What does it mean to be a member of law enforcement? One would have to uphold the law and be an ideal example of "citizenship". One would have to protect the members of his community no matter how difficult the circumstances. Everyone's safety is important and every cry for help is heard.
How would you feel if you were to enter a police station, after having been raped, and have the officer tell you that you should have done more to stop your attacker?
In Port-au-Prince, and surrounding cities, there are countless women and young girls who have experienced this exact scenario and were made to feel horrible for having "let themselves" be victims. The women are left to live knowing that their attacker is free to do whatever he pleases with, at most, a slap on the wrist (if they are even caught). Can you believe that in Haiti rape has only been against the law since 2005?
You can read articles from USA Today , Yahoo News and AOL News to read first hand accounts of these horrifying experiences.
It is the beginning of a new year and Haitians everywhere have celebrated Haitian Independence. They have been reminded that the nation of Haiti was formed by strong people who have triumphed over hardships. The anniversary of the January 12th earthquake is here, and there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to rebuild the nation and help it survive.
We need to stand together to make a difference in Haiti. Everyone has the power to help Haiti reclaim its 1804 victory by supporting various organizations that are committed to doing the same. Here are some organizations that are already doing great work in Haiti:
Partners In Health
YELE
KOFAVIV
MADRE
Fonkoze
