deeply saddened by the sexual assault reports that came to light against Ellsworth Culver” but said it had seen no reports of incidents related to Culver from his time at the organization from 1978 to 1982.

D’Oyen McKenna, the chief executive of Mercy Corps, said the organization was horrified by the revelations and had shared information on the participants and incidents included in the report with the FBI.

“We acknowledge this ugly piece of our history, but this will not be our legacy,” she said. “This has profoundly changed Mercy Corps.”

The FBI in Portland said it could not discuss whether there was any active investigation.

Culver Humphrey said that while it appears Oregon’s statute of limitations on such abuse currently prevents prosecution for those who she said abused her in the Portland area, she is hopeful there might be some pathway to criminal accountability.

The report described Culver Humphrey’s account of how her father would take photos of her, posing her and other victims. Two of Culver Humphrey’s childhood friends — Theresa deSousa and Kami Golden — both said in interviews with The New York Times that they recalled seeing photos in a drawer at the Culver home that depicted nude young girls who were dark-skinned. Both recalled recognizing at the time that the photos were inappropriate.

Another friend, Karin Keita, said she recalled talking to Culver Humphrey early in high school about her father’s abuse. Culver Humphrey would sometimes appear with marks around her neck that she said her father had caused, Keita said, and she recalled being mortified at watching Culver hold his hand on Culver Humphrey’s upper thigh on one occasion and, on another, lie on top of her, kissing her on the lips for an extended period.

Culver Humphrey said she had an opportunity to address the members of the Mercy Corps board this week. She said the board members listened without a hint of defensiveness. She cried. Board members cried.

“That’s how things actually get done,” Culver Humphrey said. “If people can feel safe enough to talk about what’s happened to them and we can bring this out, it’s hard and it’s awful and it’s terrible, but that’s how things will eventually get better. It’s going to save people’s lives.”

For nearly two decades, the global aid organization Mercy Corps had operated with a troubling secret: A daughter of one of the group’s longtime leaders, co-founder Ellsworth Culver, had accused him of years of sexual abuse.

