Sexual violence along migration routes, children included 

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

December 5, 2023 – Irregular rates of migration across the Latin America and Caribbean region continue and with it there is a growing rate of sexual violence.

This is according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)  in its Weekly Situation Update for November 20th, 2023 and it informs that Organizations indicate growing reports of sexual violence which is affecting women and children who take on what has been time and time again, described as a “treacherous journey across the Darien jungle between Colombia and Panama.

The migrants, the report says, include nearly 460,000 people with almost 100,000 children.

Regarding the sexual violence affecting these migrants, the report refers to humanitarian medical care charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) which says it has treated 397 survivors of sexual violence which includes many children, that is after they successfully reach Panama.

In October 2023, MSF saw a decrease in the number of migrants crossing the Darien gap, 49,256 people compared to September which saw 75,268.

However, despite the drop in number, there was an increase in the number of survivors of sexual assault looking for assistance, the weekly update says.

In October, MSF helped 107 people. In one week, 59 people reach out for help from the charity which is equivalent to one event of sexual violence every three hours, the report pointed out. Speaking to child victims of sexual assault, it said three of the rape survivors were children aged 11, 12 and 16.

To help put a stop to this immoral behavior, the OCHA states that humanitarian organizations, the MSF included, UNHCR, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group and Plan International and others, are calling on relevant governments to make it a priority to protect migrants and their human rights, as well as strengthen humanitarian capacities and improve comprehensive response strategies such as increasing legal and safe channels for migration and looking into the cause of movements, with the intention to remove them or help reduce their impact of the people’s decision regarding migration.