Reports from Jan Christian Blaise Cruz
As part of their Women’s Month Commemoration, Preen PH organized a talk called “Preen Talks: Rape Culture” last March 9 at the William Shaw Little Theatre. Known to have been founded to talk about matters that affect women, with the goal of empowering them, Preen’s rape culture session in the University is the first of many; its goal is to educate everyone while providing safe spaces for conversation.
Featuring talks by Grrrl Gang Manila founder Mich Dulce and United Voice Against Rape ambassador Kat Alano, the event aimed to be a safe space to discuss Rape Culture and its effects on society. Preen PH’s Managing Editor Jacque De Borja hosted the event.
Rape culture, according to Dulce, is “not just about rape.” Instead, it includes the little things people do every day that normalize sexual violence. Manifestations of rape culture can be seen in the words people use and the jokes people make. An example of this would be victim blaming. This is when people say rape victims “asked for it” and that their actions attracted the rapist. She pointed out that a society that shames victims would prevent them from coming forward, further worsening the problem. Catcalling is another, and Dulce emphasized this out by saying “Everyone is entitled to their own personal space. We shouldn’t invade other people’s peace of mind while walking on the street. If you want to give a compliment, there are better ways.”
People should also be aware about saying things that trivialize sexual assault. Dulce cited Duterte’s rape jokes as an example. She also added that trivializing includes comments like “OA ka lang, hindi naman yan pambabastos! (You’re just overreacting, it’s not being rude!).” Because media plays a role in how people think, Mich also gave examples of rape culture in popular TV shows. Lastly, rape culture is spread through gender stereotypes. These include slut-shaming, saying “boys will be boys”, expecting girls to behave in certain ways, and putting women under gender roles.
After Dulce’s talk, Alano shared her own experience to the audience. At age 19, she was raped by an actor after said actor had drugged her in a bar. She said that people must first understand what it means to be a victim before they can help one. One misconception about rape is about a man overpowering a woman, that a woman should know how to fight back in order to avoid being raped. Alano said she knew martial arts, but because she had been drugged, she couldn’t do anything. In between periods of blackout and periods of consciousness, she remembers the man stripping her and using her.
The harder part, however, is coming out. Usually, victims would get humiliated, their lives would be destroyed, and society would mark them as “sluts”. Alano herself experienced death threats which forced her to go into hiding. She had a hard time finding work because she was blacklisted by different networks.
Alano thinks one of the reasons why society react this way is that before 1997, Philippine Law was harsh towards victims of rape. Back then, when a person got raped and she was no longer a virgin, it did not count as rape. Instead, the blame is placed on the woman for being impure. While the law had been rectified, the wrong impression remained. People still think rape is a “crime against chastity.” She once had a conversation with a judge, who admitted to two things: letting her rapist go, and that rape is only a crime against chastity.
Because of such circumstances, victims cannot file a case in court. Not only are the procedures long, they also cost money. And after going through the ordeal, there is a high chance the judge would simply dismiss the case. To add emphasis to the problem, Alano said that every 53 minutes, someone in the Philippines becomes a victim of sexual assault.
To fight the pervasive problem of rape culture, Dulce thinks that the key step is in being aware. Avoid language that objectify and call out people who make improper jokes. Furthermore, both Dulce and Alano agree that there is a need to make victims know that they are not at fault. While it is natural to have doubts about a victim’s story, the best action is to stay silent and simply listen. Having open dialogues would make people feel much safer.