For nearly two decades, the global aid organization Mercy Corps had operated with a troubling secret: A daughter of one of the group’s longtime leaders, co-founder Ellsworth Culver, had accused him of years of sexual abuse. When his daughter Tania Culver Humphrey first came forward with the allegations in the early 1990s, the leadership of the international nonprofit organization was largely dismissive and allowed Culver to stay on in an executive role. But on Wednesday, after an extensive accounting of how the organization handled a case that eventually reached around the world, Mercy Corps apologized for what it acknowledged were “extensive failures.” “We feel deep regret that Mercy Corps failed in its responsibility in 1992 and 1993 to understand the extent of the abuse, assist in pursuing justice, and potentially prevent further harm,” the organization’s board members said in a statement. The apology came as Mercy Corps released an independent report it had commissioned that described horrifying accounts from Culver Humphrey of abuse that extended far beyond her childhood home near Portland, Oregon. Speaking to investigators for more than 100 hours, Culver Humphrey reported that both before and during his time at Mercy Corps, her father brought her on international work trips, offering her for sex to men. Other young girls in those countries were also being exploited, she told investigators, including one she says died in a Thai hotel after a night of “severe sexual and physical abuse.” The independent investigators did not reach conclusions about the veracity of the allegations and wrote that in examining Culver’s activities around the world, they were not able to find witnesses who recalled seeing or hearing about abusive behavior. But the investigators noted that Culver Humphrey’s accounts matched up with travel records, and their report seemed to accept that abuse did occur, referring to her as “the survivor.” The investigators noted that they had not felt the need to reinterview several of Culver Humphrey’s childhood friends, who for an investigation published by The Oregonian had corroborated her accounts of abuse that had occurred at or near her home. “We unreservedly believe Ms. Culver Humphrey,” Mercy Corps’s chief executive, Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, said in an interview. Culver Humphrey said she had been distressed by the failure of the organization to much earlier conduct a serious investigation into the allegations about her father, who died in 2005. But she commended Mercy Corps and its new leadership for the effort it had undertaken in recent months. “It’s been extremely hard and painful, but there was definitely this genuine effort to figure out how to be transparent with something so awful — and take accountability for it,” she said in an interview. “I want it to be a new standard for other organizations.” Mercy Corps got its start in 1979 with a focus on refugees in Cambodia but grew to operate across the globe, with 5,600 people operating in 40 countries with half a billion dollars in annual donations and other revenue. Culver, who had previously worked with the aid organizations World Vision and Food for the Hungry, helped start Mercy Corps in the early 1980s and became its president in 1984. He was later granted the title of co-founder. Culver Humphrey, 50, told investigators that her father began abusing her in her early childhood in the 1970s and that the abuse persisted into her teenage years, sometimes involving a variety of perpetrators at Mercy Corps’ headquarters in Portland. Medical records she provided show that she had reported details of her father’s abuse to counsellors in the 1980s. In 1992, she talked about the abuse at a women’s prayer group, where someone passed along information that ultimately came to the attention of Mercy Corps’ leadership. But the investigators this week announced a number of failures in how the allegations were handled: Mercy Corps leaders disclosed the investigation to Culver, who was then the president and chief executive, despite his daughter’s request that he not be informed. After that, the report said, the organization seemed to accept his contention that his daughter had reported false memories, showing him “undue deference” and failing to ensure the allegations were fully investigated. Culver resigned from his position as president in 1994 but continued as vice president. This week’s independent report found that the organization had failed to fully investigate or take action on the reports about Culver. In one email noted in the report, a former board member sent a letter to the Mercy Corps leadership in 2018 regarding Culver, saying, “I saved his job and career when he was accused by his daughter.” Culver Humphrey, who now lives in Portland with her husband and two children, approached Mercy Corps again in 2018, asking the organization to take a closer look at how her complaints had been handled in the past. The organization responded to her in a letter, standing by its initial assessment that there was “insufficient evidence” to support her claims against Culver. That changed after the article in The Oregonian in 2019 detailed some of Culver Humphrey’s allegations and quoted witnesses who corroborated details of her story, including a childhood friend, Michelle Green, who reported that Culver had sexually abused her, too. The independent investigation released Wednesday, conducted by Freeh Group International Solutions, a global risk management firm that specializes in business integrity and due diligence, detailed reports from Culver Humphrey of extensive abuse. The allegations went beyond what she had earlier reported occurred with her father at their home in Portland and included her claims, not reported in the earlier Oregonian article or an initial report released last year, that her father had taken her on business trips to foreign countries and arranged for her and other girls recruited locally to have sex with men. In one account described in the report, Culver Humphrey said she was about 9 on one such trip when she and a local girl of about the same age were abused through the night by her father and another man. By the next morning, Culver Humphrey reported, the other girl was dead. Investigators said they were limited in their ability to corroborate the report but “reviewed documents and survivor statements which confirmed the timing and location of this trip as well as the relationship between both perpetrators.” Culver Humphrey also reported witnessing her father abuse other children brought in during another business trip, according to the report. She told investigators that on a trip to Honduras her father arranged an encounter in which a foreign military officer sexually abused her. She estimated that she was 13 or 14 at the time and said her father told her it would “help other children” by supporting the work of Mercy Corps, according to the investigation. The investigators said Culver Humphrey identified eight men who she said had participated in the sexual assaults. While none are currently affiliated with Mercy Corps, according to the report, seven of them previously were affiliated with the organization. Investigators said the details of the reports had been passed along to law enforcement agencies. Some of the allegations appeared to date back to the years before Culver was at Mercy Corps, when he was an executive vice president at Food for the Hungry, a relief organization based in Arizona. The group said in a statement Wednesday that it was “deeply saddened by the sexual assault reports that came to light against Ellsworth Culver” but said it had seen no reports of incidents related to Culver from his time at the organization from 1978 to 1982. D’Oyen McKenna, the chief executive of Mercy Corps, said the organization was horrified by the revelations and had shared information on the participants and incidents included in the report with the FBI. “We acknowledge this ugly piece of our history, but this will not be our legacy,” she said. “This has profoundly changed Mercy Corps.” The FBI in Portland said it could not discuss whether there was any active investigation. Culver Humphrey said that while it appears Oregon’s statute of limitations on such abuse currently prevents prosecution for those who she said abused her in the Portland area, she is hopeful there might be some pathway to criminal accountability. The report described Culver Humphrey’s account of how her father would take photos of her, posing her and other victims. Two of Culver Humphrey’s childhood friends — Theresa deSousa and Kami Golden — both said in interviews with The New York Times that they recalled seeing photos in a drawer at the Culver home that depicted nude young girls who were dark-skinned. Both recalled recognizing at the time that the photos were inappropriate. Another friend, Karin Keita, said she recalled talking to Culver Humphrey early in high school about her father’s abuse. Culver Humphrey would sometimes appear with marks around her neck that she said her father had caused, Keita said, and she recalled being mortified at watching Culver hold his hand on Culver Humphrey’s upper thigh on one occasion and, on another, lie on top of her, kissing her on the lips for an extended period. Culver Humphrey said she had an opportunity to address the members of the Mercy Corps board this week. She said the board members listened without a hint of defensiveness. She cried. Board members cried. “That’s how things actually get done,” Culver Humphrey said. “If people can feel safe enough to talk about what’s happened to them and we can bring this out, it’s hard and it’s awful and it’s terrible, but that’s how things will eventually get better. It’s going to save people’s lives.”

'Deep regret’ inside aid organization grappling with sexual abuse

Donald Trump's supporter, Matt Gaetz, is back in the headlines as a close associate of the congressman has admitted to the charges of sex trafficking involving a minor.

A former tax collector of Florida, on Monday, has confessed to paying a 17-year-old girl for sex and also admitted to arranging drugs for the minor.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lot-of-explaining-to-do-trump-advised-to-stay-away-from-matt-gaetz-amid-his-sex-scandal-375233">'Lot of explaining to do': Trump advised to stay away from Matt Gaetz amid his sex scandal</a>

Local media has reported that Joel Greenberg has told the investigators that Gaetz had sex with the 17-year-old unnamed girl while being completely aware of her age and that she was getting paid for it. However, the infamous congressman has denied the accusations and has refused to resign from Congress.

As per Greenberg's confession, an unnamed associate and Greenberg paid more than $70,000 to women who were hired to perform sexual acts for 'wealthy and powerful men'&nbsp;between 2016 and 2018. He also confessed to using the tax collector office's credit cards at times to make payments to these women.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-ally-under-investigation-for-sexual-relationship-with-underage-girls-374435">Trump's ally under investigation for sexual relationship with underage girls</a>

He also admitted to arranging drugs for an underage girl. He has confessed to having sex with the minor girl at least seven times and he "also introduced the Minor to other adult men, who engaged in commercial sex acts with the Minor".

