Helping One Immigrant At A Time!
501 (c) 3 non-profit organization of people from many Christian faith traditions, and cultures committed to end sexual violence and homophobia in Haiti. OUR HISTORY
Haiti Sexual Violence History in a Nutshell
The organization CUASVAHH, was founded as an answer to the increased rapes and sexual violence towards women, the flagrant and condoned culture of pedophil
ia, child molestation and incest in Haiti, and the harmful tendency to blame the victims. Unfortunately, although all people should be protected by the Haitian Constitution against such violence, society too often turns a blind eye. A common joke in Haiti goes as follow: a man said to his friend “ man, instead of having one 30, I’d rather have two 15” and the friend would laugh and agree. What this man is talking about is his preference for 15 years old children instead of a 30 years old woman. This story alone paints the picture perfectly. Haitian men are not punished for dating anyone under 18 and poverty makes the situation worse. Pedophilia is rampant, a 30 year old with a 16 year old is pedophilia! Now ask many Haitians and its a different story. Incest is often regarded as a family matter, to be dealt with privately and more often than not, victims do not have a voice. Nobody comes to the rescue in these situations. There is no official number to call for help. If the victims remain in the situation, they are often blamed because for the majority of Haitians, the psyche of a victim/survivor remains an enigma. Haitians are not aware that incest can happen anywhere to anyone, by perpetrators who are often pillars of society. Rape is perceived as a person’s inability to control his/her desire, not as a power issue. There is no shame for the rapist in certain situations such as a man forcing his wife, his girlfriend and/or a drunk female into intercourse. The term “flagrant deli” requires that in order for a perpetrator to be prosecuted, the rapist must be caught red handed in the act. Rape is rampant in the tent cities, during home invasions and kidnappings. It is also very present in the homes, in the schools and in the churches. Most uneducated and some mis-educated Haitians gladly equate pedophilia to homosexuality. This idea or belief seems to be repeatedly accepted throughout Haiti, further putting fear and hatred of homosexuals in the heart of the people. Pedophilia is a disease, it is a crime and is damaging physically and psychologically to innocent children, specifically young females and sometimes also involves children as young as infants. On the other hand, homosexuality is an “etat d’etre”, a consensual relationship between two adults and doesn’t hurt anyone. Unfortunately, there are no rape kits done at the hospitals and coming forward with incidences of sexual violence, is often detrimental to the victim/survivor due to the views of Haitian society. Often you would hear: “she asked for it”, or “this little girl is promiscuous” , even when grown men are dating a young female child and little boys are way too afraid to even hint that anyone has violated them. This subject of Sexual Violence in Haiti is too broad to cover here for the purpose of establishing CUASVAHH history. We will discuss it in depth in our trainings, webinars and future discussions. Haiti homosexual history in a nutshell
The organization, CUASVAHH was founded as an answer to the increased violence and murder of homosexuals in Haiti. Being a homosexual in Haiti is not illegal and all people are protected by the Haitian Constitution against such violence. Many people like to claim that homosexuality is not part of their culture; many Haitians perpetuate this idea and believe that homosexuality is borrowed from the United States of America or from other developed countries. This is, of course false, because in the first place, homosexuality is not a cultural phenomenon but a biological occurrence. The Haiti of yesteryear had always embraced its homosexuals even if they were to live on the down low. The level to which society would embrace the individual would of course, be intertwined with the social class to which he/she belongs. The wealthier you are, the more accepted you are. On the other hand, homosexuality was always a taboo subject in Haiti; it was never openly dealt with or discussed. Yet, everyone knew of the homosexual man around the corner making the best food, the musician who played his instrument so beautifully, the singer with the sultry voice, the makeup artist so handsome that you ought to look at him twice, the two single old ladies around the way raising their nieces/nephews, the fabulous hairstylist whose hands are magical, or hot spots where the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transexual (LGBT) community would meet. Haiti was never unaware of its homosexuals. Haitian LGBTs, when too apparent or flagrant, were often ridiculed and harassed if they were from the wrong social class. Now they are stoned to death, burnt, killed, persecuted and vilified as pedophiles and criminals. Their situation has gone from bad to worse. With the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of 2010 and the new developments regarding LGBT rights, certain international missionaries have found the perfect target to spread fear and hatred in Haiti. Homosexuals are blamed for the earthquake, and they are blamed for everything that is wrong with Haiti as they are perceived as an abomination to humanity. These missionaries, as they serve the poor/needy Haitians with white rice on one hand, are with the other hand, serving an interpretation of the Bible and God that is full of hatred, calling for homosexuals to be put to death. This is not the Bible or the God I know, this is not the Bible and the God you know. God is love and in the Ten Commandments, “Thou shall not kill” or “love your brother as you love yourself” is too often forgotten.
