Stop victim-blaming and other lessons on the recent rape allegation

By Joshua Corcuera

 

Confused and frustrated — these words describe my thoughts surrounding the recent news of the alleged rape-slay of a 23-year-old woman in Makati last New Year’s Day. Initially, news of the allegation went viral last Monday evening. Then, the assistant City Prosecutor in Makati said on Wednesday that the evidence presented is insufficient to establish that a rape-slay occurred. Hence, further investigations are needed to know the whole truth.

This confused everyone, including myself, on social media where hundreds of thousands sought for justice. The names of the twelve accused of the crime were publicized. Three of them were arrested, only to be released after the prosecutor’s findings. This also frustrated everyone, especially myself. On their issue last January 6, the Philippine Daily Inquirer published the letter I sent to them the day prior entitled, “Get rid of medieval mentality, stop victim-blaming.” Fortunately, the letter of about 300 words was carefully-worded so as not to claim that the accused are already found guilty.

While questions float regarding the facts of the case, the issues about sexual violence merit a conversation of their own.

The allegations, the confusion, and the victim-blaming all contribute to my opinion that it’s an abhorrent way to start 2021. When the whole truth is not known, when the facts are vague, it’s very important to be careful and avoid jumping to conclusions. The duty of every person, especially journalists, to know the whole truth is imperative so that society wouldn’t persecute too quickly. Otherwise, they might persecute innocent people who did nothing. I am not saying that rapists must not be punished for it is obvious that they must be held into account to the full extent of the law. The point is that we must know the whole truth first before giving justice and imposing consequences in order to avoid erroneous judgments.

Assuming that even if no rape occurred, it cannot be denied that rape cases occur frequently in the country. In a time where humanity is supposed to be civilized, heinous crimes — such as rape — continue to exist. It’s very frustrating that cases of rape remain widespread up to today. We must be reminded of our need to intensify our efforts to promote a safe and secure society for everyone — regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, social status, and any other aspect. A society where everyone can comfortably do what they want without the fear of falling victim to any injustice. A society where everyone respects the life and rights of his/her fellow human being.

In order to achieve this, society must change itself. We must get rid of medieval mentalities such as victim-blaming because rape is caused by no other than rapists. It is not caused by the clothes, nor the behavior, nor the circumstances — it never was and it never will. Furthermore, instead of telling people what to wear, how about we teach everyone to respect others regardless of what they’re wearing? More importantly, we must speak up against all injustices — at all times — and not be silent. As Italian poet Dante Alighieri said, “the darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.”

Finally, all forms of injustice such as rape can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. It can happen to your daughter, sister, mother, cousin, friends, or anyone you know. Anyone may be raped in the cities or in the countryside, in the quiet of the night or in broad daylight. Thus, we must act. Do something so that justice would be served to all victims of injustice. That the menace in society that is rape would be no more and would be a mere thing of the past. That future generations won’t fall victim to all forms of injustice.