However, Haetz continues to dismiss these accusations. "The first indictment of Joel Greenberg alleges that he falsely accused another man of sex with a minor for his own gain. That man was apparently innocent. So is Congressman Gaetz," Harlan Hill, the Congressman’s spokeswoman said.

Donald Trump's supporter, Matt Gaetz, is back in the headlines as a close associate of the congressman has admitted to the charges of sex trafficking involving a minor.

Donald Trump's supporter, Matt Gaetz, is back in the headlines as a close associate of the congressman has admitted to the charges of sex trafficking involving a minor. A former tax collector of Florida, on Monday, has confessed to paying a 17-year-old girl for sex and also admitted to arranging drugs for the minor. Also read | 'Lot of explaining to do': Trump advised to stay away from Matt Gaetz amid his sex scandal Local media has reported that Joel Greenberg has told the investigators that Gaetz had sex with the 17-year-old unnamed girl while being completely aware of her age and that she was getting paid for it. However, the infamous congressman has denied the accusations and has refused to resign from Congress. As per Greenberg's confession, an unnamed associate and Greenberg paid more than $70,000 to women who were hired to perform sexual acts for 'wealthy and powerful men' between 2016 and 2018. He also confessed to using the tax collector office's credit cards at times to make payments to these women. Also read | Trump's ally under investigation for sexual relationship with underage girls He also admitted to arranging drugs for an underage girl. He has confessed to having sex with the minor girl at least seven times and he "also introduced the Minor to other adult men, who engaged in commercial sex acts with the Minor". However, Haetz continues to dismiss these accusations. "The first indictment of Joel Greenberg alleges that he falsely accused another man of sex with a minor for his own gain. That man was apparently innocent. So is Congressman Gaetz," Harlan Hill, the Congressman’s spokeswoman said.

Matt Gaetz's former associate confesses paying minor for sex

W.H.O officials silenced sex abuse survivors in Congo in an attempt to protect the agency's reputation. Palki Sharma tells you how thugs and perverts have infiltrated the W.H.O ranks and why Director-General Tedros remains a spectator.

Gravitas: W.H.O silences sex abuse survivors

In China, a harassed woman beat her boss with a mop. The video has gone viral. The incident has spurred up the debate about workplace harassment. Why does it persist? Why does it go unpunished? WION's Palki Sharma gets a report.

Gravitas: Workplace Harassment: A Global Plague

Amid reports of sexual misconduct, the UK government has decided to halt funding for Oxfam in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Oxfam charity confirmed that two members of the staff in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been suspended after allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and abuse of power were made against them. The two employees are undergoing investigation as of now.

“All organisations bidding for UK aid must meet the high standards of safeguarding required to keep the people they work with safe,” the Foreign Office (FCDO) said. “Given the most recent reports, which call into question Oxfam’s ability to meet those standards, we will not consider any new funding to Oxfam until the issues have been resolved.”

Active in DRC since 1961, the organisation focuses on humanitarian projects and helps the locals of the region by helping them through services such as clean drinking water, proper sanitary surroundings and such.

Oxfam has been under observation since 2019 when Charity Commission had revealed that the organisation had partially hidden the truth of the matter in which employees had allegedly sexually abused children.

“The Charity Commission and FCDO have been notified appropriately and we will continue to keep them informed as the investigation concludes its work,” an Oxfam spokesperson said.

Amid reports of sexual misconduct, the UK government has decided to halt funding for Oxfam in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Oxfam charity confirmed that two members of the staff in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been suspended after allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and abuse of power were made against them.

Amid reports of sexual misconduct, the UK government has decided to halt funding for Oxfam in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Oxfam charity confirmed that two members of the staff in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been suspended after allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and abuse of power were made against them. The two employees are undergoing investigation as of now. “All organisations bidding for UK aid must meet the high standards of safeguarding required to keep the people they work with safe,” the Foreign Office (FCDO) said. “Given the most recent reports, which call into question Oxfam’s ability to meet those standards, we will not consider any new funding to Oxfam until the issues have been resolved.” Active in DRC since 1961, the organisation focuses on humanitarian projects and helps the locals of the region by helping them through services such as clean drinking water, proper sanitary surroundings and such. Oxfam has been under observation since 2019 when Charity Commission had revealed that the organisation had partially hidden the truth of the matter in which employees had allegedly sexually abused children. “The Charity Commission and FCDO have been notified appropriately and we will continue to keep them informed as the investigation concludes its work,” an Oxfam spokesperson said.

UK halts funding for Oxfam amid allegations of sexual misconduct

The former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> has been advised to stay away from his aid Matt Gaetz who is being investigated for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an underage girl.

Gaetz is a Republican Congressman who is being investigated for "sexual conduct with women". However, he has denied these accusations, describing them to be "as searing as they are false".

He has also claimed to be a victim of an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-ally-matt-gaetz-calls-himself-victim-of-extortion-by-justice-department-374695">'extortion'</a> plan by the Justice Department. He made these allegations during an interview.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-ally-under-investigation-for-sexual-relationship-with-underage-girls-374435">Trump's ally under investigation for sexual relationship with underage girls</a>

However, several Republicans have said the chances of Gaetz returning to Congress are very slim, especially due to the inner conflict and less support for him within the party.

