Colorlines: Rape in Haiti: The Aftershocks Continue

[EFerrari]

by Michelle Chen
Monday, May 23 2011, 9:06 AM EST

This month, Port-au-Prince hailed Michel Martelly as he took office as president, trumpeting new hope for his disaster-stricken country. Elsewhere in the Haitian capital, hope was stifled in the smothered screams of women and girls.

More than a year after a massive earthquake sent the city crumbling to the ground, the chaos continues to reverberate in refugee camps through a wave of systematic sexual violence. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported widespread rape and sexual violence against women. The IOM notes that rising reports of sexual violence may be “linked to a growing trust between survivors and the police and service providers,” but safety protections for women and girls are still desperately lacking. And the primary problem remains that, nearly one year and a half after disaster struck, some 680,000 people still languish in squalid encampments.

Behind each assault is a swelling humanitarian crisis that has bred violence, fear and desperation. Lacking infrastructure and electricity, Haiti’s camps for displaced residents are a seedbed for social instability, and by extension, sexual assault and violence.

The advocacy organization MADRE, working with the local NGO KOFAVIV, has investigated and documented the brutalization of women since the earthquake. In one documented case, a group of men abducted a woman, gang raped her, choked her until she opened her mouth and “bit off her tongue.” Last July, a woman was reportedly attacked when she went out to use the bathroom at night. Countless cases of rape go unreported, and a precious few will ever be investigated or prosecuted, due to unresponsive and ineffective law enforcement. Rape was not officially a crime in Haiti until 2005.

http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/05/rape_in_haiti_the_aftershocks_continue.html

[Bacchus39]

1. tragic and ongoing, though I do seem to recall you denying violence in the camps

after the earthquake when you were questioning the need for US troops.


this tragic continuous tale has been posted quite a few times in the forums at DU.



this is quite shocking though: Rape was not officially a crime in Haiti until 2005.

[EFerrari]

2. I see that the occupation of Haiti has not resulted

in the better treatment of Haitian women.

What a shocker.

[Bacchus39]

3. US troops left but the UN is still there

although if they weren't there I can't imagine so I can't agree with you.

[EFerrari]

4. Yes, what would happen if Haiti were allowed to manage its own affairs.

Obviously, a conflagration. Thank heavens for the civilizing Empire. :)

[Bacchus39]

5. well, I am pessimistic but willing to give it a go

maybe start by telling Martelling if we don't see significant and verifiable progress then the US and UN will pull out and cut aid.

however, since Haiti would be better off without this "help", then Martelly should just tell them to get out now.

[EFerrari]

6. Martelly would have to leave with them.

And, afaik, only a majority of 17% of the electorate might object. :)

[Bacchus39]

7. if that is the voter participation rate then that is what it is

for Haiti's next election Aristide can run if he wants.

to increase participation they could make voting mandatory like in Ecuador or Brazil and fine people who don't vote. I doubt Haiti has the capacity to implement such a system though. (p.s. I don't agree with mandatory voting, just sayin)

[EFerrari]

8. Haiti's lack of "capacity" for clean elections

is the result of centuries of foreign interference. Just sayin'.

[Bacchus39]

9. another reason for foreign entities to leave then I guess n/t

s