Sexual Violence in Port-au-Prince: A Weapon Used by Gangs to Instill Fear

This October 2022 joint report by BINUH and the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) examines the use of sexual violence by armed gangs in Port-au-Prince as a deliberate weapon of terror and territorial control. Drawing on interviews with survivors and witnesses, it documents rape and gang rape committed during gang attacks, at the frontlines between rival territories, during kidnappings, and as a means of subjugating populations in areas gangs seek to control. The report describes the profile of victims, who include women and girls of all ages, the profound physical and psychological harm inflicted, and the barriers survivors face in accessing medical care, justice, and protection. It situates this violence within the wider surge of gang power that followed the 2021 assassination of President Moïse and the near-collapse of the Haitian National Police in contested neighborhoods. The report sets out recommendations to the Haitian authorities and international partners on prevention, survivor-centred medical and psychosocial response, documentation, and accountability for perpetrators.