"I don't hope for anybody to be guilty of anything but it sounds like [Gaetz has] got a lot of explaining to do," Barry Bennett, a longtime Republican operative and former Trump adviser was quoted saying by the Associated Press.

"People underestimate Donald Trump's political ear … For something like this, a 10ft pole is not long enough. The former president should stay as far away from this as possible."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-police-sues-trump-for-physical-and-emotional-damage-in-capitol-riot-374427" hreflang="en">Capitol police sues Trump for 'physical and emotional' damage in Capitol riot</a>

Gaetz's former leader, Donald Trump, has also reportedly claimed Gaetz's affair to be "really bad" but he also believes the accusations against him could be a "smear".

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, has also claimed the accusations against Gaetz to be "serious".

"If in fact these allegations are true, of course being removed from the Judiciary committee is the least that could be done. From what we've heard so far, this would be a matter for the ethics committee," Democratic House Speaker,&nbsp;Nancy Pelosi said.

The former US President Donald Trump has been advised to stay away from his aid Matt Gaetz who is being investigated for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an underage girl.

The former US President Donald Trump has been advised to stay away from his aid Matt Gaetz who is being investigated for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an underage girl. Gaetz is a Republican Congressman who is being investigated for "sexual conduct with women". However, he has denied these accusations, describing them to be "as searing as they are false". He has also claimed to be a victim of an 'extortion' plan by the Justice Department. He made these allegations during an interview. Also read | Trump's ally under investigation for sexual relationship with underage girls However, several Republicans have said the chances of Gaetz returning to Congress are very slim, especially due to the inner conflict and less support for him within the party. "I don't hope for anybody to be guilty of anything but it sounds like [Gaetz has] got a lot of explaining to do," Barry Bennett, a longtime Republican operative and former Trump adviser was quoted saying by the Associated Press. "People underestimate Donald Trump's political ear … For something like this, a 10ft pole is not long enough. The former president should stay as far away from this as possible." Also read | Capitol police sues Trump for 'physical and emotional' damage in Capitol riot Gaetz's former leader, Donald Trump, has also reportedly claimed Gaetz's affair to be "really bad" but he also believes the accusations against him could be a "smear". House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, has also claimed the accusations against Gaetz to be "serious". "If in fact these allegations are true, of course being removed from the Judiciary committee is the least that could be done. From what we've heard so far, this would be a matter for the ethics committee," Democratic House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi said.

'Lot of explaining to do': Trump advised to stay away from Matt Gaetz amid his sex scandal

For weeks, the harrowing anonymous testimonies have poured in, one after another.

Accusations of sexual assault of girls as young as 9. Girls shamed by classmates after intimate photos were circulated without their consent. One girl was blamed by classmates after she reported being raped at a party.

On a platform called Everyone’s Invited, thousands of young women and girls in Britain have recently been sharing frank accounts of sexual violence, sexism and misogyny during their time as students — accusations of everything including criminal sexual attacks to coercive encounters to verbal harassment to unwanted touching — offering raw and unfiltered discussions of their personal trauma.

But when taken together, the accusations paint a troubling picture of widespread sexual violence by students both within the school walls and outside, particularly at parties. In addition to reports of violence, the accounts also included claims of sexism and misogyny.

“This is a real problem,” said Soma Sara, the 22-year-old Londoner who founded Everyone’s Invited. “Rape culture is real.”

The powerful testimonies, while heartbreaking and often infuriating, are unfiltered and remain unconfirmed. But they have nevertheless exploded into a national examination of sexual violence in schools, highlighting what accusers call a toxic culture of shame, silencing and victim blaming that they say school officials have done little or nothing to combat. And it comes amid a broader reckoning in Britain after the killing of Sarah Everard, whose abduction from a London street in early March set off a national conversation about violence women face.

Schools, local and national officials have begun investigations. On Wednesday, the government tasked an education body with conducting an immediate review of safeguarding policies in both public and private schools.

Simon Bailey, the National Police Chiefs’ Council leader for child protection, told the BBC on Monday, “We have a real problem here.”

A helpline will be launched Thursday, and criminal allegations investigated, the Department of Education said. London’s Metropolitan Police encouraged victims to report crimes to the authorities.

While the accounts omit the names of both victims and perpetrators, they identify the schools the students attended, whether the alleged assaults took place on school grounds or elsewhere. Some were prestigious private schools that soon made headlines.

Current and former students at elite institutions — including Dulwich College, King’s College School, Highgate School, Latymer Upper School and more — have now written open letters to school leaders by name, detailing a culture of silence and victim blaming. In one instance, a former student said she was discouraged from taking legal action in a sexual assault case. In another, girls described being groped in a school hallway.

King’s College School and Highgate School issued statements saying they have begun independent reviews of the accusations and school policies, and Latymer Upper School said it had encouraged students to come to school authorities directly. Some of the schools named did not respond directly to requests for comment but in local news reports similarly said they were taking the matter seriously and investigating in some cases.

Accusations of sexual abuse are not the province only of elite prep schools. Dozens of schools, universities and state-run schools have been named, though testimonies received after March 23 no longer identify the institutions. The thousands of stories speak to a pervasive problem facing young women and girls, Sara said, adding she hoped the focus on certain prominent schools would not distract attention from the bigger issues.

“If we point the finger at a person, at a place, at a demographic, you’re actually making it seem like these cases are rare or just anomalies when, really, they’re not rare,” she said.

