With photos of her bruised face and body circulating on social media,Tabarre mayor on Wednesday revealed herself to be a victim of domestic abuse in a bid to start a national conversation about sexual violence.
"We women, which such a thing happens, we are the ones who feel ashamed. We don't speak up because we are embarrassed, we feel shameful," said Nice Simon, who is the mayor of Tabarre, (Port-au-Prince area).
"But today, the shame is no longer for me, the shame is for the aggressor".
At a news conference, Nice Simon described in detail an attack she said she suffered two days earlier at the hands of her partner.
"He was choking me and slapping me, punching my head. I thought I was going to die," said Simon, who was known as a Haitian movie star (Anne) before becoming mayor in 2015.
"I was on the ground and he was kicking me," she said, unzipping her dress to reveal the bruises covering her back.
Simon was finally able to escape her house, heading to the hospital for treatment and to obtain a medical certificate needed to file a complaint.
PRESS CONF: NICE SIMON
Warrant Issue for Yves Leonard
A warrant of arrest was awarded on Wednesday against the aggressor of Tabarre Mayor, Nice Simon.
This decision was made by one of the substitutes of the Commissioner of the Government of Croix-des-Bouquets, Edler Guillaume, who recommends to the Director of Immigration and Emigration to "put the departure ban against named Yves Leonard ".
"This, by land, air and sea," reads a letter to the Director of Immigration and Emigration, Joseph Canciulli.
The substitute of the Government Commissioner continued that these measures were adopted "at the orders of justice".