“CATCALLING AREN’T COMPLIMENTS”: THE IMPACT OF CATCALLING IN

FEMALE TEENAGER IN SELECTED STUDENT IN LICEO DEL VERBO DIVINO

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

I. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The researchers headed to this study because catcalling is now relevant all over the word, the
researchers have gathered and read various studies relating to the effect’s street harassment to
women. They also first handedly witnessed catcalling and other street harassments on women
which became their basis to conduct the research. Furthermore, the researchers were motivated
to do this study because the researchers themselves received unsolicited complimentary
comments by strangers mostly truck drivers and sidewalk vendors and to learn more about
women’s street harassment experiences specifically here in the Philippines and how Filipinas
deal with it.

Catcalling is the act of shouting harassing and often sexually suggestive, threatening, or derisive
comments at someone publicly. According to Conor Friedersdorf “though I seldom witness
catcalling or verbal harassment, I've come to understand how constant and burdensome it can be
for women, especially when the words used are rude, violent, or degrading” (Merriam 2019).

According to Brainchild and Madman (2008), catcalling is practiced by men and younger women
which mostly happens in bigger cities. This practice has not been given much attention since it is
a difficult to stop some harassers. It can be experienced in many forms such people whistling and
commenting on the physical characteristics of the person. They also added that sexual
harassment such as catcalling is not just experienced by women, men also face this kind if issue
but most of the time women are the ones being catcalled.

People encounter various irritations while in public every day. From car honks to construction
work, the street can be a source of stress as people try to get to and from particular destinations.
While it is common for individuals to experience these minor irritations, there is “also a
subcategory of occurrences which affect only part of the population” (Heben, 1994, p. 183).
Catcalling is experienced frequently by many women in the big cities in the Philippines. This
widespread practice is often ignored as it is difficult to reprimand harassers. This is due to the
fact that harassment tends to occur in passing, making it nearly impossible for victims to identify
their harassers. As catcalling continues to be overlooked, millions of women experience a threat
to their dignity and safety as they are unable to freely move about a public space without being
harassed. Even so, recently, catcalling has become an internet sensation as women have taken to
the streets to videotape their experiences with harassment. Websites such as Holla Back! and
Stop Street Harassment inform the public about instances of catcalling and harassment, which
gives women the chance to discuss their own experiences as they are often silenced or deemed
insignificant by legislators.

This is a result of the unavailability of legal remedies for individuals who are affected by
catcalling. In fact, our legal system has “generally refused to acknowledge that street harassment
exists” (Heben, 1994, p. 219). Thus, Holla Back! and various other websites have developed
campaigns in hopes of combatting street harassment and reshaping laws that fail to reflect
women’s experiences of catcalling. Often identified as verbal harassment in public places,
catcalling is an experience that is all too common for women.

According to Karl (2010), “Starting at a young age, as many as 80 percent of women around the
world face at least occasional unwanted, harassing attention in public places”. This can include
car honks, winks, and verbal comments. In cases of extreme situations involving street
harassment, situations can escalate into sexual assault or even murder. These situations are often
documented by the media, which makes it fairly easy for women to observe stories of other
women being stalked, catcalled, and street harassed. By viewing these situations through various
media outlets, women tend to experience a sense of fear and insecurity when in public. As much
as websites bring this issue to light, catcalling continues to take place with little repercussions for
harassers, which indicates the importance of investigating this topic in hopes of understanding
women’s experiences and empowering them against catcalling.

As stated by the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (2015) with 364 women and
girls about sexual harassment in public spaces, workplaces, and educational institutions in seven
provinces of Afghanistan. 93% said they were harassed in public spaces, 87% said workplaces,
and 89% said educational institutions. Additionally, 90% had observed sexual harassment in
public places, 79% in educational settings, and 72% in workplaces. Women and Children Legal
Research Foundation conducted research in October 2015 with 364 women and girls about
sexual harassment in public spaces, workplaces, and educational institutions in seven provinces
of Afghanistan. 93% said they were harassed in public spaces, 87% said workplaces, and 89%
said educational institutions. Additionally, 90% had observed sexual harassment in public places,
79% in educational settings, and 72% in workplaces.

According Sydney Czyzon (2018), catcalling targets females, college age students there are 61%
of the women reported being the target of sexually suggestive comments every day or often by
the strangers in public places and 80% of harassed women said their street harassment
encounters occurred between the ages of 13 and 25 and 43% of female runners said they always,
often or sometimes received unsolicited sexual attention or sexual remarks from strangers during
runs

II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Catcalling is a global problem and is a major issue here in the Philippines. The present study
aims to determine the experiences of teenagers being catcalled within selected student in Liceo
del Verbo Divino. These days, catcalling have been frequently increasing but is not usually
reported to authorities and showed or mention in media.

Specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions

1. How do women in Liceo del Verbo Divino see catcalling?

2. In what way are they affected?

3. How catcalling impact them and their daily activities?

III. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to explore the degree to which people express that they have
experienced catcalling, and the way in which catcalling is affecting those who have been
exposed to it, i.e. the consequences of catcalling. Furthermore, the purpose of this study is to
explore how people believe that the legal system is able to manage the type of problems that
catcalling may bring about; and how they do express their thoughts on a new or changed
legislation in the area. This approach assists for better understanding of people who have been
exposed to catcalling but chooses not to report it to the authority.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

SEXUAL
HARASSMENT

STRANGER
HARASSMENT CATCALLING

STREET
HARASSMENT

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of this study

Figure 1 shows that sexual harassment, stranger harassment and street harassment are all related
to catcalling with our study we can associate these three with the help of participants through
conveying their experiences.

V.SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

We conducted this investigation to determine the mental health of female teenagers who are
being catcalled in Liceo del Verbo Divino. As perceived that female teenagers are subjected to
being catcalled by men. The aspects looked into were female teenager’s mental health is being
affected, this greatly affects their position in the society. The research has reached its aims there
were still unavoidable situations that the researchers were unable to confront. First, because of
the time limit, this research was conducted by choosing selected individuals around the areas of
Tacloban. Second, the topic may be sensitive to the female teenagers as there maybe setbacks to
them.

VI.SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be beneficial to the following:

Women: Help the women understand what a catcall is and it can have a psychological effect to
them.

Men: To inform them that catcalling is not an appropriate way to get the attention of women and
for them to realize and understand that street harassment can affect their mental health.

Students: To be informed and spread awareness about catcalling and give some information
about it.

Parents: They will have a broader knowledge and a deeper understanding about catcalling and
for them to educate and properly guide their children about catcalling.
Government: To give an idea that catcalling in the country is a significant and important matter
that needs an attention from the government that therefore needs an act/regulation protecting
women from catcalls.

VII.DEFINITION OF TERMS

Catcalling: the act of shouting harassing and often sexually suggestive, threatening, or derisive
comments at someone publicly.

Degrading: causing or associated with a low, destitute, or demoralized state.

Psychological: directed toward the will or toward the mind specially in its combative function

Significant: having or likely to have influence or effect

Homophobic: having or showing a dislike of or prejudice against homosexual people

Transphobic: having or showing dislike of or prejudice against transsexual or transgender

people

GfK: (GesellschaFt fur Konsumforschung) is Germany’s largest market research Institute.

LGBTQ: is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or
questioning.

Self-esteem: is an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth

Self-objectification: is when people view themselves as objects for use instead of as human be
beings.

Harassment: is unwanted behavior which you find offensive or which makes you feel
intimidated or humiliated.