Experts agree that the accounts, while troubling, are part of a long overdue conversation about attitudes and behavior around gender and sexuality at institutions that have the effect of normalizing and trivializing sexual violence, or rape culture.

Aisha Gill, a professor of criminology at the University of Roehampton in London and an expert on violence against women and girls, said that the “tsunami of disclosures” highlighted a need for change and for accountability and that it was “unreasonable to say it’s just happening in private schools.”

But she stressed that schools have to examine every accusation to determine whether a criminal act took place and whether it was addressed.

The schools themselves “have a duty of care in terms of their function, and there’s a duty there to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils,” she said. “So something is going badly wrong.”

The killing of Everard became a symbol of all the women who have been attacked but whose cases have gone largely unnoticed. Much of the discussion revolved around shifting the focus from women needing to protect themselves to the responsibility of the police, institutions and men to collectively bear the burden of ensuring safety.

It was against this backdrop that Sara posed a question last month on the Everyone’s Invited Instagram account and website she started last year, as she grappled with her own experiences of sexual violence while a student.

She asked if others had experienced sexual violence during their school years or knew someone who had. Nearly every respondent said yes.

While the accounts vary, and are anonymous and unverified, the sheer numbers — more than 11,500 and counting — could not easily be ignored. When she shared the accounts, Sara withheld the names of the victims and the accused but not the schools they attended.

“We did feel that an important place where rape culture is pervasive is in schools, and we felt all schools have a responsibility of safeguarding their children,” Sara said. “These are incredibly formative years.”

Many of the accusations “might not reach the threshold for criminality” but were distressing nevertheless, Jess Phillips, a lawmaker from the opposition Labour Party, told the BBC this week. She said the onus was on the government to collect data about sexual violence in schools, saying it had failed to act on a recommendation to do just that after a 2016 inquiry.

“We need a better inspection regime, we need to have a proper inquiry, we need the government to actually be collecting the data — they’re not actually currently collecting this data anywhere,” Phillips said.

Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, said in a statement that the accusations were “shocking and abhorrent” and that they must be dealt with properly.

“While the majority of schools take their safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously, I am determined to make sure the right resources and processes are in place across the education system to support any victims of abuse to come forward,” he said.

Government agencies and the police are in contact with Everyone’s Invited to provide support to those who are reporting abuse.

Sexual assaults and attempted sexual assaults often go unreported worldwide, so crime data can give only a partial picture of the scale of the problem. But in Britain other statistics show that sexual violence against school-age girls and young women is endemic.

Data released last month by Britain’s Office of National Statistics showed that women and girls ages 16 to 19 were the most common victims of sexual assault in England and Wales, followed by women ages 20 to 24. The statistics also show that Black people and people with mixed ethnicity in England and Wales were even more likely to be sexually assaulted.

A new survey from Plan International UK, a children’s charity, showed that 58% of girls ages 14 to 21 in Britain have been publicly sexually harassed in their learning environments.

Sara and other activists in Britain are not alone in using social media to call out sexual violence in school settings. In Australia, amid a broader national conversation about violence against women, Chanel Contos, 23, started an online petition in February that included thousands of testimonies of sexual violence among students.

The petition called for an overhaul of sex education with a holistic, early and consent-based approach and is being discussed in the Australian Parliament.

“The fact that two girls on opposite sides of the world, who didn’t know each other, experienced the exact same thing,” is telling, Contos said in an interview.

Gill, the criminology professor in London, pointed out that conversations about rape culture in institutions — or environments where attitudes or behavior about gender and sexuality have the effect of normalizing and trivializing sexual violence, like assault or rape — are not new. Successive waves of the feminist movement have called attention to it, she said.

But schools have a duty to safeguard students, she said, from creating safe spaces for victims of sexual violence to come forward to educating other students about their behavior.

“How do they teach choice?” Gill said. “How do they teach respect? How do they encourage young people to build healthy relationships?”

She noted that sex education curriculum should focus on intersectionality and consent. “I think there’s an opportunity now for transformative change.”

For weeks, the harrowing anonymous testimonies have poured in, one after another. Accusations of sexual assault of girls as young as 9. Girls shamed by classmates after intimate photos were circulated without their consent.

