Kathryn Bolkovac

Kathryn Bolkovac is an American former police investigator from Nebraska. She worked as a UN International Police Force monitor. She came to prominence when she sued her employers for unfair dismissal after she lost her job following her attempts to expose sex trafficking in Bosnia. Her story was dramatized in the film The Whistleblower.

Bosnia

Originally hired by DynCorp Aerospace, a British subsidiary of US based DynCorp International, in the framework of a UN-related contract, she filed a lawsuit[1] in Great Britain against DynCorp for unfair dismissal due to a protected disclosure (whistleblowing), and on 2 August 2002 the tribunal unanimously found in her favour.[2] DynCorp had a $15 million contract to hire and train police officers for duty in Bosnia at the time. She reported such officers were paying for prostitutes and participating in sex trafficking.[3] Many of these officers were forced to resign under suspicion of illegal activity, but none have been prosecuted, as they also enjoy immunity from prosecution in Bosnia.[4][5] Madeleine Rees testified in her support.

She lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Amsterdam.[6]

Media

Bolkovac's story was made into a film, The Whistleblower, released in 2010. Following a film screening of The Whistleblower, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened a panel discussion on sexual exploitation and abuse in conflict and post-conflict situations.[7] The film maker and senior UN officials addressed issues raised in the film, including human trafficking and forced prostitution as well as the organisation's effort to combat sexual exploitation of women and children.

Bolkovac has also co-authored a 2011 book with Cari Lynn The Whistleblower: Sex Trafficking, Military Contractors and One Woman's Fight for Justice.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "British firm accused in UN sex scandal". The Guardian (London). 29 July 2001.
  2. ↑ Bolkovac, Kathyrn (22 January 2011). "Human trafficking, Bosnia and Herzegovina (News), World news, Law, Europe". The Guardian (London).
  3. ↑ "The Whistleblower: Sex Trafficking, Military Contractors and One Woman's Fight for Justice, by Kathryn Bolkovac". The Guardian (London). 22 January 2011.
  4. ↑ Woman sacked for revealing UN links with sex trade
  5. ↑ Sex and security in Afghanistan by David Isenberg
  6. ↑ Kathryn Bolkovac and Cari Lynn
  7. ↑ United Nations webcast: Panel discussion: Sexual exploitation and abuse in conflict and post-conflict situations
  8. ↑ Kathryn Bolkovac & Cari Lynn (2011). The Whistleblower: Sex Trafficking, Military Contractors, and One Woman's Fight for Justice. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230108028.

External links

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