InHaiti,AllMenWereNOTCreatedEqual

CynthiaYee

WorldStudies
Ms.Coble
May6,2016

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I.

CurrentIssuesinHaiti
InHaiti,Afiveyearoldgirlwasbrutallyrapedandsufferedbleedingfromvaginal

tearingandothersevereconsequencesoftheinfection.KOFAVIVreportedthat,unfortunately,
hergrandmotherwasnotabletobuyallofthenecessarymedicationsprescribedbythedoctor.1
Theyounggirldiedfromthisattack,andunfortunately,sheisnottheonlyonetosufferthisfate.
Becauseofrapemanypeople,mostprevalentlyyounggirls,havetheirliveschangedforever,
andfortheworse.Asaresultoftheextremepoverty,victimsandtheirfamiliescannotalways
affordwhattheyneedtohealandgetbetter.
Thehumanrightbeingviolatedinthiscaseisoneofthemostbasiconesanditstatesthat
everyoneisequalunderthelaw.ThisiscoveredinarticlesevenoftheUniversalDeclarationof
HumanRights.Articleeight,whereitisstatedthathumanrightsareprotectedbythelaw,isalso
violated.RapewasnotconsideredacrimeinHaitiuntil2005andtherewasnopunishmentfor
theoffender,urgingsexualpredatorstorapesomeonebecausetheyknewthattherewouldbeno
consequences.Tomakeitworse,ifsomeonewasrapedonlythe
victims
honorwasoffended
whiletherapistwouldlosenorespect.In2005,itfinallybecamedefinedinlawasacrime,butit
wasnotseverelypunished.2
Ifahusbandcaughthiswifecommittingadultery,hecouldmurderbothpeopleandbe

Padgett,Andrew,andToniaWarnecke."DiamondsintheRubble:TheWomenofHaiti."Ebsco.Accessed
April8,2016.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=2b1b8165e16740978c6c979f682a3e5b@sessionmgr
115&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=65200076&db=bth.
2

"TheRightofWomeninHaititoBeFreefromViolenceandDiscrimination."TheRightofWomeninHaitito
BeFreefromViolenceandDiscrimination.AccessedFebruary29,2016.
https://cidh.oas.org/countryrep/Haitimujer2009eng/HaitiWomen09.Intro.Chap.IandII.htm.

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excusedfromit.Ifawomanwastodothistoherhusband,shewouldhavetopayafine.3Men
couldgetawaywithaheinouscrimewhilewomenwouldbepunishedforthesameexact
offense.Asthesethingsare,murderisdiscouragedinHaiti,butonlytowomen,whilemendo
notreceivethissametreatmentandareonthecontraryevenencouragedtomurdertheirwivesif
theyarecaughtcheating.Theresultsofthemistreatmentofwomenwereclearwhenasurveyof
Haitianmenrevealedthateightypercentofthemthinkthatbeatingtheirwifecanbejustified,as
opposedtoameretwentyeightpercentofwomen.4
SexualassaultsareconsideredasocialphenomenoninHaiti'scustomsandhabits,so
friendsandfamilyareoftenvictims,notstrangers.5Themosttrustedpeopleinsomeoneslife
couldbetheoneswhohurtthemthemost.
Manywomenhavepregnancyproblemsandotherhealthissuesduetogenderproblems.
Womenthathaveahistoryofviolencehaveahigherrateofburns,fractures,andsurgicalcare
thanwomenwithoutabackgroundofsexualassault.Maternalandchildmortalitydeathfrom
cancerareallhigherforthesewomenaswell.6Thesexualviolencecausescomplicationsfor
womenbirthingandfuturegenerations.
RapesinHaitiwerenotexposedinheadlinesuntiltheHaitiearthquakein2010whereit
wasrevealedthat19outof100womenwerevictims.7Becausewomencouldnotrelyonthe

Ibid.