For weeks, the harrowing anonymous testimonies have poured in, one after another. Accusations of sexual assault of girls as young as 9. Girls shamed by classmates after intimate photos were circulated without their consent. One girl was blamed by classmates after she reported being raped at a party. On a platform called Everyone’s Invited, thousands of young women and girls in Britain have recently been sharing frank accounts of sexual violence, sexism and misogyny during their time as students — accusations of everything including criminal sexual attacks to coercive encounters to verbal harassment to unwanted touching — offering raw and unfiltered discussions of their personal trauma. But when taken together, the accusations paint a troubling picture of widespread sexual violence by students both within the school walls and outside, particularly at parties. In addition to reports of violence, the accounts also included claims of sexism and misogyny. “This is a real problem,” said Soma Sara, the 22-year-old Londoner who founded Everyone’s Invited. “Rape culture is real.” The powerful testimonies, while heartbreaking and often infuriating, are unfiltered and remain unconfirmed. But they have nevertheless exploded into a national examination of sexual violence in schools, highlighting what accusers call a toxic culture of shame, silencing and victim blaming that they say school officials have done little or nothing to combat. And it comes amid a broader reckoning in Britain after the killing of Sarah Everard, whose abduction from a London street in early March set off a national conversation about violence women face. Schools, local and national officials have begun investigations. On Wednesday, the government tasked an education body with conducting an immediate review of safeguarding policies in both public and private schools. Simon Bailey, the National Police Chiefs’ Council leader for child protection, told the BBC on Monday, “We have a real problem here.” A helpline will be launched Thursday, and criminal allegations investigated, the Department of Education said. London’s Metropolitan Police encouraged victims to report crimes to the authorities. While the accounts omit the names of both victims and perpetrators, they identify the schools the students attended, whether the alleged assaults took place on school grounds or elsewhere. Some were prestigious private schools that soon made headlines. Current and former students at elite institutions — including Dulwich College, King’s College School, Highgate School, Latymer Upper School and more — have now written open letters to school leaders by name, detailing a culture of silence and victim blaming. In one instance, a former student said she was discouraged from taking legal action in a sexual assault case. In another, girls described being groped in a school hallway. King’s College School and Highgate School issued statements saying they have begun independent reviews of the accusations and school policies, and Latymer Upper School said it had encouraged students to come to school authorities directly. Some of the schools named did not respond directly to requests for comment but in local news reports similarly said they were taking the matter seriously and investigating in some cases. Accusations of sexual abuse are not the province only of elite prep schools. Dozens of schools, universities and state-run schools have been named, though testimonies received after March 23 no longer identify the institutions. The thousands of stories speak to a pervasive problem facing young women and girls, Sara said, adding she hoped the focus on certain prominent schools would not distract attention from the bigger issues. “If we point the finger at a person, at a place, at a demographic, you’re actually making it seem like these cases are rare or just anomalies when, really, they’re not rare,” she said. Experts agree that the accounts, while troubling, are part of a long overdue conversation about attitudes and behavior around gender and sexuality at institutions that have the effect of normalizing and trivializing sexual violence, or rape culture. Aisha Gill, a professor of criminology at the University of Roehampton in London and an expert on violence against women and girls, said that the “tsunami of disclosures” highlighted a need for change and for accountability and that it was “unreasonable to say it’s just happening in private schools.” But she stressed that schools have to examine every accusation to determine whether a criminal act took place and whether it was addressed. The schools themselves “have a duty of care in terms of their function, and there’s a duty there to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils,” she said. “So something is going badly wrong.” The killing of Everard became a symbol of all the women who have been attacked but whose cases have gone largely unnoticed. Much of the discussion revolved around shifting the focus from women needing to protect themselves to the responsibility of the police, institutions and men to collectively bear the burden of ensuring safety. It was against this backdrop that Sara posed a question last month on the Everyone’s Invited Instagram account and website she started last year, as she grappled with her own experiences of sexual violence while a student. She asked if others had experienced sexual violence during their school years or knew someone who had. Nearly every respondent said yes. While the accounts vary, and are anonymous and unverified, the sheer numbers — more than 11,500 and counting — could not easily be ignored. When she shared the accounts, Sara withheld the names of the victims and the accused but not the schools they attended. “We did feel that an important place where rape culture is pervasive is in schools, and we felt all schools have a responsibility of safeguarding their children,” Sara said. “These are incredibly formative years.” Many of the accusations “might not reach the threshold for criminality” but were distressing nevertheless, Jess Phillips, a lawmaker from the opposition Labour Party, told the BBC this week. She said the onus was on the government to collect data about sexual violence in schools, saying it had failed to act on a recommendation to do just that after a 2016 inquiry. “We need a better inspection regime, we need to have a proper inquiry, we need the government to actually be collecting the data — they’re not actually currently collecting this data anywhere,” Phillips said. Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, said in a statement that the accusations were “shocking and abhorrent” and that they must be dealt with properly. “While the majority of schools take their safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously, I am determined to make sure the right resources and processes are in place across the education system to support any victims of abuse to come forward,” he said. Government agencies and the police are in contact with Everyone’s Invited to provide support to those who are reporting abuse. Sexual assaults and attempted sexual assaults often go unreported worldwide, so crime data can give only a partial picture of the scale of the problem. But in Britain other statistics show that sexual violence against school-age girls and young women is endemic. Data released last month by Britain’s Office of National Statistics showed that women and girls ages 16 to 19 were the most common victims of sexual assault in England and Wales, followed by women ages 20 to 24. The statistics also show that Black people and people with mixed ethnicity in England and Wales were even more likely to be sexually assaulted. A new survey from Plan International UK, a children’s charity, showed that 58% of girls ages 14 to 21 in Britain have been publicly sexually harassed in their learning environments. Sara and other activists in Britain are not alone in using social media to call out sexual violence in school settings. In Australia, amid a broader national conversation about violence against women, Chanel Contos, 23, started an online petition in February that included thousands of testimonies of sexual violence among students. The petition called for an overhaul of sex education with a holistic, early and consent-based approach and is being discussed in the Australian Parliament. “The fact that two girls on opposite sides of the world, who didn’t know each other, experienced the exact same thing,” is telling, Contos said in an interview. Gill, the criminology professor in London, pointed out that conversations about rape culture in institutions — or environments where attitudes or behavior about gender and sexuality have the effect of normalizing and trivializing sexual violence, like assault or rape — are not new. Successive waves of the feminist movement have called attention to it, she said. But schools have a duty to safeguard students, she said, from creating safe spaces for victims of sexual violence to come forward to educating other students about their behavior. “How do they teach choice?” Gill said. “How do they teach respect? How do they encourage young people to build healthy relationships?” She noted that sex education curriculum should focus on intersectionality and consent. “I think there’s an opportunity now for transformative change.”

