Haiti stands out as one of the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in the western hemisphere suffering from unheard of poverty which at times grapples the mind and makes it hard to comprehend. Still on top of all of the disparity that the poor suffer, sexual assault of women and young girls persist as a ramped crime initiated against the defenseless that continues to go unpunished and unrestrained both from a domestic perspective and internationally.

As reported by the BBC in Dec 2006, accusations in 2004, later unfounded were brought against a Minustah UN force soldier by a 16 year old Haitian girl who said she was raped by the Brazilian soldier.

The very ones sent to preserve and protect in times of desperation are sometimes seen as the oppressor and participant in the continued exploitation of the poor, contributing to more controversy and confusion in the wave of violence that has engulfed the region.

From Port Au Prince to City Soleil gangs of armed young men roam the dark unlit streets at night attacking women indiscriminately and contributing to the fear and terror. The government remains to be caught in an odd position as members of the Haitian police force have also been accused and convicted of committing violent acts of rape, making it easy to understand why rape often goes unreported. The question remains why no response to the call for help by the persecuted and what can be done to put an end to these violent attacks?

The shame and stigma is a heavy burden to bear for the victims and the reality of imminent death is felt as a real possibility by those who may want to persecute their attackers as well as seek help. Why is violence perpetrated against women in such an inhumane manner and what can be done to stop violent sexual attacks in a country ravaged by a history of coup d’etat overthrows where rape was used as a tactic of terror for those in authority, to subdue the civilian populations into submission.

All of this sounds very reminiscent of the Congo and the ongoing conflict that has also used rape, collective violence and sexual attacks and mutilations to strike fear in the hearts of the voiceless. In the case of Haiti policy initiated since 2005 made rape a crime but then why is it that attackers still run free?

The disparaging statistics show that though over a hundred rapes may be reported a year, only 12 may actually go to trial. Part of the problem seems to be a lack of political will on behalf of the judiciary. In a country such as Haiti where there is no safety net to catch the poor and civil society possess few resources for redress, help is needed from outsiders such as those within the international community to speak out against such violent attacks against women and to give a voice to the voiceless.

Amnesty international can continue to do its part to advocate on behalf of human rights abuses but those in power internationally who feel a moral obligation to put an end to apathetic approaches of the past whereby Haitian suffering is seen and felt as almost surreal and intangible, must step up and speak out. The violence in Haiti can also almost assuredly be viewed as a desperate call for help by both perpetrator and victim, both of which suffer in extreme conditions of poverty and both who view little hope for the future.

Perhaps extraordinary evil is committed by ordinary human beings who happen in this case to live in inhumane conditions and thus result to animalistic behavior. Perhaps they are ordinary men, who have fallen to the lowest level of inhumanity, who run in packs and seek refuge in collectives attacking their prey simply because they can and times are hard. Even in the west the economic down surge is seeing an increase in crime and violence against women is on the rise. Whatever the reason violence against women and children must end and just maybe, the UN’s Ambassador to the Mission.