Cejil warns of systematic sexual violence against women crossing Darién

Panama City, 19 Mar Women who cross the Darién Gap, the dangerous jungle that serves as the border between Colombia and Panama, crossed each year by thousands of migrants, suffer “systematic” sexual violence along the way, and gang rapes are even reported that remain in impunity. This was alerted in an interview with Efe by the Center for Justice and International Law (Cejil), following a visit last Thursday to the immigration reception stations (ERM) established by the Panamanian State in the province of Darién. “More and more women, and with minors” are going through the Darién, “and the main consequence is the increase in sexual violence suffered during transit,” said the director of Cejil for Central America and Mexico, Claudia Paz y Paz. This non-governmental organization cited figures from the National Migration Service (SNM) of Panama according to which in January and February 4,442 and 4,014 people entered the Colombian border, respectively, a “record” compared to the same period in 2021, when only 1,000 people passed through the border with Colombia. “It's an alarming situation,” Paz y Paz warned. The migration flow increased from May 2021, a year that finally ended with the unprecedented figure of more than 130,000 who entered the border with Colombia on their way north, mostly Haitian families, but also Cubans and to a lesser extent Venezuelans and other citizens from countries around the world. After the visit to Darién, Paz y Paz explained that mostly Venezuelan migrants are currently arriving through the Darién and that, after an inspection, it can be noted that Panama has made progress in ensuring the rights of people in mobility, although there are “pending issues”. “There was progress (?) with regard to infrastructure and water, but there are still outstanding issues, with particular concern for women victims of sexual violence, access to health, justice, the situation of minors whose families have fallen behind or died,” he said. MANY WOMEN CHOOSE NOT TO REPORT THE VIOLATIONS The coordinator of the Human Mobility Project for Central America, Mexico and the United States of Cejil, Gabriela Oviedo, told Efe that the sexual violence suffered by women when crossing the Darién is “worrying”. “The sexual violence suffered by women is systematic, as it has happened in recent years and when interviewing people at immigration reception stations, they all reported that they saw or knew victims along the way,” he explained. According to Oviedo, “there are figures that as of November 2021 there were more than 300 cases of sexual violence reported and research figures have not been observed.” Oviedo told Efe that some women who arrive in Bajo Chiquitito, the first point after crossing the Darién, “have sexual assaults of up to 10 people.” “The State is obliged to ensure, on the one hand, within 72 hours (after) having contact to give access to retrovirals, to prevent HIV and contraceptives,” Oviedo explained. “This is where access to health prevails over justice, and understanding that they are in transit, many decide not to report,” he concluded. CHIEF adl/gf/fa/cfa (photo) (video)