Zonta Club of Cebu 2 holds advocacy forum, webinar to help end gender-based violence

CEBU CITY – Zonta Club of Cebu II organized forum on “Engaging Men and Boys as Allies in Ending Gender-based Violence” and a webinar on “Revenge Porn and Deeper Harms” as among the Club’s activities in this year’s celebration of the 18 Days of Activism to Stop Gender-based Violence.

The forum on “Engaging Men and Boys as Allies in Ending Gender-based Violence,” held at the Mahogany Hall, Oakridge Executive Lounge, sought to create or intensify the awareness of the participants on gender-based violence and change their mindset on women.

Two resource speakers Executive Judge Marlon Jay Moneva of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City and Atty. Bobby Quitain were invited to speak during the forum.  Judge Moneva discussed the various laws that cover gender-based violence to create or enhance awareness of the issue while Atty. Quitain expounded on the need for men to be open to a change in their perspective on gender issues.

Members of the Philippine National Police, representatives from 13 barangays in Mandaue City and male college students from different universities in Cebu such as Cebu Institute of Technology University, University of Southern Philippines Foundation, Cebu Aeronautical Technical School, University of the Visayas and University of Cebu attended the forum.

Atty. Quitain, on the other hand noted that history showed that most societies have sanctioned the use of violence against women.  “The patriarch of a family was accorded the right to use force on members of the family under his control.” He stressed the need to change the perspective of men as far as women are concerned. “Men and women are equal but different.”

Quitain said, men should have the values represented by the acronym ‘WOMAN.’ W for a wise estimate of oneself; O for openness to a change in perspective; M for maturity; A for appreciative spirit and N for nurturing spirit.

Webinar on image-based abuse and its harmful effects

Atty. Mark Lawrence Badayos presented the lecture on the online webinar on “Revenge Porn and Deeper Harms” that marked the last day of the 18 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence observed by Zonta Club of Cebu II.

Badayos said, those who upload or post photos and videos with sexual content on social media without the consent of the concerned person/s are punishable under the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act and other legal frameworks.

He explained that photo or Video Voyeurism refers to the act of taking a photo or video coverage, of a person or group of persons in intimate privacy or any similar activity or of capturing an image of the private area of a person or persons without the latter’s consent, under circumstances in which such person/s has/have a reasonable expectation of privacy and the broadcasting, selling, exhibiting of these.

To combat this grave misuse of modern technology the Philippine Congress has legislated Republic Act No. 9995, otherwise known as the Anti-voyeurism Act, one of the progressive laws that have been enacted to protect the intimate privacy of an individual against unscrupulous individuals who use the modern technology abuse and debase their intended victims.

Badayos discussed the mental and physical impact of this abuse on the victim such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression; loss of bodily control/autonomy; fear of physical attack and further abuse; loss of self-dignity and respect. 

It also results to inhibition of sexual expression and the consequences like the loss of livelihood and employment; being ostracized by families, friends and other circles and the normalization and tolerance of sexual abuse.

Dr. Elsa Basubas, chairperson of Abay sa Kahayag committee said in her closing remarks, that as the Club closed its advocacy of the 18 Days of Activism through this last webinar on ‘Image-based Sexual Abuse, the insights showed that there is a need for the creation and the passing of new statutes that would protect the people’s rights in a different circumstance now involving technology.

“Zonta Club of Cebu II believes in and supports survivors of gender-based violence in all its forms including image-based sexual abuse.  We hope we can empower our young men and women through human rights education and experience-sharing so that we will become advocates for a violent-free world,” Basubas said. (Photos: Zonta Club of Cebu 2-FB/Robby Alugar)