Patriarchies

That’s what all fundamental religions boil down to: Suppression and abuse of women and children.

The spate of terrifying night-time rapes in an isolated, orthodox Christian community went on for four years and yet the victims could barely remember the ordeal and many believed they had dreamed it.

It was not until 2009 that nine men were eventually convicted of the rape of more than 100 women and girls in their own homes in the Mennonite Manitoba Colony in Bolivia.

But despite the convictions, it has emerged that the sexual attacks in the closed community are continuing.

An investigation has uncovered that once more women and youngsters in the Old Colony, where motorised vehicles and electricity are banned, are suffering sexual assaults they can barely remember.

Vice.com has found that many families believe the assaults are continuing despite the men, aged 19 to 43, being jailed.

But members of the closed community told Vice that without cameras or streetlights – both forbidden in the community – or a police force, they have no way to stop or catch the rapists.

They say they will have to wait until someone is caught in the act and in the meantime increase security at their homes.

The eventual trial found that the attackers used a powerful sedative to drug whole families before carrying out the rapes.
Many women were attacked as they lay next to their husbands, who were also knocked unconscious by the narcotic.

A girl of just three was among the victims and a woman of 60 years old.

A pregnant woman gave birth at just six and a half months after being raped while unconscious.

Young girls were taken to hospital the next morning suffering from terrible pain and bleeding.

The gang of men, who had led some women to believe they were repeatedly attacked by demons, were eventually caught and jailed in 2009.