Plaid Ribbon Campaign

A new Plaid Ribbon campaign to protect girls in Haiti was recently launched by a growing number of advocates of gender and justice in Haiti as a protest and solidarity action to demand justice for recent rape case involving a schoolgirl in Haiti attacked by a much older man and the subsequent actions of the police and the media, and Internet distribution of semi-nude photos of the child victim and nude photos of the accused — additional violations of their privacy that have revolted Haitians and rights advocates everywhere.

"The campaign calls on Haitians to wear a plaid ribbon — the colors of the Haitian school uniform — to express their solidarity with the Haitian schoolgirl and student victims of sexual crimes and other violence," said Anne-Christine d'Adesky, a member of the group PotoFanm+Fi, one of the groups that launched the public campaign. She is Global Coordinator for Haiti of the One Billion Rising for Justice campaign sponsored by V-Day that will promote the girls campaign online. 

The Plaid Ribbon campaign is urging Haitian leaders to act aggressively to investigate allegations of police misconduct in the case and examine the role of media and spectators of citizens in the lurid online distribution of photos of the child that caused her and her family more pain. 

"This is not an isolated case," d’Adesky added. "PotoFanm+Fi found that 60% of rape cases since 2010 were adolescent girls, and that boys are also victims — as well as perpetrators." Regarding the latter, she added, "I just learned this week that 90% of adolescents (boys) in prison in Hinche involve rape cases. This is a shocking statistic that invites all Haitians to invest to help the nation's youth."

The campaign is open to all Haitians and invites everyone to participate. Wear a plaid ribbon. Express your solidarity. For more information, contact: potofanm@gmail.com. To follow the campaign, check for updates at: Facebook.com/1MilyaLeveHaiti and the websites of participating groups.

PARTICIPANTS (as of 10/2913):

1.    PotoFanm+Fi
2.    Partners in Health
3.    Institut du Bien-Etre Sociale et Recherche, Haiti (IBERS)
4.    ODELPA
5.    Fondation Toya
6.    Other Worlds Are Possible
7.    YWCA- Haiti
8.    Reseau d’Action pour les Adolescents (HAGN)
9.    KOFAVIV
10.   CAFVAS
11.    ANAPFEH
12.    AFASDA
13.    IJDH- BAI
14.    Amnesty Intl USA
15.    Restavek Freedom
16.    One Billion Rising for Justice
17.    V-Day
18.    CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Port-au-Prince
19.    FAITH HUMANITARIAN
20.    UNICEF
21.    MEDISHARE
22.    ANAPFEH
23.    LIDÉ