Safety and Security

I just finished watching yesterday's 20/20 special on the safety, security, and responsibility of the Peace Corps to its volunteers. I knew this story was going to come out dealing with rape and security however I did not know the information that was going to be presented until viewing it. If you haven't seen the story and would like to I have included a link to the story:

20/20 News Story

I want to highlight once again that nothing I am writing is the opinion or thoughts of anyone but myself as I comment on Peace Corps. First off, here in Bulgaria I feel we have an excellent Safety and Security Coordinator. Every time we (volunteers) get together as a group she always has information and statistics related to volunteers here in Bulgaria and she is happy to answer any and all questions. She is also available via email or phone if volunteers want or need to contact her for any reason. She is an enjoyable person and I feel represents the Peace Corps extremely well. I also feel that the rest of our staff here in Bulgaria is quick in responding to questions I have had and information I have requested. Yes, this is a governmental organization and has its bureaucracy however I feel the staff attempts to be as personable as possible. Here is the link to Peace Corps Bulgaria:

Peace Corps Bulgaria

Furthermore, I feel no more unsafe here in Sliven than I did back in Minneapolis, MN. My apartment has not one, but two entry doors; I live higher than the 1st floor of the building; and, I have introduced myself to my neighbors so I am recognizable to them. Though I do not live in the same neighborhood as my school, I generally feel safe walking to and from my apartment. I follow the same safety guidelines here as I would back at home. I'm not out late at night and if I am out I am with other people or I am taking a taxi to wherever I am headed. If I am walking and it's dark I use more heavily traveled paths such as major roads rather than walking my shortcut through neighborhoods as I do during the day. It basically all comes down to:

Common Sense

I'm not saying that doing these things will prohibit all bad things from happening, but they are easy ways to prevent myself from being in an unsafe situation. I am living in an Eastern European country and therefore do not stick as much as I would living in a place such as Ghana or Peru so I have some benefits in safety simply for physical reasons. Also, my apartment has been lived in by at least 2 previous Peace Corps volunteers so many people are familiar with a foreigner living here. I have never had any problem with harassment thus far here in Bulgaria. Living here or anywhere has a lot to do with being aware of my surroundings and aware of my feelings and emotions. If I feel like something isn't right, it probably isn't and it's best that I remove myself from the situation. It is unfortunate that simply because I am a woman I am at a higher risk for safely concerns however I try my best to ensure that I am safe.

On that note, my reaction to the 20/20 special are mixed. From the special, it does seem as though poor choices were made on behalf of Peace Corps in response to the safety of Kate Puzey and the other women who have been raped while serving as volunteers in relation to preventive measures and aftercare. It surprised me that Peace Corps did not provide more than three sessions with a psychologist for one of the volunteers who commented on being raped. I say this because here in Bulgaria there is frequently information on mental health in our all volunteer emails and conferences. The staff here has also commented that mental health is just as important if not more important than physical health and they are available if we want to seek help. I can only say how deeply sorry I am for the Puzey family and that they can find some peace in knowing that Kate's situation is definitely not mine (and I hope not the situation for most volunteers past, present, and future).

It is unfortunate this news story is happening on the eve of the Peace Corps celebrating 50 years as I feel this is one of the few U.S. governmental organizations whose main goal is to promote world peace and friendship. The events discussed in the 20/20 special most definitely did not highlight any elements of peace or friendship though did highlight the major problem in our world of rape. Far too many women are being raped, assaulted, or harassed in far too many places and there are no easy answers. I can only hope that with more education and an emphasis on critical thinking more people will demand that this needs to end. Yes, raping women is an easy way to exert power over them, their families, and their communities but it is no way ethical or humane. One of the most basic human rights is safety and I can only hope that when a victim or someone feeling threatened speaks out, another person is there to bring them to safety, prevent harm, or lead them to places they can get help. Again, I can't comment on many of the issues relating to Peace Corps brought up in the special as I have personally experienced none of them. However, it made me extremely sad to hear the woman with 2 children say she would never let her daughters be a part of the Peace Corps.

With 2011 being the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps I hope more stories will come out featuring the good Peace Corps has done, is doing, and will do. Thanks for reading.

Peace, love, literacy, and reckless curiosity.

Can you spot the D?

And, here's one last link to the annual report of activities here in Bulgaria.

Annual Report