[Statement] Dakila statement on violence against women

DAKILA STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN November 25, 2011 For many years, women have fought for gender equality and their rightful place in society. And in the past decade or so, it has been said that women have gained leverage from where they stood half a century ago. Today, there are more women presidents leading…

Human Rights Online Philippines

November 25, 2011

2–3 minutes

DAKILA, Domestic violence, Facebook, Philippine, Quezon City, Sexual assault, Twitter, Violence against women

DAKILA STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
November 25, 2011

For many years, women have fought for gender equality and their rightful place in society. And in the past decade or so, it has been said that women have gained leverage from where they stood half a century ago. Today, there are more women presidents leading their countries; CEO’s leading their companies; engineers building infrastructures. As things that were deemed solely for men have now become accessible to women, we cannot deny that indeed, women have come a long way.

But how much equality has really been given to women in this society? Is gender equality really almost achieved as seen by many or are all these just a façade of where women stand in society? How far have women really gone?

We say women have gone far but one thing has not changed over the years – violence against women. This continues to haunt women all over the world. Violence against women such as rape, human trafficking, sexual assault, and domestic violence are still things women have to fear.

When will women feel safe walking home alone at night? When will a woman be able to assert herself without fear that her husband will hit her? When will women stop being violated? Violence against women only shows how much women are being valued – and it’s not that high. Women continue to be objectified and assaulted. Only if and when the fear of violence against women has ceased can we say that women have gained respect and that we have come close to gender equality.

Time and again, women have proven their importance in every aspect of society – from building the family to building the nation. Dakila calls the end to violence against women. We call for our society to allow women to live without fear for it is only when they live fearlessly can they truly grow. And only when women have grown can we truly move forward and develop as a nation.

DAKILA – Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism
Unit 3A, VS1 Bldg., 34 Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City
Cellular: (0905) 4292539
Tel. No.:(02) 4354309
E-mail: mabuhay@dakila.org.ph
Website: http://www.dakila.org.ph
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dakila.philippines
Follow us on Twitter: dakila_ph

Violence against women: club culture | Editorial (guardian.co.uk)
Violence against women is endemic to our sick culture (changingwomen.org)
Govt committed to enhancing status of women: Gilani (nation.com.pk)
16 Days of Activism: Will you be wearing your white ribbon? (africanfeminism.wordpress.com)
The high price of male silence on violence against women (thepunch.com.au)

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5 responses to “[Statement] Dakila statement on violence against women”

susannemoore

November 25, 2011 at 7:34 pm

Thank you for connecting to changingwomen.org and thank you for a thoughtful and well written post on your site. I will be putting a link to your site from my resources section as it is important that women (and men) in the Philippines know where to go for advice and assistance.

Today, 25 November, was international WhiteRibbon Day – against the violence of women. Sadly, in Australia the reported figures of this type of violence is rising with now more than 70 women this year dying in her home from the effects of domestic violence. That is more than one women per week! Violence against women has now become the single most prevalent form of human rights abuse in Australia. Australia considers itself to be a first world country, but our record on Human Rights for women and our indigenous people is appalling. “Violence against women is a serious problem in our society. Statistics show that one in three Australian women over the age of 15 have reported experiencing physical or sexual violence at some time in their lives”, source http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/white-ribbon-importance

One in three women are subjected to some sort of abuse and still it continues and anytime a women speaks out they are branded as a feminist, or a “women’s advocate” and relegated to the role of insignificant fanatic. You are not alone in your voice and the world is Changing by the power of the Changing Woman!

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Violence against Women now the most prevalent form of Human Rights Abuse in Australia « Changing Women

November 25, 2011 at 7:51 pm

[…] Human Rights Online Philippines […]

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Chris

December 1, 2011 at 5:31 pm

I want to know your thoughts regarding facebook pages that humiliates women such as this one: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tokis/122693294469433

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susannemoore

December 3, 2011 at 1:49 pm

H Chris, unfortunately I can’t read most of the posts as they are not in English. Can you describe what most concerns you about this Facebook site? Unfortunately whilst girls and women continue to agree to be photographed in such a way, the photographs will turn up on the internet. Many girls think that they need to be sexy in order to be accepted – of course this is not true, but it drives many of them to this overtly ‘sexual’ behaviour. Hence they think it is great and acceptable to be photographed in that way. It is is NOT acceptable for personal photos’ (that may be sexual in nature), taken between couples to be shown to others, especially to other men. This is deeming, but only because we let ourselves get upset by it. For example: When you agree to be filmed or photographed having sex or in a sexual pose in the privacy of an intimate relationship, you must accept that this is the event did take place. That is to say, why be upset if it a ‘true event’ is now public? If you are not prepared to risk these types of images being public, then you need to consider your actions before you do something. The objectification of women is the bigger issue, seeing women as objects of desire and not seeing them as people who are sexual, or people who look beautiful. This could be the case on the Facebook page you have referred to and this is something that we need to take a stand against. It doesn’t help the person doing the objectification and it doesn’t help the women being objectified, and it is not good for society either. It just helps to isolate and disconnect people from each other and serves to removes empathy and feeling and this can lead to violence. Looking forward to your response.

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Darlene Ramos

January 7, 2012 at 11:17 am

Hello Chris and Suzanne,

Sadly, these types of pages are a common sight online. You’re right, while we try to build a culture that respects the rights of women and discourages the objectification of the female image, there is also the burden of educating women about being aware of this objectification and take steps to elevate the perception of women as whole human beings — beautiful, respected, and not just “objects”.

In allowing pages like these, Facebook treads the fine line between protecting freedom of speech and protecting venues that foster the mindset that this type of violence against women, however passive, is fine. While they do actively filter posts that contain hate speech, racial/gender slurs, and obscenity, they have also made quite a few blunders — just recently apologizing after deleting the WHO-sanctioned self-abortion post by a reproductive rights advocate.

Ultimately, it falls on us women’s rights advocates to pressure big players like Facebook to review their policies and come up with rules that seek to protect women and encourage a culture that respects women.

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