By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
He was holding it, caressing it. A man, a stranger, wearing short shorts, sunglasses, and cap, was masturbating in a jeepney I was riding in Manila. The other passengers were all women. Some were oblivious, but I, I was sitting in front of him and saw him doing it. As quick as I could, I hopped off. I didn’t call anyone for help, but only texted a friend to tell her the story. It was infuriating, at the same time frightening.
One in two women do nothing after being sexually harassed in public places. This is according to the latest, and “perhaps the first survey ever in the Philippines” on street harassment.
“Because they were overcome by fear,” said Social Weather Stations (SWS) project director Jay Sandoval about this reaction.
The study was done on Feb. 13-18 in Quezon City, which has a population of more than three million and has one of the biggest urban poor populations in the country.
The SWS baseline study on street harassment was made possible in cooperation with the United Nations (UN) Women and Quezon City, which signed a partnership for the Safe Cities for Women initiative as a campaign in celebration of the National Women’s Month. The project aims to increase awareness of sexual harassment and safety in public places. Quezon City is the pilot city of the global initiative implemented by UN Women but will also soon include other cities in the country.
“Thirty nine percent of the surveyed women said the sexual harassment on the street was ‘negligible’,” said Mr. Sandoval.
Some reasons for not reacting include: “I would be in greater danger if I take any action” (23%); “Nothing would happen anyway” (20%); and “I was stunned” (20%).
The study surveyed 400 men and women in Barangay Payatas and Bagong Silangan in Quezon City. The city project “serves as a foundation or benchmark for project development and evaluation,” said Mr. Sandoval.
To kick off the initiative, UN Women and Quezon City are circulating a “Stop Now” video they shared on social media and will circulate soon as commercials on television and cinema. Campaign materials displayed on lampposts and bus seats will be set up this month.
“The Stop Now video aims to promote awareness, but most especially its target is the men and bystanders,” said UN Women Safe Cities program head Katherine Belen.
According to the study, majority of the sexual harassment comes from strangers and happens on the street and in public transport.
Elyssa Lopez, 21, was only waiting for a jeepney ride home when, “a stranger whispered in my ear and said, ‘Hi, sexy.’” Apparently, she was unaware her bra strap was showing, but “I was wearing a decent sleeveless shirt and jeans. And, no, I didn’t feel sexy. It didn’t feel like a compliment. I felt harassed.”
The study said one in seven (or 15%) of women have experienced sexual harassment in public places at least once a week. This includes catcalling, lascivious language, voyeurism, indecent gestures, stalking, public masturbation, sending pornographic videos and photos, and groping, rubbing, and touching.
“Be a decent human being,” Ms. Lopez said. She is one of the many people who have shared the Stop Now video on their Facebook accounts. It has 110,000 views and counting.
But the men — surely they know what they’re doing?
According to the study, three of five men have admitted to committing a form of sexual harassment at least once in their lifetime, while two out of five men have committed the worst forms of harassment: public masturbation and groping.
According to SWS project director Mr. Sandoval, sealed envelopes were given for questions on male perpetration because some may not admit it when asked face to face.
Unfortunately, the survey said more women than men thought the harassment was their fault and blamed themselves because of “how they’re dressed” and because “there are women who deserve to be harassed.”
I asked a friend through Facebook on her thoughts about this. My friend, who begs not to publish her name, often complains about men who ogle her breasts. She said, “I value the thoughts of the surveyed women [in Quezon City], but I strongly believe that it’s not our fault. We didn’t ask for it. Could the men imagine if the tables were turned?”
“While we have the rape law, there’s no specific law when a woman is outside her home,” said UN Women program head Ms. Belen.
The country has law on rape, the Magna Carta of Women, and Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) desks at barangays and police stations. But then, advocates say the laws are not implemented well.
Even 70% of the surveyed self-proclaimed harassers said increased sanctions “will deter them from committing sexual harassment again.”
So to start, Quezon City amended its Gender and Development Code this month. It is increasing the penalties: 30 days of imprisonment or a fine of P1,000-P5,000 for light and medium harassments including verbal and visual harassments, respectively; and 30 days to one year and a fine of P3,000-P5,000 for sever violence including physical harassment.
According to Ms. Belen, P5,000 is the ceiling fine allowed for local codes.
The “Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces” global initiative builds from its “Safe Cities Free of Violence Against Women and Girls” global program launched in November 2010. It aims to develop, implement, and evaluate policies and comprehensive approaches on the prevention of sexual harassment and violence. It started in cities like New Delhi, India; Cairo, Eygpt; and Kigali, Rwanda, among others, and is now in Quezon City, Philippines.
Ms. Belen told BusinessWorld the program — including the videos, posters, and training — would start in Quezon City, but would soon be launched in other cities. The program training of local government officials, according to the UN Women web site, include “techniques and tools to develop skills and changes in attitudes and behaviors. It is a continuous and long-term process that requires political will and commitment of all parties in order to create inclusive societies that recognize the need to promote gender equality.”
“I deserve a safe street where I can walk anytime without fear,” said Anne Arguil, 25. She works in a business process outsourcing (BPO) company in Taguig and goes home late at night or at dawn.
The study says 80% of women will be encouraged to report the harrassment because of sanctions.
