McMaster Friends of MSF

Written By: Salena Jaffer

Content Warning: The content below discusses the topic of sexual violence. 

In the heart of Central America lies the Darien Gap, a daunting and perilous 100-kilometer stretch between Colombia and Panama that has morphed into one of the world’s most dangerous migrant routes. In 2023 alone, over 460,000 migrants embarked on this journey to the United States in hopes of seeking a better life in the face of economic challenges.³ Instead, they came face to face with unimaginable horrors.

Groups of migrants navigating the Darien Gap have been increasingly targeted, with reports of physical assault inflicted on those unable to pay the toll for passage. Migrants have also been confronted with a rising wave of sexual violence. Survivors, including many children, recount their horrifying experiences of kidnappings and group rapes within the rainforest. Shockingly, these incidents occur openly in front of other individuals or within tents intentionally set up for these acts of violence. The situation is grave, with 397 survivors of sexual violence treated by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2023 alone. However, these numbers are likely underestimated due to the stigma associated with sexual violence and fears that reporting may further jeopardize the migrant’s journey. 

One migrant, who was forced to cross the Darien Gap due to unstable economic conditions in her home country, asks, “How can you survive five rapes?”¹ Her plea emphasizes the urgency of this humanitarian crisis.^1,2 MSF teams have been on the front lines, providing crucial medical assistance and care to survivors of sexual violence. MSF’s medical coordinator, Carmenza Gálvez, emphasizes the severe physical and psychological repercussions of sexual violence, including sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, physical trauma, and psychological distress.

MSF urgently calls on governments to establish an effective presence in the Darien Gap to address the risks faced by migrants, particularly the alarming surge in sexual violence. Stressing the urgency of the situation, MSF advocates for survivors to access medical care within 72 hours, in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies,¹ HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases. MSF advocates for an end to the violence and highlights the broader risks migrants confront during their difficult journey. ^1,3

As the crisis unfolds in the Darien Gap, MSF’s dedicated teams stand as a catalyst of hope, providing vital care to survivors and demanding urgent intervention to end the sexual violence. The world must not turn a blind eye to this humanitarian tragedy; collective action is needed to protect those who, in seeking a better life, find themselves in a matter of life and death. 

References

1. Siena Domaradzki-Kim. MSF warns of mass sexual violence in Panama’s Darien Gap – Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF … Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF … Published November 27, 2023. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/msf-warns-of-mass-sexual-violence-in-panamas-darien-gap/

‌2. Incidents of sexual violence spike for those crossing Panama’s Darién Gap – Panama. ReliefWeb. Published November 17, 2023. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://reliefweb.int/report/panama/incidents-sexual-violence-spike-those-crossing-panamas-darien-gap

3. Taylor L. Rapists and kidnappers increasingly targeting migrants crossing Darién Gap. the Guardian. Published November 21, 2023. Accessed December 8, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/21/rapists-and-kidnappers-increasingly-targeting-migrants-crossing-darien-gap