Padgett,Andrew,andToniaWarnecke."DiamondsintheRubble:TheWomenofHaiti."Ebsco.Accessed
April8,2016.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=2b1b8165e16740978c6c979f682a3e5b@sessionmgr
115&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=65200076&db=bth.
5

"TheRightofWomeninHaititoBeFreefromViolenceandDiscrimination."TheRightofWomeninHaitito
BeFreefromViolenceandDiscrimination.AccessedFebruary29,2016.
https://cidh.oas.org/countryrep/Haitimujer2009eng/HaitiWomen09.Intro.Chap.IandII.htm.
6

"TheRightofWomeninHaititoBeFreefromViolenceandDiscrimination."TheRightofWomeninHaitito
BeFreefromViolenceandDiscrimination.AccessedFebruary29,2016.
https://cidh.oas.org/countryrep/Haitimujer2009eng/HaitiWomen09.Intro.Chap.IandII.htm.
7
Ibid.
4

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governmenttokeepthemsafefromrapistsandsexualviolence,theyturnedtonongovernmental
institutions.Eightypercentofpublicservicesandseventypercentofhealthservicesareprovided
byprogramsnotlinkedtothegoverningbody.8
II.

HistoricalBackground
SexualviolenceinHaitihasgottenworseoverthepasthundredyears,especiallyafterthe

earthquakein2010whichmadethealreadydifficultsituationevenworseforHaitianwomen.
Duringtheearthquake,amaleprisonwasdestroyedand4,300prisonerswereabletoescape,
includingleadersandmembersofarmedgroups.9 Manycriminalsthatshouldhavebeenlocked
upfortherestoftheirliveswerenowbackonthestreets,lookingfortheirnextvictim.
Aftertheearthquake,oneyoungvictimrecallsatriptothebathroom,Afterhedraped
me,heranaway.Icalledforoutforhelpimmediatelyandapolicecarpatrollingthearea
stopped.Iexplainedtothepoliceofficerwhathadhappened.Theyaskedmewheretheattackers
were,butwhenItoldthemthattheyhadrunaway,theofficerstoldmetherewasnothingthey
coulddo.10Rapistsknewthepolicewouldnotgoafterthemiftheyran,encouragingthemto
sexuallyharassgirlsbecausetheyknewtheywouldhavenoconsequence.Raperatesbeganto
riseand,The
SolidaritedesFemmesHaitiennes,
acivilsocietyorganizationprovidingmedical
assistancetorapevictims,documentedsevenhundredeighteencasesofgenderbasedviolencein

Padgett,Andrew,andToniaWarnecke."DiamondsintheRubble:TheWomenofHaiti."Ebsco.Accessed
April8,2016.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=2b1b8165e16740978c6c979f682a3e5b@sessionmgr
115&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=65200076&db=bth.
9
Duramy,BenedettaFaedi."WomenintheAftermathofthe2010HaitianEarthquake."Ebsco.Accessed
April8,2016.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=e9d2b7f5778049eea57dc08ce38a9c2f@sessionmgr4
005&vid=0&hid=4209&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=77695999&db=a9h.
10
Padgett,Andrew,andToniaWarnecke."DiamondsintheRubble:TheWomenofHaiti."Ebsco.Accessed
April8,2016.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=2b1b8165e16740978c6c979f682a3e5b@sessionmgr
115&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=65200076&db=bth.
8

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itsclinicsbetweenJanuaryandJune2010.11
AccordingtoWomenintheAftermathofthe2010HaitianEarthquake,Seventy
percentoftherespondentsadmittedbeingmoreconcernedaboutsexualviolenceafterthe
earthquakethanbeforeMorethanseventyfivepoliceofficersperishedandhundredswere
injuredordispersed.12 Intheearthquake,mostofthepolicewerehurtorscattered,sothepeople
wereleftwithnotenoughauthoritiestokeepthepeace.Thisallowedcriminals,specificallysex
offenders,tocommitcrimeswithoutgettingintrouble.ThemajorityofHaitianswereawareof
therisingnumberofrapes,buttheydidnotknowhowtheycouldhelp.
TheHaitianConstitutionstates,NooneisworthyofbeingaHaitianifheisnotagood
father,agoodhusband,and,aboveall,agoodsoldier.13TheHaitianConstitution,writtenby
men,makeswomenseeminferior,causingthepublictoautomaticallybelievethesamebecause
itpurposefullyexcludedwomen,usingwordssuchasfatherandhusband,twothingsthat
womenphysicallycannotbe.In1794,EtiennePolverelwrote,Itwasacceptableforwomento
receivelesspaythanmen,somethingmanywomenontheplantationshadcontestedinthe
interveningmonths.14 Inequalityofmenandwomenstartedin1794andhasprogressively
gottenworse.Menbelievedwomenshouldbepaidlessbecausewomendidnotaccomplishthe
sameworkthattheydid,andcontinuetobelievethatwomenarenotcapableastheyareandcan