Women are calling out ‘rape culture’ in UK schools

Matt Gaetz, a close ally of Donald Trump who is under investigation for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. He has now claimed to be a victim of 'extortion'.

Gaetz, a 38-year-old Republican Congressman, claimed to be a victim of an 'extortion' plan by the Justice Department. He made these allegations during an interview.

David McGee, a former justice department employee has been named in this accusation. McGee, however, has denied these allegations saying the claims are "completely false".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-police-sues-trump-for-physical-and-emotional-damage-in-capitol-riot-374427" hreflang="en">Capitol police sues Trump for 'physical and emotional' damage in Capitol riot</a>

"This is a blatant attempt to distract from the fact he’s under investigation for sex trafficking of minors," McGee said. "I have no connection with that case at all, other than one of a thousand people who have heard the rumors."

The Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, who interviewed Gaetz described it as "one of the weirdest interviews I’ve ever conducted".

"I don’t think that clarified much," Carlson said on air. "But it certainly showed this is a deeply interesting story, and we will be following it. Don’t quite understand it, but we will bring you more when we find out."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-video-teaser-removed-by-facebook-lara-trump-374661" hreflang="en">Donald Trump's video teaser removed by Facebook: Lara Trump</a>

Gaetz has been accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year-old who was allegedly paid to travel with him.

Calling it a planned criminal extortion plan, he said in a statement, "Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organised criminal extortion involving a former DoJ [Department of Justice] official, seeking $25m while threatening to smear my name."

He has also claimed that his father has been wearing a recording device on the FBI's order "to catch these criminals". He has urged the justice department to release those recordings.

Matt Gaetz, a close ally of Donald Trump who is under investigation for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. He has now claimed to be a victim of 'extortion'.

Matt Gaetz, a close ally of Donald Trump who is under investigation for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. He has now claimed to be a victim of 'extortion'. Gaetz, a 38-year-old Republican Congressman, claimed to be a victim of an 'extortion' plan by the Justice Department. He made these allegations during an interview. David McGee, a former justice department employee has been named in this accusation. McGee, however, has denied these allegations saying the claims are "completely false". Also read | Capitol police sues Trump for 'physical and emotional' damage in Capitol riot "This is a blatant attempt to distract from the fact he’s under investigation for sex trafficking of minors," McGee said. "I have no connection with that case at all, other than one of a thousand people who have heard the rumors." The Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, who interviewed Gaetz described it as "one of the weirdest interviews I’ve ever conducted". "I don’t think that clarified much," Carlson said on air. "But it certainly showed this is a deeply interesting story, and we will be following it. Don’t quite understand it, but we will bring you more when we find out." Also read | Donald Trump's video teaser removed by Facebook: Lara Trump Gaetz has been accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year-old who was allegedly paid to travel with him. Calling it a planned criminal extortion plan, he said in a statement, "Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organised criminal extortion involving a former DoJ [Department of Justice] official, seeking $25m while threatening to smear my name." He has also claimed that his father has been wearing a recording device on the FBI's order "to catch these criminals". He has urged the justice department to release those recordings.

Trump's ally, Matt Gaetz, calls himself victim of 'extortion' by justice department

A close ally of former US president, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, has denied accusations against him stating he had relationships with underage girls.

Matt Gaetz, a Republican in Congress, said his lawyers have been informed that he is the subject of an investigation for "sexual conduct with women". However, he has also claimed that he is not the target of this ongoing investigation.

He has been accused of having sexual relationships with underage girls. Gaetz, however, has denied these accusations, describing them to be "as searing as they are false".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/capitol-police-sues-trump-for-physical-and-emotional-damage-in-capitol-riot-374427" hreflang="en">Capitol police sues Trump for 'physical and emotional' damage in Capitol riot</a>

Gaetz opened up about this a little after the New York Times reported that the Trump ally was under investigation by the justice department to find out if he violated federal sex trafficking laws.

He has also been accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year-old who was allegedly paid to travel with him.

Calling it a planned criminal extortion plan, he said in a statement, "Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organised criminal extortion involving a former DoJ [Department of Justice] official, seeking $25m while threatening to smear my name."

He has also claimed that his father has been wearing a recording device on the FBI's order "to catch these criminals". He has urged the justice department to release those recordings.

"No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets of the ongoing extortion investigation," he said.

After he opened up about the investigation, he accused the US Department of Justice of purposely trying to make his conduct look criminal.

"I believe that there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to criminalize my sexual conduct, you know, when I was a single guy," he said in an interview with Axios.&nbsp;

"I have definitely, in my single days, provided for women I’ve dated," he added. "You know, I’ve paid for flights, for hotel rooms. I’ve been, you know, generous as a partner. I think someone is trying to make that look criminal when it is not."

A close ally of former US president, Donald Trump, has denied accusations against him stating he had relationships with underage girls. Matt Gaetz, a Republican in Congress, said his lawyers have been informed that he is the subject of an investigation for "sexual conduct with women".

