Oxfam Director admits allegations of prostitutes

For the first time, Oxfam (a charity in England, Europe) has directly admitted the accusations leveled against its former Director, Roland Hauwermeiren who initially denied paying for sex with prostitutes or abusing minors. 

He ran the Oxfam operation in Haiti after an earthquake in 2010 and resigned in 2011.

The charity said it was releasing the 2011 report, which also documents accusations against others of using prostitutes in Oxfam-rented accommodation and of bullying and intimidation, to “be as transparent as possible about the decisions we made … and in recognition of the breach of trust that has been caused”.

Reuters has been unable to contact Hauwermeiren for comment.

Allegations of sexual misconduct against those sent to help victims of the earthquake, which killed tens of thousands, have shaken the aid sector, with Haiti’s president calling for investigations of other groups.

Britain and the European Union are reviewing the funding of Oxfam, one of the world’s biggest disaster relief charities.

The internal report details what the charity did after receiving an email on July 12, 2011, claiming that various members of staff in the Haiti project had breached Oxfam’s code of conduct relating to sexual exploitation, fraud, negligence and nepotism.

The report said the charity investigated the country director and found the “only substantiated allegations” against him were the use of prostitutes at his Oxfam residence.