SS 1D – The Contemporary World

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AMIDST COVID-19

FERLYNNE MARIE D BERNARDINO – SS 1B

Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Social Studies

INTRODUCTION

COVID-19 has affected all Filipinos, in varying degrees, in all aspects of

their lives. Women are particularly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. According to

Gunilla Krantz (2005), Violence against women is now well recognized as a public

health problem and human rights violation of worldwide significance. It is an

important risk factor for women's ill health, with far reaching consequences for

both their physical and mental healt h. What’s scarier is the possibility that many

cases of abuse and violence happening behind closed doors go unreported. Many

girls and women are also fighting the shadow of pandemic of gender-based

violence. Countless girls and young women are still disproportionated affected

with a variety of disparities such as gender-based violence both in real life and in

the cyber world, domestic abuse, rape culture and victim-blaming, sexual

harassment and exploitation, child marriage which has been romanticized

alarmingly on social media, the surge in numbers of teenage pregnancy yet still

sadly, and I heard the case of Katherine Bulatao who has been deprived of her

basic human right to proper health care which I know is not an incident solely
distinct to her, and loads more that I have failed to mention her but still has

been hindering girls to shape the world around them and reach their full

potential and that, I believe send out a powerful message to everyone that we

should not blame women with what we wear as we become victimized with

sexual objectification and harassment. Furthermore, Experiences of gender-

based violence have been found to foster new abusers. From a psychological

perspective, the correlation between abuse and subsequent abusiveness is

supported by the positive relationship found between childhood abuse and adult

depression, aggression, hostility, and anger (Springer et al, 2003).

Moreover, According to Deguma et al. (2018), the reported cases of violence

against women are forecasted to be increasing in the next 10 years using the

Quadratic Trend Model As predicted, the forecasted number of reported cases

will be 43,121 in 2018. It will also increase up to 156,993 in 2027 if there is

continued use of same trend in projecting the number of reported cases of

violence against women in the Philippines. On the other hand, the forecasting of

GGI of the Philippines in the next 10 years is also improving. Also, According to

Jewkes (2002), education is consistently noted as conferring social

empowerment for both men and women.

That is why the voice of every girl matters. We must unify into one voice that

says no to victim-blaming and rape culture. Also, we must hold perpetrators and

rapists accountable for their crimes. Furthermore, we need women in the table of

decision-making in order for us not to be left-behind with the policies that they
craft. Our voices should not be disregarded, instead, must be treated as a

valuable contribution also as we bring our reality-grounded stories that we have

witnessed from our communities. As a silver-lining, I have seen women leaders

who led their country effectively on the fight against COVID-19. It just made me

wonder, then, just how much highly capable girls and women may be if the were

just included in decision-making sphere because they have unique power to

transform their lives and the lives of the people around them. It is only through

her lens that we can ensure inclusive, equitable, and gender transformative

humanitarian response.

As we face this global health crisis, may we never forget the importance of

upholding our rights. It’s time to place the responsibility for domestic abuse

where it belongs – solely with the perpetrators.

RELATED LITERATURE

INTERNATIONAL

One out of ten women were estimated to be victims of violence in al-Taif, Saudi

Arabia; the husband either had been exposed to violence in childhood or had

struggled with drug addiction. About 56 percent of the abused women resorted

to talking to family or friends; only 3 percent complained to the authorities.

Intimate partner violence is significantly associated with a number of victim and

abuser-related psychosocial factors, the detection of which might help screening

for individuals at risk. Governmental and nongovernmental sectors should

collaborate to tackle IPV. Studies are needed to explore its geographic variations

in KSA using a common measure that allows for comparison across studies. The

injuries occurring from bidirectional IPV deserve to be investigated. Future

studies are needed as well to analyze the wives’ reporting behavior for the

purpose of control and prevention. (Alzahrani, Abaalkhail, and Ramadan 2016)

LOCAL

Six women between 28 to 57 years old. All of them were married but left their

husbands. They experienced the cycle of abuse from 2 to 28 years. It shows how
the six women lived a tormented life in the hands of the ones who give them

sweet and everlasting promises. Their traumatic experience nevertheless

propelled them to demonstrate resiliency which enables them to survive the

trauma and recover from it. In the breaking through process, the availability of

social support was found to be very important. The recovery stage commenced

after women leave the cycle of abuse. Their endurance of the spousal abuse for

years allows them to develop and push advocacies to help other women who

share the same experiences. Through the rediscovery of the self, battered

women are able to highlight their own strengths, thus, were able to craft a new

concept of the self through self- empowerment. (Abulon, 2014)

EFFECTS

Advantages

1. Men can usually walk anywhere they want.

They can go anywhere without having to worry about sexual harassment

and having strangers make crude remarks about their dress, looks and

sexual behavior.

