Justice for 16-year-old Lina in Bolivia

A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in Bolivia for sexually assaulting his niece Lina* when she was just 13.

This strong sentence sets a precedent that there is no place for violence against women and children in Bolivia. It also honours the courage and determination of a young girl and her family who spoke up and fought for justice.  

Lina should have been able to trust her uncle- a seemingly friendly taxi driver who was always around at family events.

However, while giving her a lift to school one day, Lina's uncle instead took her to an isolated field where he assaulted her. Before dropping her off near the school, he put the equivalent of 50p in her backpack in an attempt to silence her.

Tragically, the abuse happened again a few weeks later at a family gathering. Under the pretence of buying more drinks, Lina’s uncle separated her from her family and once again took her to a field where he sexually assaulted her.

However, Lina would not be silenced. After the second assault, she courageously spoke up and told her parents everything.

Even though the family did not have the means to pay for their own lawyer, they bravely reported the abuse to the local authorities. The authorities referred them to IJM, who connected them with a partner for legal support.

The abuser was promptly arrested, stopping him from harming Lina or anybody else.

Despite pressure and threats from the wider family to drop the case, IJM provided ongoing legal and psychological support to Lina and her parents for over a year and a half until the abuser was sentenced to 20 years in prison.  

Today, Lina is 16. She lives in safety with her mother, stepfather, and two sisters. She's in her final year of high school and dreams of studying law. She wants to speak up for others and show that justice is possible.

Click here to read more about IJM’s work to stop violence against women and children >>

*Pseudonym. Image of child actor used.