I remember Bery Glaser as a corpulent and friendly old man. With grey hair, bright eyes and a smile, he was born in Belgium and holder of a German passport. He had a protuberance on his face, revealing some sort of sickness, which made me feel sympathetic towards him. Bery said he was a retired health professional and seemed confident and knowledgable.
He spoke with both pride and condescension about his work in Uganda protecting young girls from sexual abuse and disease. At first, I thought Bery was the utter personification of white saviour syndrome. Little did I know, when I sat down with him for tea and biscuits, that he was a sexual offender. In , while working in Uganda, I needed a break from chaotic Kampala. I decided to go to the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria for a stress-free weekend. The lodge I stayed at arranged a local guide to show me around.
He was a police officer but drove tourists around, in his free time, to make extra cash. Because of his position and network, he told me, everyone in the island knew him well and it was easier to reach hidden spots.
It was a gorgeous place on a hill with views over Lake Victoria. A muzungu white or foreign person β Mr Bery Glaser β had founded the place in and it served as a shelter for young girls who were survivors of sexual abuse. Mr Glaser and his wife housed the girls, provided them with food, paid their school fees and took care of their health. Bery welcomed me and saluted my guide enthusiastically.
He then invited me in. I saw a number of girls aged between 5 and 15 years old around the house and the patio. Some were doing house chores or playing but mostly, they were being curious about my presence. Bery and I sat on the verandah for tea and biscuits that were served to us by a very young girl. I felt my arm hair raising almost in pain as he explicitly described rape scenes and the damage girls suffered in their genital area.
