Committed to the Rights of Haitian Women and Girls
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Committed to the Rights of Haitian Women and Girls |
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Femme Notre Histoire
Anacaona 
Women In Haitian History A panorama of women who have impacted political life in our country Produced by the Women's Ministry on the status and rights of Haitian women in honor of International Womens' Day March 8, 1998 as part of an exposition featured at the Musee du Pantheon National Haitien from March 6th - 16th, 1998. |
A project of Dwa Fanm dedicated to research, education, advocacy, assistance and the eradication of restavek and other forms of modern day slavery systems in the Haitian, African and other immigrant communities of the New York City. What is Restavek? Restavek from the French rester avec or stay with is the Haitian system of child domestic slavery. The common and centuries-old practice of restavek almost always involves desperately poor rural families turning over their children to better-off city residents, in the hopes that the new caretakers will provide their children with opportunities that will enable them to escape crushing poverty. However, the reality is usually endless hours of hard, uncompensated work, emotional and physical neglect, and frequent psychological, physical and sexual abuse. Evidence of restavek children in the United States include: The 1998 publication of the autobiography of Haitian-born Jean-Robert Cadet, a trafficking victim who himself was a restavek, or a child domestic servant, in Spring Valley, New York. He was brought to New York for the purpose of serving as a restavek. In 2001, The media in Florida uncovered a case where a 12-year-old Haitian immigrant girl had been living as a restavek with a Haitian family there, and had been repeatedly raped by the family’s teenage son. Sometimes child domestic servants are brought to the United States from Haiti under the guise of being “nieces,” “nephews,” “cousins,” or “godchildren;” sometimes they are brought to the U.S. using the birth certificates and passports of other U.S.-born children. Radio stations in New York receive several calls from trafficking victims, adult Haitian women who came to this country on the promise of receiving a green card from the people who brought them here. After these women arrive to the U.S. they are kept almost completely isolated, practically, if not literally, locked up. They feel trapped, with nowhere to go for help because their passports have been seized by their captors. What is human trafficking? According to the U.S. Department of Justices Civil Rights Division Human Trafficking is a form of modern day slavery. Traffickers often prey on individuals who are poor, frequently unemployed or underemployed, and who may lack access to social safety nets., predominately women and children in certain countries. Victims are often lured with false promises of good jobs and better lives, and then forced to work under brutal in in human conditions. The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 defines trafficking as the recruitment and/or transportation of people using violence, the threat of violence, deception, or other forms of coercion to exploit them sexually or economically for the profit or advantage of others. Under this law, trafficked person can pursue action against their traffickers and access social services and legal remedies. Find out more about Trafficking at Africans In America, Inc.
Dwa Fanm’s Restavek Project is proud to list the "Voices Against Restavek Practice." Members of this educational coalition are joining the Restavek Project’s campaign against restavek practice and the abuse of adult domestic workers. For more information on this exciting project, or to suggest new members, e-mail Dwa Fanm Voices Against Restavek Organizer, at dwafanm@dwafanm.org
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HAVH Project |
