CARE Is Working to Prevent Sexual Violence in the Aftermath of Haiti Earthquake

It is well documented that the risk of sexual violence and exploitation rises in crisis situations, such as the one happening in Haiti now, when people are displaced from their homes and communities. And women and girls are the most vulnerable in these settings. In fact, a 2008 report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs found that after multiple tropical storms in Haiti, there were reports of "sexual violence in shelters, 'sex for food' and other forms of exploitation."

"CARE is working to protect women, girls and other vulnerable populations in order to prevent sexual violence and to ensure that survivors of gender-based violence get the help they need to recover from the trauma," said Janet Meyers, CARE's senior advisor for sexual and reproductive health in emergencies, who is on the ground in Haiti.

Darkened streets due to lack of electricity, crowded makeshift camps without walls and unprotected bathing and toilet areas leave women and girls particularly vulnerable to harassment and sexual violence.

"Women and girls are very much at risk of violence and of being forced into prostitution in exchange for money, food or shelter," said Sophie Perez, CARE's country director in Haiti. "CARE's activities work to keep that from happening. In the long term, it is important to help women become economically independent because this puts them in a stronger position in the community and makes it less likely that they will be taken advantage of."

CARE is consulting with both men and women about the location of gender-specific latrines and showers so they are placed in safe, well-lit areas close to where displaced persons are clustered, but are clearly segregated. 

The damage to police and city services as a result of the earthquake means reporting lines have been destroyed, and some traditional community support systems have been disrupted, making it all the more important to set up a system to ensure protection and support for women and girls. "It is critical to ensure that confidential, quality services, including clinical management of rape, emergency contraception and psychosocial support, are available to treat survivors of rape and sexual violence," said Meyers.

Today, members of the House and Senate are introducing legislation in the U.S. Congress that, if passed, will help prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in crisis situations like the Haiti earthquake. The International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) contains a section dealing with emergency situations where the U.S. government is carrying out programming. The bill requires that the U.S. government:

• Provide funding to international organizations and non-governmental organizations to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in humanitarian relief, conflict and post-conflict settings;
• Include gender experts on the disaster assistance response teams that are deployed in emergencies to help build in gender-based violence prevention and response activities in all U.S. government emergency programs; and
• Help build capacity of government employees and non-governmental organizations carrying out emergency relief to respond to the special protection needs of women and girls in crisis or conflict affected settings.

Women who suffer sexual abuse or ongoing psychological and physical violence also have more unplanned and/or unwanted pregnancies than other women, more sexually transmitted infections and higher rates of HIV.

About CARE: CARE has been working in Haiti since 1954. Many of CARE's more than 130-person staff in Haiti includes emergency personnel who were part of the response to the devastating Hurricane Hanna in 2008. In Haiti, CARE's programs focus on governance, HIV and AIDS, reproductive health, maternal and child health, education, food security, and water and sanitation. To learn more about CARE's work, visit www.care.org.