2. Men are able defend themselves against physical assault.

Men can defend themselves because they are strong physically.

3. Men can apply in more jobs.

Abused women can feel anxious and depress. There’s a tendency that

they can’t focus for applying job.

Disadvantages

1. Unwanted Pregnancies.

Abused women are forced to have sex without contraceptive like pills and

condom. They are higher risk for unwanted pregnancies.

2. HIV.
 Abused women may increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections

by sexual activity.

3. Pregnancy Complications.

Through violence, abused women may have bleeding and precipitate

during pregnancy as a result of maternal malnutrition.

RESULTS

Violence against women is a grave issue that have many effects on the victims.

It may be physical, emotional, mental, and even social effect. I personal think

that it would just better if we could communicate and cooperate with our local

government to create innovative ways to prevent violence against women,

instead of just waiting for help and relying on the government’s response.

Furthermore, the solution that should include the following:

1. Girls and young women should receive support from other girls and young

women by educating them on how to live a healthier and more productive

life.

2. Support women's rights by voicing out their opinions on important issues

that women face, volunteering in women's rights advocacies, and

empowering each other.

 3. Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities

for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and

public life.

4. Government should view violence against women as a public health

problem.

5. Reducing portrayal of violence in the media.

6. Learning Self-defense for women.

7. Conduct a program regarding the awareness of violence against women.

8. Promote gender equality

9. Media interventions

10. Promote social integration.

According to Ms. Denise Dora the speaker of the international webinar that I

attended last week. The solutions that they want to implement in United States t

prevent violence against women are the following:

1. Improve the status of women within the society

2. Reducing use of violence

3. Addressing issues of gender and violence in community-based sexual

4. Support the victim

5. Health-promotion activities

6. Promotion of men’s groups addressing issues of male violence against

women

7. Public awareness campaigns to promote gender equality

 8. Empowering women

9. Gun-control activities

10. Self-control for men

Violence against women is a serious matter. It is something we need to address

nowadays since its already rampant not just in our country but around the world.

Violence is a menace in our society because it deprives us our rights as human

being. Girls are one of the most powerful forces for changes in the world: When

their rights are recognized, needs are met, and their voices are heard, they drive

positive change in their families, their communities, and the world. Break the

silence. Take action and help the world that is free of violence.
REFERENCES

Abuton, Edna Luz R. (2014). Breaking through the bandage of abuse: Case

studies of six Filipino battered women. International Journal of Research Studies

in Psychology.

Alzahrani, Turki A., Bahaa A. Abaalkhail, and Iman K. Ramadan (2016).

Prevalence of intimate partner violence and its associated risk factors among

Saudi female patients attending the primary healthcare centers in wester Saudi

Arabia. Saudi Medical Journal, 96

Deguma, Jabin & Peteros, Emerson & Case-Deguma, Melona & Igot, Vicente

(2018). Violence against Women and Gender Equality in the Philippines: Are they

Related?

De Guzman, P. (2020). Through her lens: The Impact of COVID-19 on Filipino

girls and young women. International Plan Organization

Krantz, Gunilla & Garcia-Moreno, Claudia (2005). Violence against women.

Journal of epidemiology and community health. 59. 818-21.

10.1136/jech.2004.022756.

Jewkes, R. (2002). Intimate partner violence: Causes and prevention. The

Lancet.
SPRINGER, K.W., J SHERIDAN, D. KUO AND M. CARNES (2003). The long-term

health outcomes of childhood abuse: An overview and call to action. Journal of

General Internal Medicine, 18

Mary Ellsberg, E. F. (2019 ). ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS:

Evaluating a decade of Australia’s development assistance. Department of

Foreign Affairs and Trade