SEXUAL abuse and human trafficking are a social malaise worldwide. Qatar is no exception. Faced by this challenge, the National Office for Combating Human Trafficking (NOCHT) and the Qatari House for Lodging and Human Care (QHLHC) were established a year ago, to combat, prevent and redress such cases.
Recently, NOCHT held a workshop, the first such in the country, with the express aim of training male and female counsellors on dealing with sexual abuse victims.
Maryam Al Malki, Director of NOCHT, quotes a survey that was discussed at the workshop. “71.6 percent of the victims of sexual harassment were females while 25.6 percent were males. And an alarming ‘75 percent of them were children’.”
She adds that 65 percent of the culprits were known to the victims, while 28.7 percent of the sexual harassment cases took place in the schools.
She blames the media for uncensored access to adult content. “There are about 150 pornographic channels being aired in Qatar, where 30 percent of the population is below the age of 18. Western TV shows, movies and Internet, even mobile phones in the MMS age, all promote sex.”
Al Malki, in a freewheeling interview to Qatar Today, talks about issues ranging from current legislative stance to working effectively with counsellors and the role of the media in dealing with this problem.
|q| How widespread is sexual abuse in Qatar? Are there any of- ficial statistics on that?
|a| Despite the fact we have no official statistics on this, we can say this is not as widely prevalent here, as it is in other parts of the world. And, the number of cases detected is within the natural levels given the multi-national population make-up.
|q| Who is most vulnerable, in terms of age and gender?
|a| Owing to the lack of specialised studies of the phenomenon, we cannot decide which categories are most vulnerable. This can be traced back to several factors including:
•The lack of specialist studies or comprehensive surveys of the phenomenon;
•The lack of official reports of all the victims due to their fear of the consequences, or hesitation for social and psychological considerations; and
•The very special nature of the Qatari society, being a small one with the most of its members knowing each other. This necessitates that all the workers in the field should pursue the highest levels of confidentiality, so as to keep the victims secure, and enjoy the con- fidence of the society.
However, we can say that children, male and female are the worst hit, followed by women.
|q| What kind of training and inputs do counsellors receive?
|a| We provide field studies and case researches of all the cases it receives. These studies allow specialised psychological and legal counsellors to conduct further profound case studies, and offer highlevel consultations. We also followup on the cases with the counsellors in-charge. And, it provides all necessary data for case studies either with internal resources or in coordination with several bodies in Qatar.
|q| Do these counsellors form an independent body in Qatar? Do you take any steps to make their work further systematised?
|a| We operate with several bodies and organizations each in their respective areas, and based on the kind of consultations required. Our counsellors are affiliated with several institutions in Qatar. Some of these institutions come under the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, and others are not. But, most of our counsellors are from institutions functioning in Qatar.
We host different periodical meetings with several institutions and counsellors in the field. These help us exchange experiences and coordinate mutual anti-human traf- ficking efforts. We hold monthly meetings too.
|q| Do you build on international experiences in the field?
|a| Sexual abuse is a phenomenon associated with the presence of human communities in general. It is recognised worldwide. It is also not related to a certain state or group. So, we have been coordinating with the respective international organizations to leverage their previous experiences.
At the regional level, Qatar can be considered a pioneer in this regard. It established several specialised bodies and institutions concerned with the protection and guidance of women, families and children. Not only sexual abuse, but also other kinds of abuse and harassment are tackled by these bodies.
Launching NOCHT is evidence of transparency in presenting realistic problems for possible solutions, instead of negatively hiding them, which only worsens it. We also submit statements of the cases for solution, not for purposes of media propaganda. So, the identities of victims are never released.
|q| Many incidents take place at schools. Do you focus on schools as benchmarks for case studies?
|a| There is no evidence that there is a widespread problem in school. Of course, there are some incidents reported. However, we should not make generalisations in absence of clear-cut, all-inclusive studies.
So, a comprehensive survey is first needed, then, if necessary, schools may be treated as closed environments.
|q| Children are usually marginalised, and are the victims in most cases. Do you call for incorporating ‘sex education’ in school curricula, so that they are aware of threats and how to deal with it?
|a| Caring for children is one of the aspects of development in the Qatar, on which basis the State is hoping for a powerful society, which resists any of these bizarre phenomena. In some circumstances, children come under different types of aggression including sexual abuse.
However, ‘sex education’ is a term with a broad sense. It includes a set of various concepts, ideas and issues.
So, before advocating ‘sex education’, this issue should be specifically defined and codified as to suit the society and the whole situation in the country. For a successful solution in a certain society will not necessarilybe efficient in another. Sometimes it may totally backfire in another society.
From this view, we stress the keenness of the State of Qatar, represented in our Office, to arrive at any solution to human trafficking and sexual abuses, applying them in coordination with national and international organizations.
|q| How do you deal with adult websites and TV channels, especially when it’s not open, but under wraps? To what extent are these to be blamed?
|a| To accurately answer this question, we need a field study of the phenomenon in Qatar. But, at the international level, some organisations made studies on this, which concluded that there was a relation between pornographic websites/adult channels and sexual abuse of children.
Qatar is trying to ban such websites and penalise any person disseminating, or helping to disseminate, these sites.
At the local level, there are no such channels. Only these resources can be illegally trafficked into the country.
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