11

Padgett,Andrew,andToniaWarnecke."DiamondsintheRubble:TheWomenofHaiti."Ebsco.Accessed
April8,2016.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=2b1b8165e16740978c6c979f682a3e5b@sessionmgr
115&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=65200076&db=bth.
12
Duramy,BenedettaFaedi."WomenintheAftermathofthe2010HaitianEarthquake."Ebsco.Accessed
April8,2016.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=e9d2b7f5778049eea57dc08ce38a9c2f@sessionmgr4
005&vid=0&hid=4209&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=77695999&db=a9h.
13
"GenderinHaiti."HaitiNet.AccessedMarch26,2016.
http://www.northeastern.edu/haitinet/genderinhaiti/.
14
Ibid.

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betakenadvantageof.
SinceHaitideclareditsindependencefromFrancein1804,ithasbeenruledunderover
twentydifferentconstitutions,whichdidnotmakeforaverystablegovernment.15The
governmentisbusytryingtobecomeefficienttosurviveasacountryinsteadofmakingsure
theirpeoplearehappyandsafe.Theirpeoplessafetyisnottheirmainpriorityandasaresult,
thereislessofafocusonpreventingrapesandotherinjusticesagainstwomen.
III.

ModernDayResponses
Inotherpartsoftheworld,suchasEuropeandtheUnitedStates,rapecasesarehandled

muchdifferentlythaninHaiti.InEurope,lawenforcementhasbeentrainedtotreatvictimswith
respect.Theyalsoreceivesupportandaregiveninformationontheirrightsandcaseinaway
theycanunderstand.Theyareofferedhelptoattendthetrialandareprotectedastheircaseis
beinginvestigatedandtriedincourt.16Unfortunately,inEnglandandWales,therearemore
reportedrapes,whichmightnotseemlikeagoodthing,butitisbecausethismeansthatvictims
aremorecomfortablewithadmittingwhathappenedtothemandreachingoutforhelpinsteadof
keepingitfromthegovernment.17IntheUnitedStates,thereareviolencepreventionprogramsin
communities,protectionforpeoplewhocannolongerliveintheirhouses,fundingforhotlines,
andlegalaidtohelpthevictims.18 RapesintheUnitedStateshavedecreasedbyeightyfive

15

Padgett,Andrew,andToniaWarnecke."DiamondsintheRubble:TheWomenofHaiti."Ebsco.Accessed
April8,2016.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=2b1b8165e16740978c6c979f682a3e5b@sessionmgr
115&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=65200076&db=bth.
16

"EuropeanCommissionPRESSRELEASESPressReleaseEUwideProtectionforVictimsof
DomesticViolencetoBecomeLaw."EuropeanCommissionPRESSRELEASESPressRelease
EUwideProtectionforVictimsofDomesticViolencetoBecomeLaw.AccessedMarch25,2016.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressrelease_MEMO13449_en.htm.
17

"NewRapeDataforEnglandandWalesShowsRegionalVariation."BBCNews.AccessedMay05,2016.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk34729350.
18

"ViolenceAgainstWomen."LawsonViolenceagainstWomen.AccessedMarch26,2016.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/violenceagainstwomen/lawsonviolenceagainstwomen/.

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percentsincethe1970s.19
ThesesolutionswouldnotworkinHaitibecausetheirlawenforcementisnotasstrongas
inEuropeandtheUnitedStates.Becausemanyofthepolicewerekilledduringtheearthquake,
theyhaveaweaklawenforcementanddonothavetimetocatchoffenders.Thegovernmentis
alsotoodistractedwiththesurvivaloftheircountrytothinkaboutthesafetyoftheirpeople.This
meanstheguiltypeoplecanbreachthelawagainandagainwithoutworryingaboutbeing
caught.
IV.

