2 women harassed daily in Metro Manila — Sen. Risa Hontiveros

MANILA, Philippines — Two women get harassed every day in Metro Manila, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said yesterday as she admonished President Duterte for contributing to the culture of sexism, gender discrimination and even violence against women because of his pronouncements.

On the average, Hontiveros said Duterte makes one sexist remark a month.

Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate committee on women, said data from the Manila Police District showed that in the National Capital Region alone, the number of women who get harassed and abused is 14 in a week.

“If we multiply that number to months and even an entire year, we will arrive at a very alarming and nightmarish statistic,” she said.

Hontiveros said the forms of harassment reported include acts of lasciviousness, sexual harassment, rape and violence against women. She said most of the incidents happened after office and during unholy hours.

The senator said the reported cases do not include other forms of gender-based harassment and abuse that currently do not fall under existing laws.

“To be fair, I believe that our police force is doing its best to protect our women. But because there is no existing national policy that identifies other forms of gender-based street harassment and will aid our authorities in preventing such abuses, the number can actually be higher,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros said Filipino women are facing “a new and unparalleled outbreak” of sexism under Duterte.

“In all three branches of the government, we are seeing an epidemic of sexism that is state-sponsored, brazen and relentless,” the senator said.

“This fresh wave of sexism under President Duterte mocks and shames women in general, but it has profound disdain reserved for women in government who dare stand up against abuses,” she added.

Hontiveros cited 23 instances where Duterte made remarks against women, including his threat to show Sen. Leila de Lima’s fake sex video, his statement reducing Vice President Leni Robredo to “a pair of nice knees,” his rape joke in front of the military and, recently, his order to soldiers to shoot female communist rebels in the vagina.

No joke

The senator said Duterte is averaging one sexist remark per month and this does not include his other unmonitored statements.

Hontiveros said this is unacceptable.

“The President’s spin doctors would like the public to believe that his statements are harmless banter by a leader who simply loves to joke. They said that we should judge his actions and not his words,” she said.

Hontiveros, however, said language is a powerful medium where sexism, gender discrimination and even violence against women are committed and replicated.

“President Duterte’s sexist comments carry weight. They are not innocent words. His sexist pronouncements have set into motion vicious attacks against women, particularly those perceived to be critics of this administration,” she said.

And as Duterte’s words “inspired and encouraged the wave of killings in the country,” his anti-women statements have propelled unprecedented attacks against women, she said.

“This sexism outbreak must be contained and stopped. All women need to say ‘no’ and push back,” she stressed.

The senator pushed for the passage of Senate Bill 1326 or the proposed Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act of 2017. - Marvin Sy