These last days, students from different universities in Port-au-Prince have been the victims of gang rapes. The last two cases occurred on May 17 at around 7:30 am when two female students returning from Quiskeya University were raped by unidentified armed individuals. Three days later, a 21-year-old student from the University of Port-au-Prince was raped by five people.

In a note the Primature informs "Our intelligence services confirm, this past week, that girls, mostly students, have been victims of rape and that these acts were mostly perpetrated in the immediate environment of university centers [...]

While waiting to determine the motives surrounding these odious crimes, appropriate measures are taken to provide strong responses to the thugs who have chosen to commit such acts in our Haitian society [...]", says the Primature, stating "specialized structures of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) have been instructed to take new measures to correct this unacceptable drift and send clear signals [...] in this matter, repression and coercion will be expressed without nuance and in the last rigor," adding "prevention is reinforced in certain neighborhoods identified. A structure is set up to offer victims psychological guidance and health assistance."

For its part, in a statement the Quiskeya University Rectory in front of this situation, recommends to the students to form groups when they leave the Campus, to remain on the high road and to avoid taking shortcuts through slums informing a series of preventative measures including : a university bus will shuttle between Campus and Turgeau's Star Mart every 20 minutes from 5:00 pm; a patrol of the Sub-Police Staion of Canapé-Vert will make regular rounds; Solar street lights and cameras will be installed in the immediate vicinity of the university. In addition, he announces on May 22 the beginning of a "pale saw wè" campaign with posters indicating phone numbers to call in case of emergency and inviting students to be vigilant and report any suspicious situations.

TB/ HaitiLibre