Recommendations
AlthoughHaitiisfarfrombeingsafeforwomen,thereareafewstepspeoplecantaketo

helpabolishtherapeculture.Ifpeoplearemoreawareofwhatisgoingon,womencanbemore
protected.Asafeplaceforwomenafterbeingavictimofarapecouldhelpmorewomensurvive.
Freeorganizationsthateducatedpeopleaboutwhatisgoingonisveryrealisticandisalready
happeningonasmallscale.PotoMitan,anorganizationthatstandsforwomensrightsinHaiti
strivestoshowwomenasrealpeopleinsteadofvictims.20
AnorganizationthateducatestheHaitiansaboutwhatisgoingoncouldhelpdiscourage
rapes.IftheHaitianpeopleareawareofwhatwomenhavetogothrough,theywillbeabletotry
tohelpwomenandpreventsexualviolence.TheHaitianpeopleshouldalsobecomeawareofthe
harmthatrapescausenotonlytothevictimbuttotheirchildren.
Haitianscantrytoconvincetheirgovernmenttocreatefairandjustlawsforrapecases.
Ifthelawsinvolvingrapesarestricterandmoresevere,rapistswillnotbeasinclinedtocommit

"StatisticsShowDropInU.S.RapeCases."WashingtonPost.June19,2006.AccessedMay06,2016.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/06/18/AR2006061800610.html.
20

"GenderinHaiti."HaitiNet.AccessedMarch26,2016.
http://www.northeastern.edu/haitinet/genderinhaiti/.
19

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arape.Asaresultofknowingwhatisgoingon,Haitianscanhelpvictimsandpreventhaving
morevictims.
Asafeplacewomencangotoafterbeingavictimofarapeorsexualassaultcouldresult
inahigherrateofsurvivalafterasexualattack.Victimsshouldbeabletobetreatedandgethelp
insteadofbleedingtodeath,helplessandalone.Thelackofthegovernmentsparticipationin
tryingtopreventrapesencouragestherapiststoharmmorevictims.Iflawenforcementmade
moreofanefforttotrytocatchtheoffenders,rapistswouldnotknowiftheywouldbeableto
getawaywiththeircrime,discouragingthemfromcommittingit.

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Bibliography:
"GenderinHaiti."HaitiNet.AccessedMarch26,2016.
http://www.northeastern.edu/haitinet/genderinhaiti/
.

Duramy,BenedettaFaedi."WomenintheAftermathofthe2010HaitianEarthquake."Ebsco.
AccessedApril8,2016.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=e9d2b7f5778049eea57dc08ce38a9c2f@se
ssionmgr4005&vid=0&hid=4209&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN
=77695999&db=a9h
.

"EuropeanCommissionPRESSRELEASESPressReleaseEUwideProtectionforVictims
ofDomesticViolencetoBecomeLaw."EuropeanCommissionPRESSRELEASESPress
ReleaseEUwideProtectionforVictimsofDomesticViolencetoBecomeLaw.AccessedMay
05,2016.
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressrelease_MEMO13449_en.htm
.

"NewRapeDataforEnglandandWalesShowsRegionalVariation."BBCNews.AccessedMay
05,2016.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk34729350
.

Padgett,Andrew,andToniaWarnecke."DiamondsintheRubble:TheWomenofHaiti."Ebsco.
AccessedApril8,2016.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=2b1b8165e16740978c6c979f682a3e5b@s

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essionmgr115&vid=0&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==&preview=false#AN=
65200076&db=bth
.
"StatisticsShowDropInU.S.RapeCases."WashingtonPost.June19,2006.AccessedMay06,
2016.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/06/18/AR2006061800610.html
.

"TheRightofWomeninHaititoBeFreefromViolenceandDiscrimination."TheRightof
WomeninHaititoBeFreefromViolenceandDiscrimination.AccessedFebruary29,2016.
https://cidh.oas.org/countryrep/Haitimujer2009eng/HaitiWomen09.Intro.Chap.IandII.htm
.

"ViolenceAgainstWomen."LawsonViolenceagainstWomen.AccessedMarch26,2016.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/violenceagainstwomen/lawsonviolenceagainstwomen/
.