COCHABAMBA, Bolivia, Jan. 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A landmark sexual violence case brought by Brisa De Angulo against the State of Bolivia reached its conclusion on January 19, 2023, when the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) announced its landmark verdict in favor of Brisa. International women’s rights organization Equality Now, which formed part of her legal team, and A Breeze of Hope Foundation, founded by Brisa, applauded the progressive ruling, which will strengthen access to justice for adolescent girls who have been subjected to sexual violence.
Raped repeatedly for months by an adult relative starting when she was 15, Brisa endured three trials but has still not received justice in Bolivia. In 2010, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) concluded that the State had failed to properly investigate and prosecute her case, and in doing so, violated her internationally protected human rights. In 2020, the Commission referred Brisa’s case to the IACtHR, which held a hearing in March 2022 and issued its verdict today.
This was the first time in history that the IACtHR heard a case pertaining to the human rights violations of an adolescent victim of incest. The Court’s decision has established legal precedents for the Americas region which could improve access to justice and prevent discriminatory practices and revictimization for millions of child and adolescent victims of sexual violence during the judicial process.
The judgment declares Bolivia responsible for failing to comply with its international responsibility to prevent, address, punish, and redress the sexual and institutional violence suffered by Brisa.
The groundbreaking judgment reflects and reinforces regional and international standards in the area of sexual violence against girls and adolescents, especially in the context of sexual violence suffered in the family environment. It is a model sentence guaranteeing non-repetition measures by establishing legal changes, implementation, training, and prevention in comprehensive sexual education, among other very concrete measures for Bolivia. Furthermore, it encourages broader change by setting a strong precedent in the Americas.
Brisa and the advocates who have been working for years to help elevate her case welcome the Court’s ruling, which has significant implications for both Bolivia and the wider region. Equality Now’s report, Failure to Protect, details discriminatory sexual violence laws and practices in Bolivia and throughout the Americas, where this judgment could also guide changes.