Anyways, he's late. I'm late. We're both late. Damn the heartache! POOF! Back to some sensible blogging.
Do you know the campaign "Draw the Line"? Or the show "Women's Desk" hosted by Rhea Santos at QTV-11?
I actually haven't watched any of it's featured stories, but I don't have to watch it for me to sympathize to those women and children that had been abused; physically, emotionally and psychologically. I don't have to watch it to know how much pain they suffered and endured in the duration of years they had spent with their abusive partners and had to cover their faces when they go out to hide themselves to the eyes to the critical public.
I have never met a martyr in my life, not yet though. My mom's bestfriend has been a victim of abuse. She had been hit, purple and blue as the others may say she had been. She had experienced to be shun away from her very house, and all her children can do was watch. We, too, can only watch and listen to her cries every time she comes to our home to just not tell her story to my mom, but to also seek protection.
After months of being abused, she stood her ground. Her brothers and sisters stood their ground. And we were there to watch and support her, to her battle in court for anullment and all. Enough was indeed enough.
"You don’t have to be a victim to care. You’ve seen it happen. You’ve heard the cries of help. Now, it’s time to speak up."True to what the Malaya had said, You don't have to be a victim to care.
* Malaya - The National Newspaper
"Draw the line" campaign started on the 19th of May, but I don't know what year.
I bet Rhea Santos, the host of "Women's Desk", had a hard time detaching herself from what she had witnessed during the show, especially when she was pregnant. The depressing stories she has to hear every now and then.
The campaign's aim is to help and protect the women and children from the metal fist of abuse. It also educates these abused women and children of their rights.
HELP. PROTECT. EDUCATE. SUPPORT THE DRAW THE LINE CAMPAIGN.
(Women's Desk airs every Thursday at 10 a.m. on the QTV Channel. For Draw the Line, call (+632) 926-6598 or 982-7777 local 3034.)
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Date Released: 11 Mar 2009
2 stories of women sexually abused by the NPA: What a way to celebrate International Women's Month
As the country joins the global community in celebrating the International Women's Month, it is but timely to look at how a so-called cause-oriented group, particularly the Communists Party of the Philippine-New People's Army-The National Democratic Front (CCP-NPA-NDF) - a self-proclaimed advocate of women's rights - treats women who are members of its organization.
Here are two stories of two women guerilla fighters who were sexually abused by their leaders. The revelations of Ka Joan and Ka Tala are just two horrendous testimonies that have unmasked the unabated sexual exploitations committed by NPA commanders against their women comrades. These dastardly acts are still recurring in most of the communist guerrilla fronts and will continue to be practiced until such time that these acts will be exposed and the exploiters be made to answer under the rule of law.
Our first story is about Ka Joan, a bright, cheerful, and an orphan teenager from Rizal Province. She was raised and grew-up with the help and mercy of a local pastor. At an early age, she has full of ideas and has shown toughness and strength of her character. Upon her 16th birthday, a group of strangers asked her to join in their fight against the government. Without a second thought, Ka Joan skipped school and joined her newly found home - the Kabataan Makabayan (KM).
At the outset, Ka Joan enjoyed the company of her new found friends. She was ecstatic with the importance bestowed upon her by her comrades. In response, she gave her best and dedicated her time to attain the KM's cause of organizing the youth in the areas they frequented. As time goes by, she eventually abandoned her quest to finish her secondary education. Meanwhile and unknown to her, someone was monitoring her every move.
As she progressed in the party organization, she eventually became the top organizer of students and out-of-school youth in Southern Tagalog region - tasked to conduct rallies and demonstrations in the urban areas when needed. Simultaneously, she underwent combatant training within the KM's armed group - the New People's Army (NPA). After several months of training, Ka Joan ultimately became a full-time guerilla fighter.
Sometime in 2004, Ka Joan had her worst nightmare. In one of the festivities in their camp where her comrades were celebrating their victorious tactical offensive in Quezon province, Ka Joan alone inside her tent was crying. She was bothered by her guilty conscience regarding her role in the carnage that transpired during that ghastly attack. Weeping for several hours, she eventually fell asleep. After awhile she was awaken by someone caressing her body; and as she open her eyes she saw Ka Randy, her commander, kissing every parts of her body. Shocked and stunned, her body stiffened while resisting the intruder but was pinned down and could not move. She shouted for help on top of her voice only to be ignored by her other comrades.
The deafening sound of the festive merriment sank her cries for help as no one of her comrades heard it. Despite her pleadings, Ka Randy was able to overpower her and consummated his carnal desire on her. This was repeated several times until such time she became unconscious. From then on, Ka Joan became Ka Randy's object of sexual desire and had to endure all kinds of tortures (slaps, punches, kicks, threats) aside from his sexual assaults. This appalling and horrid experience left Joan losing her self-esteem and almost her sanity.
Another story is a pitiful experience of Ka Tala, a former female combatant of the NPA. After being wounded in an encounter between the military and her group, she was left under the care of the masses without any moral and financial support from her comrades. Further, she narrated the countless issues that were prejudicial to their rights. As female fighters, they were not given any opportunity to lead in combat operations. Moreover, the NPA movement tolerated infidelity. Married commanders were allowed to engage in illicit affairs with other female combatants. Female belonging to the indigenous people were blatantly discriminated receiving harsh treatment and forced to do servant's chores.
The NPA, a barbaric and terror oriented organization could not provide ample protection to its women from various abuses, whether it is physical, emotional and sexual advances from male comrades. Accordingly, women combatants, are manipulated, discriminated, harassed and abused. Another was the denial of visiting privileges to their families. Further, those who got ill due to some diseases were not given the proper medication.
These revelations are facts that need attention and legal actions from concerned authorities. If these cases of violence against women, whether combatants or non-combatants, are continuously ignored and condoned, the members of the NPA will keep on dehumanizing them and depriving them of their dignity as women.
Abuses against women are oppressively constant, deliberate and to a large extent, endured, if not specifically overlooked in the CPP-NDF-NPA. If all women, combatants or not, will not totally assert for the respect of their rights as women, the promotion of women's equal rights and human dignity will not even prosper. #
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