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Star power ‘bewitches’ those vulnerable to abuse, says human rights lawyer
By Henry Hullah, CNN
We must monitor people with power in order to protect the vulnerable, human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson told Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday.
An expert on the “culture of silence” surrounding abuse in the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, Robertson explained the common theme that ran through the church, the media and beyond.
“The revelations started with the Catholic Church in Ireland,” he told the program.
“Then we discovered it in celebrities here and a number of them have been convicted and now we’re finding other examples.”
“And what comes across to me, having studied it is the utter vulnerability of seven, eight, nine year olds to power."
"[In] a sense, in the Catholic Church, the priest as the representative of God – any command is unflinchingly obeyed. The star, entering the star’s dressing room at the BBC, it’s an enormous power.”
“It does bring home how we must ensure someone guards the guardians because the guardians can’t be trusted.”
The power that “bedazzles” the young and vulnerable was something Robertson stressed mustn't be underestimated and should be monitored because it overwhelms its victims almost instantly.
“It’s so easy, and that’s why there must be checks on dressing rooms, checks on all sort of places where people with power over children can bewitch and bewilder them.”
The abuse that went ignored: Rotherham's 1,400 'lost girls'
A report on child abuse in the northern English town of Rotherham is rocking the UK.
It concluded that 1400 children some as young as 11 were abused, trafficked and groomed for more than 16 years.
The London Times' Chief Investigative Reporter, Andrew Norfolk, was pivotal in revealing the extent of abuse. He told Christiane Amanpour how this story started for him four years ago.
"I couldn't help noticing that there was something about the names of the offenders that always seemed to be a problem, which is that they were Muslim names."
"We eventually decided that although it was an incredibly sensitive subject, we needed to carry out some in-depth research to discover whether this generally was a pattern that was not being acknowledged by the authorities."
Norfolk made sure to point out that in the U.K. the majority of convicted sexual predators are white middle aged men who usually act alone. He was completely stunned by the numbers of girls that had been abused over the years by the groups he had been investigating.
"I have to admit to being unprepared for the staggering figure that was announced yesterday in terms of Rotherham, in terms of 1,400 children over a 16-year period. But what was happening in Rotherham is happening in every town and city in England that has a sizable Pakistani community."
"For four years, we have been asking for the research to be carried out to understand why that is the case. There have been some very high-profile criminal prosecutions in the past couple of years because since we've started writing about this, there's been a real change in the way authorities have been approaching it and tackling it, trying to protect the victims, trying to bring offenders to account."
"But until we actually understand why this crime has put down such deep roots in various communities, we're never going to actually prevent it from happening."
Angelina Jolie and William Hague: The odd couple
By Henry Hullah
Actress and U.N. Special Envoy Angelina Jolie and British Foreign Secretary told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour they didn’t mind being labelled the “odd couple” of international relations.
"We're making progress!" says Hague.
"Whatever works!" adds Jolie.
The two have joined forces in the fight against sexual violence in conflict. The recent the four day summit in London has brought attention to the topic they are both passionate about.
"Angelina brings what governments cannot bring" says Hague. "You need a major government of the world to be involved in this. With that diplomatic network, with our development budget with our convening power to bring together something like this summit"
"But you also need to reach people who are not usually interested in what governments have to say and there are people who will take notice of what she [Angelina] says"
Sexual assault in the military: a victim speaks
A naval academy student who says she was sexually assaulted tells CNN’s Christiane Amanpour about her strenuous fight for justice within the military chain of command.
Overhauling how the military handles sexual assaults
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand tells CNN's Christiane Amanpour how she is trying to overhaul how the military justice system deals with sexual assaults.
Fighting rape in South Africa's 'broken system'
By Samuel Burke & Claire Calzonetti, CNN
The brutal rape, mutilation and eventual death of a 17-year-old girl in South Africa could be a watershed moment for the country, opposition leader Lindiwe Mazibuko told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday.
Mazibuko is a Member of Parliament, and one of South Africa's loudest voices calling for change.
“It’s taken this kind of heinous act for the government to actually stand up and say we need to do something about this,” Mazibuko said. “So, on some level it’s clear enough hasn’t been done.”
The shocking rape, which occurred on February 1, two hours outside of Cape Town, has brought the issue of sexual violence to the fore and enraged the nation.
President Jacob Zuma has called for the harshest penalties for the perpetrators. Many South Africans are expecting Zuma to address the country’s calls for cultural change in his upcoming yearly address.
RELATED: Meet the woman fighting rape in India’s old boys club
Some 70% of South African women report being victims of sexual abuse.
Mazibuko says South Africa needs more oversight of the police, and investigations when the criminal justice system fails.
A lack of jobs and education are feed-in factors, according to Mazibuko.
“Young men,” she said, “who feel emasculated in a country where they can’t work, where they can’t feel like they are validated by some type of economic activity, become susceptible to situation where a woman becomes a punching bag for them to take out their frustrations on.”
She also says there must be a change in South African culture and that the country must partake in a national dialogue on sexual violence.
“We need to deal with the fact we live in a society where there is an unequal relationship between men and women,” Mazibuko said. “To the extent that men feel like women are their possessions with which they can do whatever they like, and it starts in seemingly small ways.”
In the video above you can watch her discussion with Christiane Amanpour about combating sexual violence in South Africa.
READ MORE: Teen's killing outrages South Africa
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