By Jenilyn Brhel
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

BRUSSELS, Belgium – As part of a campaign to speak out against sexual harassment and assault, several Members of the European Parliament have recently joined the viral #MeToo movement.

At a meeting in Strasbourg, France to discuss sexual harassment, men and women from across parliament displayed placards in front of them with the phrase “#MeToo.” Several members spoke out about their experiences and discussed ways to combat the problem.

The #MeToo movement originated in the late 90s, when activist Tarana Burke, program director for Brooklyn-based Girls for Gender Equality, was a youth camp director. She spoke with a young child about the heinous sexual abuse she had been subjected to and came up with the mantra “me too” as a statement of strength and solidarity.

The movement has gained worldwide attention in recent weeks following the torrent of accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Actress Alyssa Milano recently revitalized the statement, and it has since taken off on social media.

The debate in Europe comes amid contentions that European authorities are not doing enough to address sexual harassment, assault and rape.

“At least one in every three women has been victim of some sort of physical or sexual violence,” European Commissioner for Trade Cecelia Malmstrom said during the debate. “But these statistics do not tell enough personal stories, and the reason we are debating this today is of course because of the global movement of #MeToo.”

Terry Reintke, a Green Party parliament member, said “Me too. I have been sexually harassed, just like millions of other women in the European Union, and I think it’s about time that we say that we should not be ashamed, but that the perpetrators should be ashamed.”

Many victims are afraid to make official complaints because of the stigma associated with coming forward and for fear that their careers may be ruined if they do.

Members of Parliament wrote a letter addressed to Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, calling for external investigations into sexual harassment at the institution in response to allegations. The letter also demands that gender awareness and harassment training be provided to all parliamentary staff.

Several lawmakers also support adoption of the Istanbul Convention. This would require members to establish comprehensive systems aimed at preventing sexual violence against women.

The convention has thus far been ratified by 15 of the EU’s 28 member states.

For more information, please see:

CNN – An Activist, A Little Girl and The Heartbreaking Origin of ‘Me Too’ – 19 October 2017

BBC News – EU Parliament Members Demand Action on Sexual Harassment – 25 October 2017

The Independent – MeToo: Members of the European Parliament Protest Against Sexual Harassment – 25 October 2017

The New York Times – A #MeToo Moment for The European Parliament – 25 October 2017

By Jenilyn Brhel
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

SALERNO, Italy – The bodies of twenty-six Nigerian girls were laid to rest in Italy on November 17^th after they were discovered drowned in the Mediterranean Sea on November 5^th.

The women, ranging in age from 14 to 18, are believed to have drowned after the dinghies in which they were traveling sank. One victim had suffered internal bleeding from blunt trauma before falling into the water.

Another 100 victims are missing and believed to have drowned. Search and rescue missions have brought nearly 400 migrants to safety.

An investigation into the deaths of the girls was initiated due to fears that they were abused and then killed.

After the discovery of the bodies, two men who are believed to have skippered the boats were arrested on human trafficking charges.

Approximately 168,000 migrants arrived in Italy this year. This represents a 32 percent decline from 2016 and is the result of a controversial agreement between Libya and Italy to keep boats from leaving Libya.

UN Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein called the agreement between Libya and Italy “inhuman,” as it results in migrants seeking refuge to be sent back to Libya’s lawless detention centers.

This year, more than 2,700 people have died or are missing at sea.

Since the 1980s, tens of thousands of Nigerian girls have been taken to Italy and forced into prostitution. In the last three years, there has been a 600 percent increase in sex-trafficking victims arriving by sea. Of the 11,000 Nigerian girls who made the trip last year, 80% of them are believed to be victims of trafficking.

In 2014, 1,454 girls arrived. That number rose to 11,009 in 2016.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, 90% of the women arriving in the country display bruises and other signs of violence.

Only two of the victims buried have been identified. “Most of the Nigerian girls travel alone, part of a huge trafficking network, and no one knows exactly who they are,” said Marco Rotunno, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Italy.

The unidentified victims were buried with white cards simply stating the number of their coffins.

A group of Nigerian girls watched the funeral from a distance. “It is not easy for them because they have all made that crossing, that journey,” said Alessandra Galatro, who works with young Nigerian women to help them escape prostitution. “The cruelty that women faced in Libya, they all experienced.”

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Two Dozen African Girls Dead at Sea – 13 November 2017

The Guardian – Teenage Nigerian Girls Drowned at Sea, Italian Autopsies Confirm – 16 November 2017

CNN – 26 Young Nigerian Migrant Women Laid to Rest in Italy – 17 November 2017

The Washington Post – Italy Buries 26 Nigerian Women – Most Without a Name – 17 November 2017