Peacekeeper-perpetrated sexual exploitation and abuse, and life satisfaction: A cross-sectional study in Haiti

Peacekeepers from the UN Peacekeeping Operation ‘Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti’ (MINUSTAH) have been accused of widespread sexual exploitation and abuse throughout their time in Haiti. However, victims have not received adequate reparations, support, or justice. To date, no research has been done to quantifiably examine how peacekeeper-perpetrated sexual exploitation and abuse (PP-SEA) has affected the lives and well-being of those who have experienced it.
Using multivariate linear regression analysis, this research examines the association between PP-SEA and Satisfaction With Life (SWL) among Haitian community members. Among those who shared third-person micronarratives (n=1588), experiencing PP-SEA was associated with higher average SWL scale scores compared with those who did not. There was no association between PP-SEA and SWL among individuals who shared first-person micronarratives (n=887). Potential contextual factors that may have contributed to these findings
were examined, e.g. the occurrence of transactional sex, nuance in peacekeeper-civilian relationships, and other negative experiences with MINUSTAH within the unexposed group. These results highlight the complexity of the relationship between PP-SEA and SWL in the Haitian context and provide direction for future research.