Introduction

Preventing, or protecting from, sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) starts with knowing how to listen to the needs and preferences of survivors and communities. Yet managing multilingualism and addressing the risk of language- related exclusion remain systemic gaps in humanitarian action. As a result, humanitarians are not equipped to design PSEA strategies that communicate on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in culturally, contextually and linguistically comprehensible ways. Organizations also do not adequately understand or address the intersections between language and other factors of vulnerability that increase individuals’ exposure to SEA and decrease their access to support and safe reporting channels.

In this chapter, we first explore the role of multilingualism in humanitarian assistance and how language influences power dynamics. We then examine systemic gaps in language awareness in PSEA communication, including conceptual and terminological issues underpinning PSEA; difficulties communicating and translating technical terms; contextual, cultural and gendered differences around the topic of sex; and issues of access to information and reporting mechanisms. We conclude by considering how organizations can adopt a language- aware approach to better listen to those affected by SEA as a basis for support and prevention.

Linguistic diversity and linguistic power

Multilingualism in humanitarian assistance

Humanitarian emergencies are almost always multilingual. In many countries, a colonial language is the official language, yet people use one of several local, regional or non- colonial national languages as their first (or only) language. People displaced by conflict or disaster relocate to areas where they may share no language with host communities. International organizations employ staff speaking a combination of English and one or a handful of languages relevant for the specific context. The linguistic diversity of affected people means humanitarians rarely have the skills to provide services in all their languages; a widespread lack of language use data keeps them largely unaware of that gap. Even local and national organizations, whose staff share a first language with some service users, face challenges understanding and communicating in the languages of all those needing assistance.