Unite: Stop violence against women now!

Nora, who is in her late twenties, broke up with her boyfriend because he was two-timing her; she thought this would bring her peace of mind. But her ex-boyfriend kept on bothering her with calls, so she changed her number. But the irritating calls did not stop. Recently, she received a text message from the ex’s girlfriend: “I will get you out of your job, I will burn your house.” We have got to stop emotional, psychological violence NOW!

Constantina, 72, was accompanied by her daughter to the police; the police referred them to LAW Center Inc. so they could have a barangay protection order (BPO). For years, she had experienced emotional battering from her husband and she did not act on this. Recently, her husband housed a mistress. The violence escalated, which includes beating. Constantina began to live in fear, shivering a lot. This disturbed her children; they reported the matter to the police. We have to stop emotional and physical violence NOW!

Last Friday, Nov. 25, the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women began with a walk and a program with solidarity messages. Women’s rights activist Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel was the special guest.

Since 1991, the campaign to end VAW started on Nov. 25 – International Violence against Women. Previously, the campaign ended on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day, as a reminder that women’s rights are human rights. The campaign now closes on Dec. 12 “to mark the historic date of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Crime, supplemented by the Protocol to Prevent and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children.”

The Philippines has joined this campaign since 2002. It has resulted in a growing awareness regarding the issue and has resulted in laws for the protection of women and children: the Anti-trafficking in Persons Act and the Anti-violence against Women and Children Act.

This time a whole range of activities has been planned for the campaign. Liza Tumulak of Lihok Pilipina provided us with a list of these. International Justice Mission with UP planned a Solidarity Night to End Human Trafficking at Ayala Terraces with the theme “I move, I stop, I move to stop cybertrafficking.”

A Regional Conference with Kaabag and its partners SACMI, CCEF and others on VAW and Child Abuse, “Empowering Women, Changing Communities,” took place on Nov. 25 to 26.

At the barangay level, Bantay Banay will facilitate discussions on RA 9262, the Anti-violence against Women and Their Children in San Roque, San Nicholas and Guadalupe.

Tisa, Sawang Calero and Binaliw will have sharing sessions on Corporal Punishment and Promoting Positive and Nonviolent Approach in Child Discipline.

Men Opposed to Violence against Women and Children, together with the Cebu Psychiatric Society, will have a discussion on “Impact of violence against women to the mental health of the patient” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2011.

Lihok Filipina, the Cebu City Medical Center Violet Room and the Pink Center have planned a “Healing workshop for victims-survivors of VAW.”

UNICEF, IJM, WHAT, CCIACAT, and SK Federation will have a fun run—Cebu Against Trafficking—Race (CAT RACE) on Dec. 11. On the same day, Visayan Forum’s MATA – Movement of Anti-Trafficking Advocates will hold a fun day with the theme “Stop, look, listen report.” On Dec. 12, IJM and Unicef will have the Justice Award (for Media) for Reporting Human Trafficking with a Forum on Cybertrafficking.

She Voices was invited to the press conference of the Justice and Healing Project. Their materials inform their plans and activities.

With its slogan “Let justice heal and let healing be just,” the project has this overall objective: “To strengthen components of the justice system to deliver human rights-based and gender sensitive services using the justice and healing perspective with respect to VAW cases.”

The project involves empowering the entire community in the fight against violence so they will hold barangay fora all over the country. One such was to be held in the Barangay Luz Conference Room, Saturday, Nov. 26. Another means to accomplish their aim is through the Citizens’ Charter for VAW-free barangay and many others. Gender-sensitive approaches in attaining justice include justice and healing meetings, Comprehensive Paralegal Training for Service Providers and establishment of a Justice and Healing Network.

The UP Gender and Development Office in Sidlak Gender Resource Center, with a whistle, signal our uniting with the campaign to end violence against women NOW.