Oxfam says staff intimidated witnesses in Haiti sex scandal
LONDON — Oxfam workers suspected of sexual misconduct in Haiti intimidated and threatened a witness as the charity investigated the original claims, according to the organization’s report on the internal inquiry.
The findings were part of a previously confidential report released by Oxfam on Monday as the charity responds to newspaper stories suggesting it covered up allegations that seven employees used prostitutes on the charity’s property while working in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake that devastated the country.
“We are making this exceptional publication because we want to be as transparent as possible about the decisions we made during this particular investigation and in recognition of the breach of trust that has been caused,” the charity said in a statement. “We are also meeting with the government of Haiti to apologize for our mistakes and discuss what more we can do, including for the women affected by these events.”
Simon Ticehurst, Oxfam director for Latin America and the Caribbean, met Monday with Haiti’s external planning minister and other officials. Ticehurst said he had shared the report and expressed “our shame and apologies to the Haitian government and to the Haitian people.”