16 days of action

In 2019, a woman from Oregon placed a call to 911 to order a large pizza. When the dispatcher replied that she made a mistake, the woman insisted that she had the right number. Sensing the potential danger she was in, the dispatcher started conversing with her about pizza toppings to keep her on the line, while a team of police officers rushed to her location. This led to the arrest of Simon Ray Lopez, who had physically assaulted his live-in partner while under the influence of alcohol.

The use of ordering pizza as a covert distress signal when calling 911 became well-known after a public service announcement depicting the same scenario aired during the 2015 Super Bowl. The Oregon case highlights how a combination of lifesaving information and an efficient response can make all the difference in ensuring survivors are able to get out of a dangerous situation.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global effort advocating for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. It runs every year from Nov. 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to Dec. 10 (Human Rights Day). Throughout these 16 days, organizations, governments, and individuals hold various initiatives to shed light on the issue of gender-based violence (GBV). Last Saturday, UN Women Philippines launched an online campaign asking people to post a photo of themselves making a stop sign gesture, symbolizing a call to take action against GBV.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority indicated that one in four Filipino women aged 15-49 has experienced physical, emotional, or sexual violence from their husband or partner. In 2021, a crucial stride was made when emergency hotline coverage was expanded to now include GBV. This policy was a big and important win for the cause because it enabled women, children, and other individuals facing a GBV emergency to access the toll-free 911 hotline.

Placing a coded call to the hotline, like the pizza order example, is a key lifesaving strategy for individuals who are unable to explicitly ask for help when reaching out to emergency services. This requires our local responders to be highly skilled at recognizing less obvious signs of distress. To ensure the effectiveness of GBV interventions, government agencies must continually assess their services and provide ongoing training, especially on survivor-centered principles emphasizing confidentiality, safety, respect, and nondiscrimination.

Apart from government services, the workplace also serves as a crucial ally. Women experiencing domestic violence at home often face coercion and control from their partners. For some, going to work might be their sole connection to the outside world. Employers should proactively introduce domestic abuse policies, awareness training modules, and proper support channels that could help embolden survivors to seek assistance.

Over years of involvement in this campaign, I have observed that many of the stories shared by survivors took place during their teenage years, highlighting the vulnerability of young women in their early experiences of intimate relationships, where they can easily be deceived and manipulated into associating abusive behaviors with signs of love.

These early experiences of abuse can have a lasting negative impact on the well-being of young survivors. Research done by Women’s Aid in Ireland revealed that one in five young women aged 18-25 has faced abuse from a current or ex-boyfriend. Eighty-four percent of these young women say the abuse had a big impact on them, leading to issues like low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and feeling isolated from friends and family. Most disturbingly, 44 percent of young women who endured intimate relationship abuse contemplated suicide, with 19 percent revealing they actually tried to take their own lives.

In response, Women’s Aid recently launched an engaging online platform called Too Into You (toointoyou.ie) to educate young people who are new to relationships about intimate partner violence as well as subtle forms of psychological control and manipulation. One of the site’s most helpful tools is an online quiz that guides the respondents to identify if they are in a healthy or abusive relationship. The platform also provides a messaging service where people can seek advice either for themselves or for someone they know. This is a worthwhile initiative that Philippine-based groups can study and try to localize.

GBV interventions need to be accessible, reliable, and comprehensive. They need to be constantly reviewed and updated to ensure they are truly reaching and effectively serving those in most need of these programs. Information campaigns go a long way in educating people about both the obvious and covert signs of abuse and violence. However, we must also collectively work toward a society that not only knows how to identify the signs but actively intervenes to protect those in danger.

(If you or someone you know need help, you may call the PNP VAWC hotline at 911 or message Lunas Collective on social media.)

—————-eleanor@shetalksasia.com