UNFPA dissolved partnerships with Pham Anh Khoa following sex abuse scandal
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) announced on Sunday it has dissolved its partnerships with Vietnamese rocker Pham Anh Khoa as an activist on the prevention of violence against women and girls in the country following his sex abuse scandal.
Khoa, who is a well-known Vietnamese rock singer, guitarist, composer and actor, was invited to partner with UNFPA Vietnam on national campaigns to address gender-based violence in 2013-2014 and the 40th Anniversary of Cooperation between UNFPA and the Vietnam Government in July 2017.
Violence against women and girls is an alarming problem in many countries including Vietnam. A report on family violence funded by the UN in 2010 showed that 58 per cent Vietnamese women surveyed said that they were victims of domestic violence at least one time.
Vietnamese women used to choose to keep quiet when being victims of violence and abuse. However, the #MeToo campaign is encouraging local women to bring their experiences of abuse to light.
In April, dancer Pham Lich posted a long status on her Facebook account accusing Pham Anh Khoa of soliciting sex during his training time for her in a TV game show. Some days later, another dancer, Nga My, also said that Khoa had harassed calls and messages asking her to come to a hotel or his home at night.
Most recently, on May 11, an anonymous stylist also shared her story with Zing Newspaper stating that she had escaped an attempted rape by Pham Anh Khoa four years ago during their trip to a music show.
The young stylist said that although she had to leave work to treat depression for a year as a result of the incident, she intended to keep quiet because Khoa was much more powerful than her and she was afraid no one would believe her story.
"I decided to share this story now to support Pham Lich and Nga My," the stylist said in an interview with Zing Newspaper last Friday. "Although I don't want to publicise my name, I am willing to talk with Khoa about this."
Pham Anh Khoa first threatened to sue Pham Lich immediately after she shared her story but then made a public apology after the third woman voiced her problems with his sexual misconduct.
Khoa said in a talk show with a representative from the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents on May 11 that he regrets having badly affected the feelings of those female artists which he understands can result in serious consequences. However, he claimed he didn't know that his actions were 'sexual abuse'.
"I see tapping a colleague on the butt is a normal way of saying hello in showbiz," Khoa said in his explanation which was largely criticised by many artists.
His three victims have also said that they did not accept his apology as he did not admit that his words and actions were wrong and he did not mention any of them in his apology.
Earlier, UNFPA had removed all the images and information relating to Pham Anh Khoa from its Facebook and Website.
Pham Anh Khoa is appointed UNFPA's activist on the prevention of violence against women and girls in 2017
Khoa, who is a well-known Vietnamese rock singer, guitarist, composer and actor, was invited to partner with UNFPA Vietnam on national campaigns to address gender-based violence in 2013-2014 and the 40th Anniversary of Cooperation between UNFPA and the Vietnam Government in July 2017.
Violence against women and girls is an alarming problem in many countries including Vietnam. A report on family violence funded by the UN in 2010 showed that 58 per cent Vietnamese women surveyed said that they were victims of domestic violence at least one time.
Vietnamese women used to choose to keep quiet when being victims of violence and abuse. However, the #MeToo campaign is encouraging local women to bring their experiences of abuse to light.
In April, dancer Pham Lich posted a long status on her Facebook account accusing Pham Anh Khoa of soliciting sex during his training time for her in a TV game show. Some days later, another dancer, Nga My, also said that Khoa had harassed calls and messages asking her to come to a hotel or his home at night.
Most recently, on May 11, an anonymous stylist also shared her story with Zing Newspaper stating that she had escaped an attempted rape by Pham Anh Khoa four years ago during their trip to a music show.
The young stylist said that although she had to leave work to treat depression for a year as a result of the incident, she intended to keep quiet because Khoa was much more powerful than her and she was afraid no one would believe her story.
"I decided to share this story now to support Pham Lich and Nga My," the stylist said in an interview with Zing Newspaper last Friday. "Although I don't want to publicise my name, I am willing to talk with Khoa about this."
Pham Anh Khoa first threatened to sue Pham Lich immediately after she shared her story but then made a public apology after the third woman voiced her problems with his sexual misconduct.
Khoa said in a talk show with a representative from the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents on May 11 that he regrets having badly affected the feelings of those female artists which he understands can result in serious consequences. However, he claimed he didn't know that his actions were 'sexual abuse'.
"I see tapping a colleague on the butt is a normal way of saying hello in showbiz," Khoa said in his explanation which was largely criticised by many artists.
His three victims have also said that they did not accept his apology as he did not admit that his words and actions were wrong and he did not mention any of them in his apology.
Earlier, UNFPA had removed all the images and information relating to Pham Anh Khoa from its Facebook and Website.
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