Unique campaign

From any point of view there is simply something improper in a relationship between an old man in his 60s and a young girl only 16 years old. This is an oddity that may be of common occurrence but it will certainly attract media attention if it involves a celebrated Filipino singer of yore known for his compositions with meaningful messages, and an unknown minor. It is really not established or admitted that their affair ended in carnal knowledge of the girl. But if there is such carnal knowledge it may even be punishable as a crime of simple seduction under our Revised Penal Code if deceit is employed. And in this case it is most likely that there is deceit simply because of the big age gap between them. Of course this element of the crime must be proven beyond reasonable doubt and cannot just be subject of unfounded conclusion, so it cannot really be said that 60 year old singer has committed a crime.

But even if there is no criminal act of seduction here, still there appears to be some form of abuse and exploitation prejudicial to the development of the minor. This kind of affair may amount to “violence” against a woman of tender age even if no actual physical force or intimidation is employed. It may constitute a violation of R.A. 7610 otherwise known as an “Act Providing for Stronger Deterrence and Special Protection against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination and for other Purposes.”

The girl in this case indeed falls under the category of “children” for she is a person below 18 of age (Section 3, [a]). And under Section 10 (b) “any person shall keep in his company a minor who is ten years his junior in any public or private place” has also committed acts of “abuse prejudicial to the child’s development.” The only exception here is if he is keeping the child in his custody as part in the performance of a social, moral or legal duty, which is definitely not the case here.

Of course we should not immediately condemn the sexagenarian singer for he may really be doing these things out of pure love. Indeed we should give him the benefit of the doubt especially because he is one of the most admired and talented singers in the country. The problem however is the publication of whole affair that has definitely scandalized society. He should just have kept it as quiet as possible.

In this connection, coming to mind right away is another well known Filipino artist, a very talented stage actress who became involved in a movement to end violence against women and children. She is no other than Ms. Monique Wilson who has been involved in the V-Day Movement, a global activist movement that raises awareness on the issues of violence against women and children and the efforts to end it by raising funds for this purpose. The movement was founded by award winning playwright Eve Ensler known for her many artistic works more especially the multi-awarded play, The “Vagina Monologues” precisely dealing on these issues. The play has already been staged here starring Ms. Monique Wilson herself.

The V-Day movement has already raised over $100 million in its fund campaign; educated millions about the issue on violence against women and children and the efforts to end it; crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns; reopened shelters and funded over 13,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq.

For more than 15 years, V-Day activists have mobilized in more than 200 countries and worked tirelessly on the grassroots level to demand an end to all forms of violence against women and girls. In the face of resistance, V-day activists have raised consciousness about the injustices committed against women, obtained enactment of laws or changed some of them, funded rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters, and groups doing essential work of ending violence and serving survivors and educating their communities. According to Ms. Wilson, the tradition peculiar to some countries recognizing absolute authority of the father as head of the family or patriarchy, as well the institutionalized hatred of women or misogyny create barriers to real justice for survivors.

Recently, V-Day has again launched the campaign called “One Billion Rising For Justice” to be held on February 14, 2014, Valentines’ Day (this is why the movement is called V-Day). One billion rising refers to the one billion women or one in three women in the planet who will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. This campaign will build upon the energy and momentum created last February 14, 2013 when one billion activists in 207 countries came together to strike, dance and rise to end violence and injustice against women and girls. This year the campaign will focus on the issue of “justice for all survivors of gender violence and an end to the rampant impunity that prevails globally”. The campaign is a recognition that violence against women and girls cannot end “without looking at the intersection of poverty, racism, war, the plunder of the environment, capitalism, imperialism, and patriarchy” at the heart of which is impunity.

As Ms. Wilson, who has been named a Director of the campaign said: Our stories have been buried, denied, erased, altered and minimized by patriarchal systems that allow impunity to reign. Justice begins when we speak, release and acknowledge the truth in solidarity and community.” So the affair on February 14, 2014 is “an invitation to break free from confinement, obligation, shame, guilt, grief pain, humiliation, rage and bondage through art, dance, marches, rituals songs spoken word, testimonies and whatever way that best expresses their outrage, their needs, their desires and their joys.” On that day, people around the world will “RISE, RELEASE, and DANCE.”

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