Key findings from AP investigation of UN sex abuse in Congo
By The Associated Press, Associated Press
Sep 21, 2017 4:57 PM CDT
In this photo taken Aug. 10, 2016, 8-year-old Michael, left, runs after his mother Blandine in the Congo Ituri province capital Bunia. Blandine said Michael has never met his father, and only knows that he was a foreigner from one of the peacekeeping missions in the country. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)   (Associated Press)

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Here are key findings from the third installment of The Associated Press investigation into the U.N.'s peacekeeping crisis:

1. Congo, home to the United Nations' largest and most expensive mission, had the highest number of abuse and exploitation allegations since 2004. Of the roughly 2,000 complaints made against the U.N. worldwide, more than 700 came from the resource-rich African country.

2. With rare exceptions, sex abuse victims interviewed by the AP in Congo received no help. Instead, many were banished from their families for having mixed-race children — who also are shunned and have become a second generation of victims.

3. Although the AP found some 2,000 allegations against the U.N., the number of cases could be significantly higher. Last year, for example, there were 145 allegations recorded, but 311 known victims.

4. Of the some 2,000 global allegations, about a quarter involved children. For some years, nearly half of the allegations involved minors. Some of the alleged offenses included rape.

5. Despite reforms, sexual violence in Congo persists. So far this year, roughly one-third of the sexual abuse and exploitation allegations involving U.N. peacekeepers and personnel worldwide described events that occurred in Congo.

See 6 more photos