Crime is an unfortunate reality of Peace Corps life. Ms. Ros-Lehtinen cited an April 2010 audit by the Peace Corps inspector general, who wrote that, "compared to public colleges and universities, the Peace Corps would rank first for the most robberies, second for most burglaries and seventh for most aggravated assaults." But the sexual assaults and the murder of Ms. Puzey have called into question the conduct of the Peace Corps itself. At Wednesday's hearing, those who had been raped described a "blame the victim" culture that has persisted for decades, in which they suffered one indignity after another, from being examined by male gynecologists to being forced to fly home alone or to lie about what had happened. The testimony brought an apology from the Peace Corps director, Aaron S. Williams, a former volunteer, who is already taking steps to improve treatment of victims and prevention training. "We sincerely regret that we did not appreciate this in the past," Mr. Williams, who took office in August 2009, told the committee. "It's not our intent to victimize our volunteers a second time." The sexual assault survivors are now seeking legislation that would require the corps to hire regional victims' advocates and take other steps to reduce the risk of sexual violence and improve care of victims. In the House, Representatives Ted Poe, Republican of Texas, and Niki Tsongas, Democrat of Massachusetts, are backing a bill. In the Senate, Mrs. Puzey is working with Senator Johnny Isakson, Republican of Georgia, on whistle-blower legislation that would protect volunteers like her daughter, who was murdered after telling Peace Corps higher-ups about a Beninese man she suspected was molesting young girls. That man is now accused of killing Ms. Puzey; she was found dead after a confidential e-mail she sent fell into the hands of the man's brother, who also worked for the Peace Corps.
Congress Urged to Increase Oversight of Peace Corps
Congress Urged to Increase Oversight of Peace Corps
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: May 11, 2011
Caption: Aaron S. Williams, the Peace Corps director, apologized to victims of crime on Wednesday before a House committee. Photo: Stephen Crowley/The New York Times
WASHINGTON - The mother of a murdered Peace Corps volunteer told Congress on Wednesday that the agency's mishandling of confidential e-mails "ultimately led" to her daughter's death, and she said the Peace Corps later cut off communications with her family, "leaving us by ourselves to piece together what happened to our daughter."
Lois Puzey, whose daughter Kate was killed in 2009 while posted with the Peace Corps in Benin in West Africa, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that she was "shocked" at the way the agency had treated her family after her daughter's death. Her account, coupled with testimony from rape victims who recounted insensitive treatment by Peace Corps officials, seemed to convince lawmakers that it was time to impose tighter controls on the 50-year-old agency.
"It doesn't take a lot to make sure that there's a system in place where a victim will report a crime and have a normal support system," the committee chairwoman, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Republican of Florida, said after the hearing. She said the Peace Corps needed "a culture change."
Crime is an unfortunate reality of Peace Corps life. Ms. Ros-Lehtinen cited an April 2010 audit by the Peace Corps inspector general, who wrote that, "compared to public colleges and universities, the Peace Corps would rank first for the most robberies, second for most burglaries and seventh for most aggravated assaults." But the sexual assaults and the murder of Ms. Puzey have called into question the conduct of the Peace Corps itself.
At Wednesday's hearing, those who had been raped described a "blame the victim" culture that has persisted for decades, in which they suffered one indignity after another, from being examined by male gynecologists to being forced to fly home alone or to lie about what had happened.
Carol Marie Clark, a teacher in North Carolina, told of being raped in Nepal in 1984 by her Peace Corps program director and becoming pregnant as a result. She said the Peace Corps told her she had to choose between terminating her pregnancy or leaving the corps. Jess Smochek, raped in Bangladesh in 2004, said she was instructed to tell fellow volunteers "that I was going to Washington to have my wisdom teeth taken out."
The testimony brought an apology from the Peace Corps director, Aaron S. Williams, a former volunteer, who is already taking steps to improve treatment of victims and prevention training. "We sincerely regret that we did not appreciate this in the past," Mr. Williams, who took office in August 2009, told the committee. "It's not our intent to victimize our volunteers a second time."
The sexual assault survivors are now seeking legislation that would require the corps to hire regional victims' advocates and take other steps to reduce the risk of sexual violence and improve care of victims. In the House, Representatives Ted Poe, Republican of Texas, and Niki Tsongas, Democrat of Massachusetts, are backing a bill.
In the Senate, Mrs. Puzey is working with Senator Johnny Isakson, Republican of Georgia, on whistle-blower legislation that would protect volunteers like her daughter, who was murdered after telling Peace Corps higher-ups about a Beninese man she suspected was molesting young girls. That man is now accused of killing Ms. Puzey; she was found dead after a confidential e-mail she sent fell into the hands of the man's brother, who also worked for the Peace Corps.
Because the suspect has yet to go on trial in Benin, Peace Corps officials have been extremely careful in talking publicly about the case. Mr. Williams, who has met several times with the Puzey family, said Wednesday that he was "open to whatever I can do" to support them.
One thing Mrs. Puzey wants is a direct apology, which she did not get on Wednesday.
"The Peace Corps," she told the committee, "has never acknowledged the critical role it played in Kate's death."
