Latin America

Overburdened judicial systems and widespread underreporting of crimes leave impoverished children particularly vulnerable to sexual violence in many countries in Latin America. In Guatemala, for example, it is estimated that 90 percent of rape and domestic violence incidents go unreported. If a case is brought to trial, the likelihood that no conviction will be issued is 90 percent. Similar difficulties exist in each of the countries in which IJM operates in the region.

Children are often voiceless in the aftermath of sexual violence; in Latin America, IJM gives children victimized by sexual violence a voice, ensures that their needs are met through aftercare services, and brings justice to their perpetrators. IJM works to end the cycle of sexual violence, bringing relief and protection to victims and the vulnerable.