A close ally of former US president, Donald Trump, has denied accusations against him stating he had relationships with underage girls. Matt Gaetz, a Republican in Congress, said his lawyers have been informed that he is the subject of an investigation for "sexual conduct with women". However, he has also claimed that he is not the target of this ongoing investigation. He has been accused of having sexual relationships with underage girls. Gaetz, however, has denied these accusations, describing them to be "as searing as they are false". Also read | Capitol police sues Trump for 'physical and emotional' damage in Capitol riot Gaetz opened up about this a little after the New York Times reported that the Trump ally was under investigation by the justice department to find out if he violated federal sex trafficking laws. He has also been accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year-old who was allegedly paid to travel with him. Calling it a planned criminal extortion plan, he said in a statement, "Over the past several weeks my family and I have been victims of an organised criminal extortion involving a former DoJ [Department of Justice] official, seeking $25m while threatening to smear my name." He has also claimed that his father has been wearing a recording device on the FBI's order "to catch these criminals". He has urged the justice department to release those recordings. "No part of the allegations against me are true, and the people pushing these lies are targets of the ongoing extortion investigation," he said. After he opened up about the investigation, he accused the US Department of Justice of purposely trying to make his conduct look criminal. "I believe that there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to criminalize my sexual conduct, you know, when I was a single guy," he said in an interview with Axios. "I have definitely, in my single days, provided for women I’ve dated," he added. "You know, I’ve paid for flights, for hotel rooms. I’ve been, you know, generous as a partner. I think someone is trying to make that look criminal when it is not."

Trump's ally under investigation for sexual relationship with underage girls

UK's school children are coming forward with witness testimonials of sexual assault victims, which are being posted online on a website "Everyone's Invited".

With nearly 6,000 incidents reported of sexual assault in the UK's top private schools, the UK police have assured that it is launching an investigation into the matter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sarah-everard-case-britain-needs-cultural-change-says-prime-minister-boris-johnson-371164">Sarah Everard case: Britain needs cultural change says Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a>

The website's founder Soma Sara has said they have been successful in exposing a "rape culture" in UK schools.

These horrifying stories of young girls being subjected to sexual assault started coming out in public after a London police officer was remanded in custody on March 16 after he was charged with kidnapping and murdering a woman — Sarah Everard.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/men-do-better-londoners-hold-vigil-for-sarah-everard-police-revolts-370400">'Men, do better': Londoners hold vigil for Sarah Everard; Police revolts</a>

After these incidents were reported, the MeT police department is trying if any potential victims at these schools will be willing to come forward and report crimes.&nbsp;

The police department is also examining "a number of reports of specific offences".

Incidents reported on the website have names of more than 100 schools where such incidents have taken place, including some of the elite schools such as Sherborne, Westminster and Eton.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sarah-everard-case-london-police-chief-backs-her-officers-as-cops-face-backlash-after-dragging-mourners-370664">Sarah Everard case: London police chief backs her officers as cops face backlash after dragging mourners</a>

"I think it's more widespread than private schools," Detective Superintendent Mel Laremore, the Met's lead officer for rape and sexual offences said in an interview. "I think we're still looking into the exact scope of how wide this is spread. But certainly I know there's already over 100 schools cited on the website, which do reach out to national parameters."

The founder of the website, who is a university student herself, has urged people and authorities to focus on situations beyond the elite schools too.&nbsp;

"When we narrow our focus on a school, a demographic, or as an individual, we risk making these cases seem like anomalies. But this isn't rare, it happens all the time," she said. "When we direct the blame onto a person or place we are undermining the most important message: rape culture is everywhere. And because it's everywhere it affects everyone."

UK's school children are coming forward with witness testimonials of sexual assault victims, which are being posted online on a website "Everyone's Invited". With nearly 6,000 incidents reported of sexual assault in the UK's top private schools, the UK police have assured that it is launching an investigation into the matter.

UK's school children are coming forward with witness testimonials of sexual assault victims, which are being posted online on a website "Everyone's Invited". With nearly 6,000 incidents reported of sexual assault in the UK's top private schools, the UK police have assured that it is launching an investigation into the matter. Also read | Sarah Everard case: Britain needs cultural change says Prime Minister Boris Johnson The website's founder Soma Sara has said they have been successful in exposing a "rape culture" in UK schools. These horrifying stories of young girls being subjected to sexual assault started coming out in public after a London police officer was remanded in custody on March 16 after he was charged with kidnapping and murdering a woman — Sarah Everard. Also see| 'Men, do better': Londoners hold vigil for Sarah Everard; Police revolts After these incidents were reported, the MeT police department is trying if any potential victims at these schools will be willing to come forward and report crimes. The police department is also examining "a number of reports of specific offences". Incidents reported on the website have names of more than 100 schools where such incidents have taken place, including some of the elite schools such as Sherborne, Westminster and Eton. Also read | Sarah Everard case: London police chief backs her officers as cops face backlash after dragging mourners "I think it's more widespread than private schools," Detective Superintendent Mel Laremore, the Met's lead officer for rape and sexual offences said in an interview. "I think we're still looking into the exact scope of how wide this is spread. But certainly I know there's already over 100 schools cited on the website, which do reach out to national parameters." The founder of the website, who is a university student herself, has urged people and authorities to focus on situations beyond the elite schools too. "When we narrow our focus on a school, a demographic, or as an individual, we risk making these cases seem like anomalies. But this isn't rare, it happens all the time," she said. "When we direct the blame onto a person or place we are undermining the most important message: rape culture is everywhere. And because it's everywhere it affects everyone."

UK police begin investigation into school sexual assault claims

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