Haiti - FLASH : At least 1 rape every hour in displaced persons camps
"The risk of sexual violence for women and girls living in displacement sites in the capital Port-au-Prince is increasing rapidly, in part because of their deplorable living conditions," warns the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which visited the camps where many people who have had to flee their homes in Port-au-Prince live.
In 14 of these camps reviewed, more than half of the toilets and many of the showers are not separated between men and women, many do not lock, and many sites have no lighting at night. “Many women and girls risk being sexually assaulted every time they go to the toilet or take a shower,” denounces UNFPA.
3,949 cases of violence between January and May 2024.
"Between March and May 2024, the number of cases of sexual and gender-based violence recorded by UNFPA and its partners increased by more than 40%, but reported cases are only a small part of the total." According to UN figures, this violence increased from "250 in January-February to more than 1,500 in March, reaching more than 2,000 in April-May. In total, from January to May, 3,949 cases of gender-based violence were reported, including 65% rape (2,566 including 20% of minor girls)."
UNFPA had launched an appeal for donations of 28 million dollars to strengthen reproductive health and services for victims of sexual violence in 2024. An appeal funded to date at only 19%.
