WARNING: This blog post contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children or sensitive readers.

Haiti has faced varying degrees of civil war since July 2021. When President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated, the thin fabric of law and order in Haiti deteriorated as gangs quickly filled the void left in the chaos of overturned lawful authority. We use the term “war” consciously. The word has strong and violent connotations that describe a severe state of conflict in any nation. What might not be immediately evident, though, is that in times of war, soldiers and adult male agitants don’t necessarily see the worst of the strife—often, the ones who suffer more are the women and children.

Gangs in Haiti are about establishing power. They gain influence by establishing domination over the communities of people in their vicinity, and one of the oldest ways of accomplishing this is through sexual assault. Gang members start by dominating the women, which then makes it easy to steal from them, ensure compliance, and prevent future disobedience. Fear of rape and abuse keeps the community in line. This cycle is not limited to Haiti; it happens everywhere.

Gangs are often worse than corrupt, but established, government leaders. When any transitory power comes in, abuse is likely to follow. That’s the nature of power. Without accountability, it leads to brutality, manipulation, and dehumanization of those most in need of protection. Women are so often the victims because they provide an easy target. Physical strength is regularly on the side of the abuser, which stands as yet another opportunity for unchecked corruption from those in the position of authority.

In Port-au-Prince, the gangs have forced a large number of people out while keeping many women behind. The reason for this is heartbreakingly transparent. As we pray that God would place His restraining hand on the evil powers at work in Haiti, we can’t help but think of these women. Our deepest prayer is that the God of Peace would become their God. The Lord uses all kinds of means to spread the gospel, and we know that He is bigger than any evil power. As we think about the women who suffer in Haiti’s ongoing civil war, we pray that the Lord would comfort the broken with the truth of salvation, bringing many troubled and hurting hearts to Himself.

To learn how you can be praying with us for the ministry in Haiti, visit Prayer Requests.