One year on from the earthquake, the problems facing Haiti are immense. Reports of the rampaging cholera epidemic, the disputed presidential elections and the recent lynching attacks paint a desperately bleak picture of life on the impoverished island nation.

Much of the coverage focusing on the anniversary has reported the slow rebuilding process and the difficult daily stories of over 1 million people living in refugee camps. Most coverage doesn’t delve into the increasing incidence of sexual violence that has emerged.

When we hear the heart wrenching stories of survival and international compassion that characterised the global humanitarian response to the earthquake, little mention is made of the abuses being suffered by women and girls in the camps. Many are already struggling to come to terms with the grief and trauma of losing their loved ones, homes and livelihoods. They must also live in camps that are not secure.

Protecting the most vulnerable people

The protection of women has been one of the most neglected aspects of the humanitarian response to date. During the first 150 days of the earthquake, local activists registered more than 250 cases of rape in 15 camps. Rape survivors continue to arrive at a local support group office almost every other day seeking help.

The aftermath of the earthquake has seen a breakdown of the networks and structures - based on family and community - that afforded the women and girls some degree of protection. The earthquake has exacerbated pre-existing violations of economic and social rights.

Victims of sexual violence share their stories

In a recent report by Amnesty International, the victims of these horrific crimes speak out about the situation in the camps and share their repressed experiences that have been ongoing since the disaster.

Dina, a rape survivor said, “In our camp we cannot live in peace; at night we cannot go out. There is gunfire all the time and things are set alight…Where I live, I am afraid. We don’t have a good life; it is not a good area…We are afraid. We can be raped at any moment…We are forced to live in misery.”

Malya Villard-Apollon, The leader of the Commission of Women Victims for Victims (KOFAVIV) to the UN Human Rights Council said, “I live in a tent in a camp. I have witnessed the completely inadequate government response. KOFAVIV has recorded at least 242 cases of rape since the earthquake. But we have yet to see a case prosecuted.”

Victims of sexual violence face daunting barriers in accessing justice, with little prospect that their attackers will be prosecuted. This creates an environment in which women are disinclined to report rape, feel abandoned and are vulnerable to further attacks.

As the multitude of obstacles to Haiti’s reconstruction come under the international media spotlight for the anniversary of the earthquake, the brave women who have overcome their oppressors are breaking the silence and making their plight public.

Claire, the founding member of Women Victims Arise (FAVILEK) said, “I am confident that we are going to achieve justice and reparation even if it takes us a hundred years, a thousand years. Even if I die, the other women victims will continue the fight to obtain justice and reparation in this country”.

Woman next to rubble in HaitiHaitian women wait for traffic to pass prior to crossing a street for humanitarian aid distribution, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 19 January 2010. © U.S. Air Force

Addressing sexual violence in Haiti

Amnesty International’s research on the ground has found that in order to effectively protect the needs of women in Haiti’s tent cities:

  • Haiti’s new government must urgently take steps to address gender-based violence as part of an effective plan to address the wider humanitarian crisis.
  • Women in the camps must be fully involved in developing this plan.
  • The protection of women’s rights must be at the core of the reconstruction effort.

As the anniversary of the earthquake comes and passes, it is vital that the international community continue to help the women of Haiti shine a spotlight on the dark reality of life in the camps. Reconstruction will be a slow process, and every effort muse be made to uphold the human rights of women living with the daily threat of sexual violence as some semblance of order is slowly restored in Haiti.

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