6 days ago
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'[Duterte’s] rhetoric really cultivated a culture where sexual violence became a joke, where men felt entitled to harass women without accountability, and where the online space became a breeding ground for rape and sexist attacks'
CEBU, Philippines – Amid debates on the validity of the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte, youth leaders have called out the “misogynistic attitudes” of some supporters of the embattled strongman in the comment sections of social media posts.
Rappler spoke with Aika Rosete, editor-in-chief of Ateneo de Davao University’s student publication, Atenews, and Maui Cruz, student councilor at the University of San Carlos in Cebu, who recently received sexist remarks from Duterte’s supporters.
Cruz recounted in a Rappler Talk video how her participation in a student-led protest to hold Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos accountable for neglecting the education sector garnered her at least 800 hateful comments
“A majority of the comments were telling me that I should pray that I don’t get raped… My friend was heavily sexualized in the comments section and that creates a lot of trauma on women,” the student leader said.
Rosete, whose publication endured red-tagging and harassment due to their statement on Duterte’s arrest, also shared that she had received similar remarks with some of them stating the “lack of calcium in her arms.”
“What we did not expect was the doxxing where the Facebook commenters were already exposing our personal information, the editorial board’s personal information,” Rosete said.
Cultivating violence
Since the start of Duterte’s presidency in 2016, women’s rights groups have constantly called the former president out for his sexist remarks towards women.
In a 2018 gathering with former New People’s Army members, Duterte joked that soldiers would be ordered to shoot the reproductive body parts of female rebels, instead of killing them. At the time, he said that without their sexual organs, the women fighters would be “useless.”
Cruz explained that Duterte’s repeated jokes and disdain against women in power sent a clear message to his supporters that violence towards women was justified, especially when women resisted.
“[Duterte’s] rhetoric really cultivated a culture where sexual violence became a joke, where men felt entitled to harass women without accountability, and where the online space became a breeding ground for rape and sexist attacks,” Cruz said.
The student leader pointed out how the president’s actions, years after his presidency, reflected in the “go-to rebuttals” of his supporters online—to threaten youth and women activists with rape.
Some family members who expressed joy over Duterte’s arrest online also met a barrage of harmful messages, not just in comments sections but also in private messages as well.
“The normalization of these attitudes starts from the top, starts from leaders who joke about rape and violence to ordinary men who feel emboldened to harass women online,” the student leader added.
The depth of violence
Apart from normalizing the objectification of young women online, Rosete noted that the attempts to intimidate and silence Atenews disrupted their daily operations both inside and outside the university.
Rosete told Rappler that their university administrators promised to ensure their safety within the campus but clarified that it would be difficult to guard them when they’re outside.
According to the student journalist, Atenews removed the staff section of its website, which contained information on their members, instructed its reporters to hide/lock their social media profiles, and commit to a buddy system whenever they cover events.
“I asked [my staff] to not wear their press IDs for the meantime, if they are not out on the field, working. I ask them not to wear it so people will not identify them as Atenews,” Rosete said.
Cruz also shared that even students who did not even attend the protest she joined were being harassed online. Their student council received reports that some motorists in Cebu have red-tagged and thrown objects at students.
“This is very problematic because it hinders our growth as a part of society or being Filipinos who should voice out,” Rosete added.
Pushing back against hate
Despite the attacks they experienced, Rosete and Cruz advised fellow youth leaders and advocates to still engage in meaningful discussions, most especially on the arrest of the former president for his alleged crimes against humanity related to the war on drugs.
Rosete urged student journalists to acknowledge the validity of their fears and to continue writing articles on the injustices faced by the marginalized population.
“As what we always say in Atenews, we echo the voices of the masses. We do that by not only reflecting the stories within the university but outside of it [as well],” Rosete said.
Meanwhile, Cruz emphasized the importance of collective action and how issues in the university must be addressed and overcome with the cooperation of all members of the student population.
“The university that you want to see, is the university you have to fight for,” Cruz said. – Rappler.com
