Women Unbound: Violence Against Women in the Philippines and the Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women

3/3/2010 | Ayala Foundation USA

March is Women's History Month. On this feature, we turn the spotlight on violence on women in the Philippines and an organization dedicated to eradicating all forms of oppression and exploitation based on sex, race or class.

It was only February, but the room was already stifling hot. For a few seconds, only the whir of the electric fan can be heard. Then Mary Ann (not her real name), her voice calm and measured, began to speak. This is her story:

It started innocently enough. Her father drove a tricycle and her mother sold peanut butter sandwiches. She was the eldest of four, made good grades, and had plenty of friends. Her childhood was like any other childhood, until it took a dark turn when she was raped by her high school teacher, and then by her high school principal.

In the Philippines, as with most other countries, statistics of incidence of rape are difficult to come by. Rape cases are usually based on information gathered from police records, which are often inaccurate and do not present the nature and extent of the problem. Most women are afraid to report the rape due to social and cultural stigma generally attached to rape cases. As the a mostly patriarchal society, victims of rape are still viewed as maduming babae" or dirty woman, as if she courted the sexual assault that she experienced. Compounding this problem is the lack of support from families, law enforcement agencies and officials, who often add to the victim's aggravation by their lack of efficiency and sensitivity in handling such matters. In instances where the rape victims do file cases, they often find that corruption and inefficiency in the courts mean that it can take years for their cases to be processed. Justice, it seems, will be forever elusive, providing even less incentive for the victim to come out in the open. In Mary Ann's case, the teacher and principal have resorted to bribery, coercion and threats of physical harm to Mary Ann and her family to stall the case. Not one person has been convicted. Exhausted financially and emotionally, Mary Ann has decided to focus on moving on and rebuilding her life.

Plenty of other women share Mary Ann's unfortunate fate, albeit in other ways. According to the Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, it is estimated that up to 50% of the 50,000 to 70,000 women trafficked each year are Filipinos. Most of the women come from the provinces to look for jobs to help their families.  Even sadder, women become prey to prostitution by their own countrymen, who lure them with promises of legitimate jobs but who instead make them work in brothels or arrange for them to marry foreigners in sham marriages.

The Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women (TW-MAE-W) was borne out of the need for help of the many women who are victims of rape, sexual abuse, trafficking and all other forms of exploitation. It has been a partner of Ayala Foundation USA since 2004 and continues to provide direct services to victims of incest, rape and the sex trade. Through their drop-in centers and homes, they are able to provide a host of services including residential care, counseling and psychosocial therapy, livelihood training, and educational, medical and legal assistance. This non-profit organization is considered one of the premiere organizations in the Philippines helping women and advocating women's issues. Since its founding on Human Rights Day on December 10, 1980, it has helped hundreds of women like Sherry escape the chains of sexual abuse, slavery and exploitation. Many of the women have gone on to lead productive lives in different areas in society. Most have gone back to champion the cause of women's rights.

On Women's History Month, we urge you to please consider giving to TW-MAE-W and help your sisters in the Philippines. Women's rights are human rights, and when we protect our sisters in need, we protect ourselves and uphold human decency.

Donate Now.

Donations may be made by check to either of AF-USA Philippine Office (with mailing address BPI Head Office Building, 10th Floor Ayala cor Paseo de Roxas Avenue | Makati City 1200) or Ayala Foundation USA (with mailing address 255 Shoreline Dr., Suite 428 | Redwood City, CA 94065). Please specify "Ayala Foundation USA on the check and please put "Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women" on the note section. Provide your name, telephone number, postal address and email address for receipt purposes.  Receipts for Philippine/US tax deduction purposes will be issued.

Alternatively, you may also log on to www.af-usa.org/donate_now_form.asp and look for "Third World Movement Against the Exploitation of Women"  in the drop down menu.