KATIANA MILFORT: BETWEEN THE QUEST FOR JUSTICE AND DEFAMATION

When the voice of a woman fighting for justice clashes with discordant voices that should instead amplify her echo, feminism in Haiti risks becoming nothing more than rhetoric — devoid of genuine commitment to advancing Haitian women’s rights: curbing all forms of violence, silencing discrimination, and dismantling sexist stereotypes aimed at weakening or even destroying women and girls.

Katiana Milfort is a Haitian comedian, actress, and producer. Since 2018, she has made shocking statements about her former married life. She recounts having been a victim of physical and psychological abuse by her ex-husband, Miracson Saint-Val, between February and mid-July 2015 — an ordeal that, according to her, lasted six months.
Almost immediately, Milfort’s allegations were challenged by some of her close acquaintances, including feminist activists with whom she allegedly had close ties. Labeled as unstable, her testimony was quickly dismissed as imaginary. Katiana Milfort strongly rejects these claims, which attempt to link her breakup with the man she calls her “tormentor” to an alleged psychological disorder. She firmly stated that these narratives were intended solely to silence her.

Her statements reveal a sharp lucidity, offering precise details about the duration of her ordeal, the abuse she claims to have suffered, and the psychological pressure exerted upon her — notably by individuals who, as she stated on the program “Sur d’Elles” on Eveil Média, self-identify as feminists.
This raises a blunt and troubling question: what becomes of the feminist movement in Haiti if the very women who are supposed to fight violence against women and girls pressure a victim not to denounce her abuser?

A decade after the events, Katiana Milfort has never fully recovered from her physical and psychological wounds. Her health continued to deteriorate as her victimhood was ignored and minimized by narratives portraying her as mentally unstable. Despite this, she never stopped fighting or making her voice heard wherever possible. Her case undeniably exposes a fragmented and clan-based feminist movement in Haiti.

Through her own outcries and those of supporters who remained loyal to her, Katiana Milfort’s voice eventually reached the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women’s Rights (MCFDF). With their support, she was able to travel to Cuba this Sunday, January 18, to receive essential medical treatment critical to her survival. This initiative was widely praised by public figures on social media.
It should be noted that appeals for financial assistance had been made to the Haitian public for a long time, with little concrete impact on addressing her medical needs.

This situation has opened the door to widespread criticism of the Haitian feminist movement on social media. For some, Haitian feminism has become a pathway to personal advancement; for others, it remains a noble struggle led by individuals whose true priorities are not the eradication of violence, the emancipation of women, nor a firm response against perpetrators who continue to endanger the lives of women and girls — sometimes ending in femicides. How can Haitian feminism be reinvented in such a context? Katiana Milfort maintains that she is prepared to pursue justice to the very end.

Yvelie Jemima Sanon