One Billion Rising St. Scholastica’s College, Manila from New Voice on Vimeo.

Every February 14 since 2013, millions of women and men from all over the world come out from their homes and houses, offices and factories and go into the streets to rise, strike and dance to call attention to the plight of women and children worldwide.  Started by the actor, author and feminist activist Eve Ensler, One Billion Rising [1BR] has become a global movement.  Its global director is our own Monique Wilson.  The 1BR campaign is addressed not merely against VAW but includes global economic and political arrangements that puts and keeps women down.  One Billion Rising 2017 calls for solidarity against the exploitation of women.

In our country, the data on VAW are not better, despite inclusion of the Philippines, in the top 10 countries that have narrowed the gender gap, and the only developing nation in the list.  Data shows:

  • 1 in five Filipino women between the ages of 15-49 has experienced physical violence since the age of 15.
  • 8 out of 10 Filipino homes suffer from different forms of domestic violence.
  • 70% of physical abuse cases occur in the homes.
  • 14.4% of married women experienced physical violence perpetrated by their husband, while 8% experienced marital rape.

Every 2.5 hours, one woman/girl is a victim of rape, or 9 rapes in a day. Most victims of rape stay silent for months before they report the crime.

St. Scholastica’s College is here to rise, strike and dance and will continue to do so for as long as there are women and girls who suffer discrimination and violence.  SSC stands for women, is for women and is of women. For 110 years SSC has educated women and girls to be empowered, to be leaders and to be agents of social transformation. In the last half of 2016 SSC rose, made noise and stood for integrity, for the rule of law, for human rights and for respect of women against the killing spree, bullying and shaming that characterizes national politics. All these we did despite and in spite of the social media bashing, bullying and threats. The powers-that-be and their trolls want to cow us down, force us into silence to become women with nothing in our heads except pretty faces. But we know better. SSC teaches us to be women of courage, grit and grace.

Once again, we join the campaign of One Billion Rising. 1 B R 2017 is directing its aim against social structures that generates poverty and inequality which in turn make women poor, marginal and second class or illegal and undocumented when outside of the country.  Global competitiveness and integration has become the measure of advancement and development thus more of our women are pushed and pulled into the global stage to earn and increase the foreign currency reserves of our country’s financial institutions. Oftentimes, women OFWs are left alone when problem crop up – women caught up in the drug trade, in sex work, in domestic and regional conflicts in the host countries and who languish in prison, many sentenced for execution or already executed.

 

We at St. Scholastica’s College declare…

STOP THE IMPUNITY! 

REVOLT AGAINST WOMEN BASHING, WOMEN SHAMING AND WOMEN BULLYING!

DANCE AND END THE GLOBAL PRACTICE OF MAKING WOMEN AND YOUNG GIRLS INTO SEX OBJECTS!

RISE IN SOLIDARITY AGAINST THE EXPLOITATION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN!