Brisa De Angulo Losada vs Bolivia

Abstract

In 2023, a landmark ruling in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights found that the State of Bolivia had failed to protect and uphold  the rights of a woman who had experienced ongoing sexual abuse as a child. This is the first case related to human rights violations of an adolescent victim of sexual violence brought before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. It has served to highlight the ways in  which ineffective and corrupt criminal justice systems can impede the rights of a citizen. The aim of this article is to explore to what  extent this ruling could act as an example for cases similar to those of De Angulo Losada. In particular, the article discusses the relevance  of this case in relation to sexual violence in South Africa and the role of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in upholding  human rights. Overall, the article argues that the Brisa De Angulo Losada vs Bolivia case could serve as an example of how the South  African government could be held accountable for its ineffective response to and prosecution of sexual violence.