Consumers Domain
Rape twice over
'Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.'
-Albert Einstein
Days ago, I read in disgust an article from the INQ7 website of PDI & GMA 7, entitled: 'Raped girl no sex worker.' I mean, what does this headline suggests? That it is sort of OK to rape a 'sex worker'? That rape is a little acceptable or palatable if the victim is a 'sex worker'?
Then a Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) official was quoted in the article saying, 'The victim and her stepsister were here for a visit. Hindi sila pakawala', which was translated in the same article as '[They were not prostitutes].'
First and foremost, the woman victim being 'pakawala' or not, is not material in the case of rape. And it should never be a reason or license to abuse a woman. In fact these prostituted women and those who are in the adult entertainment sector (club dancers, GROs, etc.) deserve even greater protection from the state, being marginalized and more vulnerable. Rape, no matter what, is a horrible crime and its horror should not be gauged (or mitigated) with the background of the victim.
Maybe we can't fully blame the writer of the article, the editors of the paper and the SBMA official for they may still be blinded by the macho culture which is deeply rooted in their consciousness. But for heaven's sake we expect them to be more responsible with these things as both the media and public office hold power that can influence people's attitudes and reinforce flawed ways of thinking.
It is a sad thing that this offensive view that puts the blame on prostituted women who are rape victims is so prevalent. Sadder is the fact that many women themselves subscribe to the same view. First crooks rape you, and then society blames you.
Now, I don't know which is more painful the rape itself or the fact that you, the victim, are being blamed for it? Clearly, this is rape twice over.
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I just read the statement of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) on the same issue. This I would like to share to the readers. Please read below.
Ensure Speedy Prosecution of Rape Case
The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) is aghast by the Philippine Daily Inquirer headline 'Raped girl no sex worker.' As an organization that has been fighting against trafficking and for legislation to protect victims of sexual exploitation including rape and prostitution, it appalls us to read the media's headline, reflecting a deep-seated bias and prejudice against prostituted women, and examining once again the background of the victim.
The Anti-Rape Law condemns violence of any woman without discrimination, thus, sexual history of the victim is immaterial to the case. The headline seems to imply that women in prostitution (incorrectly referred to as 'sex worker', a term we would rather not use because it dignifies the violence that happens in prostitution), deserve to be violently raped, unlike a woman who is pure.
Before sectors further complicate the case, we, as one of the women's organizations directly helping violated women, want to remind the media and the government that victims' protection should be a foremost concern. With powerful defendants to face coming from a powerful institution of a powerful nation, the fight is more than daunting for the victim. The media and the government should in fact remove the stigma, threat and burden that have been placed on victims of sexual exploitation in the past. Thus, we, along with our member organizations across the country, express our full support to the 22-year-old Filipina sister.
We vow to watch the government's moves closely, to ensure that evidences are gathered without putting greater burden on the victim that other witnesses are secured, medical evidences protected and the most efficient prosecutors made to work on the case, without wasting time at all. If the opposing camp attempts to dissuade the victim through threats or out-of-court settlement, we will urge the state to pursue the case using other such material evidences. In fact, our government should immediately assert its primary right to exercise jurisdiction over the case and not waive it! The perpetrators should not be let off the hook!
The case is a painful reminder of the grave mistake the Philippine government has committed in signing the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in 1999, allowing further and even more access by the American military establishment to our land, our environment, our women and children. We had warned against these, as our survivors of prostitution have been witness to the countless incidences of exploitation by the servicemen to our women and children by creating the huge market to the trafficking and prostitution industry and allowing generations of Amerasian children to suffer from neglect, stigma and abuse, among other grievous human rights violations the servicemen and the entire military establishment has committed, without accountability.
That should be the last of it. Rape and sexual exploitation no more.War no more. VFA no more.
(For comments and reactions send SMS to 0919-348-6337 or email to ianseruelo@yahoo.com.)