Sexual Violence High in Haiti
04 February 2010
by Anai Rhoads
AnaiRhoads.org -- The 7.0 earthquake in Haiti last month not only devastated communities, but it has also opened the door to human exploitation and rape.
Young women and girls are often preyed upon during war and natural disasters. Any dramatic event that results in displacement only compounds the risk of human trafficking, rape and forced prostitution.
After storms ripped through Haiti in 2008, it was reported that sexual violence in shelters skyrocketed. Sex-for-food schemes were also noted, along with other forms of exploitation.
The non-profit group, CARE is now focused on these gender-based violent acts as U.S. Congress introduces The International Violence Against Women Act.
Members of the House and Senate are introducing legislation in the U.S. Congress Thursday, which if passed, will help prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in crisis during natural and other disasters.
The International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) contains a section dealing with emergency situations where the U.S. government is carrying out programming.
The bill requires that the U.S. government provide funding to international organisations and NGOs to prevent (and respond to) violence against women and girls in the form of humanitarian relief. Conflict and post-conflict settings will be assessed as well.
IVAWA also asked that the bill include gender-experts for the Disaster Assistance Response Teams, which are deployed in these types of emergencies, and build in gender-based violence prevention and response activities in all USG emergency programmes.
"CARE is working to protect women, girls and other vulnerable populations in order to prevent sexual and gender-based violence and to ensure that survivors of this violence get the help they need to recover from the trauma," said Janet Meyers, CARE's Senior Advisor for Sexual and Reproductive Health in Emergencies, who is on the ground in Haiti.
The hardest hit areas of Haiti now consist of darkened streets, due to the lack of electricity. Add to this the crowded makeshift camps with no walls of any sort, and unprotected bathing and toilet areas, it makes for an ideal situation for a predator. Women and young girls are reporting that they are being harassed and threatened with sexual violence on a daily basis.
"Women and girls are very much at risk of violence and of being forced into prostitution in exchange for money, food or shelter," said Sophie Perez, CARE's Country Director in Haiti. "CARE's activities work to keep that from happening. In the long term, it is important to help women become economically independent because this puts them in a stronger position in the community and makes it less likely that they will be taken advantage of."
The group is currently doing all it can to consult both men and women on this issue. They are also directing people to gender-specific latrines and showers for their safety.
Police and city services have been virtually dismantled, reporting lines have been destroyed and some traditional community support systems are all but gone as a result of the earthquake.
"It is critical to ensure that confidential, quality services, including clinical management of rape, emergency contraception and psychosocial support, are available to treat survivors of rape and sexual violence," said Meyers.
Sexual violence and abuse create an ongoing problem, particularly for women. Risks of pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease and higher rates of HIV/AIDS are often seen. The psychological impact of sexual exploitation survives far beyond the repair of community infrastructure.
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