| Statement of NCRFW Chair Myrna t. Yao Condemning the Objectification of Women |
 |
| Friday, 22 May 2009 11:34 |
|
As the national machinery for women's advancement, the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) strongly condemns the victimization and objectification of women through the deceitful filming of their sexual encounters with their partners in what they thought were private acts intimately shared only between themselves and their partners. The filming by Dr. Hayden Kho of his sexual encounters with his women partners without their knowing it, and allegedly sharing the video with friends and uploading it in the internet smacks of machismo. We would assume that a man's discrete filming of his own sexual encounters and sharing it with others would be for the purpose of bragging about his sexual prowess, if not for his shot at fame, at the expense of his partner. While it is true that both the man and woman are publicly exposed in the video, we should be reminded that the man made the choice to be filmed, while the woman did not. In a still patriarchal culture like ours, women and their bodies are often made the subject of public scrutiny in any depiction of the sex act. The women are the ones who are made to feel ashamed, while men who appear in the same public depictions are affirmed, if not held in awe, for their supposed sexual prowess. While the videos being circulated are not pornographic materials in their strictest and original sense as the women were not acting in front of the camera, the NCRFW believes that they have served the same purpose as any pornographic material – to sexually excite viewers – when widely circulated and even peddled. Thus, Dr. Kho's women partners were victimized not just by Dr. Kho himself when he deceived his women partners, but also by the unscrupulous ones who are cashing in on the scandal, and worst by the consuming public (mostly men) feasting on the videos. This video scandal is not only a direct affront to the particular women involved, but to all Filipino women, as it is the woman’s body that is being made the object of male fantasy and through which many male viewers get off. Women in pornography are violated and dehumanized as they are mostly presented in scenes depicting degradation and humiliation. Pornographic materials depicting heterosexual sex do not just hurt the women directly involved in their production, but also all women and girls who are potential targets of aggression from the male consumers of pornography. Unfortunately, there are very few laws that can be used against perpetrators of such violations of women’s rights. Dr Kho's action could fall within the definition of "violence against women" as defined in Section 3 of RA 9262 or the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children” which states that: "Violence against women and their children’ refers to any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a women who is his wife, former wife or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship…. It includes, but is not limited to…. B. 'Sexual violence' refers to an act which is sexual in nature, …. (which) includes... (a) rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, treating a woman or her child as a sex object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, …. Forcing her/him to watch obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing the woman or her child to do indecent acts and/or make films thereof,… C. 'Psychological violence' refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering of the victim such as, but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, …. Section 5 (h and i) of RA 9262 also states that violence against women is committed by: (h) "Engaging in purposeful, knowing, or reckless conduct, personally or through another, that alarms or causes substantial emotional and psychological distress to the woman or her child. … (i) Causing mental or emotional anguish, public ridicule or humiliation to the woman or her child, including, but not limited to, repeated verbal and emotional abuse, and denial of financial support or custody of minor children o denial of access to the woman's child/children." The NCRFW fully supports the women whose rights have been violated by the filming of their private sexual encounters, for taking legal actions to stop their perpetrator from victimizing more women. We also urge concerned government agencies to run after other people who are party to the further victimization of the women, i.e., those who have publicly circulated the videos, those who have produced and sold the videos, and those who have bought and consumed these videos. We also appeal to the general public, especially the men, not to patronize these videos or any kind of pornography, since the proliferation of pornography, wittingly or unwittingly hurts not just the women directly involved in pornography, but all other women and girls, who are potential targets of the violence that result from the consumption of pornography. Finally, we appeal to the members of Congress to pass stronger laws to curb this type of sexual violation of women, including a law against the production, proliferation and consumption of pornography. |
