Nowhere To Run

After seeing this Los Angeles Times article, it is safe to say that females (as young as 5 years old and maybe younger) in Haiti have lost all sense of humanity. Women, adolescent girls and little girls are being stalked like prey in the displacement camps. It is upsetting to read that after a teenaged girl went to the police to report what happened to her, the officer told her that the reason she was raped was because she was "in heat". That phrase is only ever used in reference to animals and to see it referencing a young girl is appalling.

Who are these women supposed to run to for help? There is practically no security in the camps and the local law enforcement doesn't seem to be able to help (when they are even willing to). The only option that the women of Haiti have is to defend themselves.

There are organizations in Haiti that help with self defense and provide help with general well being, but there are very few of them and there is only so much that they can do. 

This is an opportunity for us to reach out and help a country that is desperately in need of it. People tend to be more concerned about helping the people in their own communities, and that is commendable, but there is something special about helping people that you have never met before.


Written By:
Regine Riviere

To Serve and Protect

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

Making a Difference

Women and girls everywhere should be able to live their lives without being in constant fear of being sexually victimized. 

 

Since the earthquake in Haiti, women and girls have been at a high risk of being raped and sexually assaulted. There are only a few organizations in the settlement camps working on this problem. We strongly believe that safety kits will empower these women to protect themselves and take a stand against sexual violence!

 

We want to make a difference, and we know that with support from others, our impact will be even greater. Operation: Empower Haiti is gaining significant interest in our mission to empower women and young girls in Haiti who are threatened with sexual violence everyday! 

 

Our Team consists of people from diverse backgrounds with the unified vision of making a difference in the lives of people who are in need! We have committed partners with expertise in various areas including public health, education, event planning and public relations. We are also working with an organization in Port-au-Prince, Haiti that will distribute the kits to women and girls through their health clinics.

 

We will make a miracle happen! Keep reading our blog to stay posted on our progress and learn how you too can make a difference!!

Safety Kits Project

We are passionate about empowering women in Haiti and eradicating the sexual violence that they are experiencing. Women and girls in Haiti are at high risk of being sexually victimized especially after the devastating earthquake. They must use latrines without lights, bathe in public, and sleep amongst strangers. Sexual violence will lead to more HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, motherless children, as well as further poverty and violence. 

One approach that we envision to empower these women and girls is by providing them with the tools and training that will empower them to protect themselves, seek help, and be heard. We would like to make Safety Kits that will contain products that they can carry on their person and/or have in the tents to protect themselves from potential attacks or use as a resource to get help immediately. The Safety Kit will be a simple pouch with a battery free flashlight, a whistle, a key alarm, a key ring disguised knuckle poker, and information on local support services (if any). We would like to work with an agency that has a strong presence in Haiti. We plan to raise funds to finance our operations which includes developing and assembling the Safety Kits, mass marketing, and delivering the Safety Kits to our Partners who will distribute them in Haiti.

Stay tuned for further information on this project!