Our Partnership with A Breeze of Hope

Bolivia has the highest rates of sexual violence against women and girls in all of South America.  One in three girls and one in five boys suffer some form of sexual violence before the age of 18.  Bolivia’s Defensor del Pueblo reported that 7 in 10 women in Bolivia suffer sexual violence sometime during their lives, but only 2% of persons charged with sexual offenses are convicted.  The toxicity of Bolivia’s machismo culture is compounded by severe poverty, chronic political instability, a collapsed justice system, and harmful legislation that make it extremely difficult for survivors of sexual violence to seek justice and healing. 

We’re partnering with A Breeze of Hope so that 75 child survivors of sexual violence and 250 of their supportive, non-offending family members receive free therapy, legal advocacy, educational assistance and vocational training.  Children participate in a variety of therapeutic modalities including individual and group sessions alongside yoga, art, dance and mindfulness.  A Breeze of Hope’s expert legal advocates accompany families during every aspect of the legal process, including prosecution and appeals. In cases where A Breeze of Hope assists Government prosecutors, the conviction rate is 95%!  Children also receive tutoring or after-school support, and adolescents are supported to establish financial independence.