Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc.

College of Medicine
Department of Community Medicine
 
RESEARCH PRESENTATION
 
Harassment in Public Places: Lived Experiences
of Selected Prostituted Women in Davao City
 
PROPONENTS:
F R A N C I S C O , B O H N AV I E V E
GUARRA, IZOBELLE PRIMROSE
GUMARANG, JASPER
 Outline of Presentation
Chapter 1- Introduction
Chapter 2- Methodology
Chapter 3- Results and Discussion
Chapter 4- Implication and Recommendation
Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc.
College of Medicine
Department of Community Medicine
 

INTRODUCTION
 
 Background of the Study
No form of harassment is acceptable.
both a social problem and a transgression of individual’s fundamental human rights on
three counts: a person’s inherent dignity, right to job security and right to equal
opportunity (PCW, 2016).
Women are the usual targets = considered weak and vulnerable (Thompson, 1993).
2008 study of 811 women conducted by Stop Street Harassment, almost 1 in 4 women
had experienced street harassment by age 12 and nearly 90% by age 19 (2015)
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (2013) expressed that it is a
matter of “deep concern about violence against women and girls in public spaces,
Background of the Study
While harassment is a hazard for all women, women who work as prostituted
women are vulnerable to being specifically targeted with harassment (Armstrong,
2015).

In the Philippines, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law for 20 years now, however, the
Law’s definition of sexual harassment is limiting

On April 17, 2019 through the enactment of Republic Act No. 11313 or the
“Bawal-Bastos Law” or “Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act", or simply “Safe
Space Act”
Background of the Study
Victims’ voices are essential to a discussion of harassment.

By presenting the unique unheard experiences of prostituted

women, as the most highly victims of public gender-based sexual
harassment, we aim to shed light on a seemingly tolerated
harassment that is an under documented phenomenon worthy of
extensive research in the Philippines.
 
 
Purpose of the Study
This study aims to gain information about the lives of
prostituted women (both active and survivors in
prostitution) and describe their individual
experiences with regards to public gender-based
sexual harassment
Grand Tour Questions
For survivors in Prostitution
“What are your life experiences as a former prostituted woman on
harassment in the public places or in social media/online and how can you
maximize or utilize the safe spaces act or RA 11313?”

For respondents currently active in prostitution

“What are your life experiences as a prostituted woman on harassment in
the public places or in social media/online and how you currently maximize or
utilize the safe spaces act or RA 11313?”
Sub-Questions
What are your experiences in harassment in public places?
What are your views in any form of harassment among women? Being poor or in your job?
What are your feelings and experiences about it?
Who are the people that harass you, insulted or ashamed of you? How did they harass you?
When and where did it happen?
What did you do to defend yourself in such harassment?
If you were harassed, are you willing to report to the organizations, lawyer or any government
agencies?
Who are the persons that helped you or defend you in times of harassment?
Do you know any agencies, organizations or NGO that will help you? How can they help you?
Who do you think of organizations that are easily to approach in such violations?
Did anyone humiliate you in the public? If yes, why and where?
Did anyone harass you in streets, jeep or in any places?
Do you have any social media accounts? Did anyone harass you online?
Are you aware about safe space act law? Do you think this will help you? In what aspect will it
help you?
Review of Related Literature
• A similar study about street harassment among female sex workers conducted by Armstrong,
(2016), wherein sex workers who took part in this research had experienced harassment
while working on the streets, and verbal abuse was an almost nightly occurrence.

• In relation to this, street harassment is a hazard for all women, women who work as street
sex workers are vulnerable to being specifically targeted with harassment. In line with this, a
large amount of research has found that street harassment, particularly verbal abuse, toward
sex workers is common.
Marginalization or Stigma
•Members of the stigmatized groups such as women in prostitution are being harassed in public
spaces internalize negative portrayals of their identity and are silenced by fear of judgment,
which is termed “felt stigma” (Armstrong, 2016)
•According to The House of Commons, 2018, women felt that the harassers exploited the
perceived vulnerability of younger women, thinking that they could get away with it more easily
as girls were less likely to fight back or report.
The Perpetrators
•This is a critical distinction between street harassment and sexual harassment since they have
different types of perpetrators.
•The anonymity of stranger harassers grants them the freedom to feel little consequence for their
actions whereas the perpetrator in the workplace or educational setting is usually known to the
women they harass.
•Non-strangers’ behaviour is bound by the sexual misconduct and abuse laws and is also known
to be inappropriate and against codes of professional conduct.
•Thus, it is important to distinguish between stranger and non-stranger harassment for reasons
that harassment by strangers versus non-strangers may have different impact on the victims.
Street or Public Harassment
•It was defined by Ramadan, 2018, as physical and verbal unwanted behaviours done by a stranger
in the public space and it is also known as public harassment.
•Much of the literature on street harassment has focused on the experience of street harassment
among women in general, focusing on behaviors, such as catcalls, whistling, leering, being
followed, and indecent exposure, that women experience while doing everyday mundane
activities in the public space.
•A number of studies have found experiences of street harassment among women to be wide-
spread, with estimates ranging from 25% to 87% of women having experienced it according to
Johnson & Bennett, 2015; Macmillan et al., 2000.
•Thus, street harassment generally affects all women. However, women in prostitution are arguably
particularly vulnerable to being targeted with street harassment.
Harassment in workplaces and schools
•Sexual harassment in the workplace and academic institutions is defined as unwanted verbal or
physical sexual advances and requests for sexual favours that impact an individual’s employment
or academic performance creating a hostile or offensive environment (Ramadan, 2018).
Online Harassment
•As defined by the Safe Spaces Act, it refers to an online conduct targeted at a particular person
that causes or likely to cause another mental, emotional or psychological distress, and fear of
personal safety, sexual harassment acts including unwanted sexual remarks and comments,
threats, uploading or sharing of one’s photos without consent, video and audio recordings,
cyber stalking and online identity theft .
Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313)
•According to this act, the state recognizes that both men and women must have equality,
security and safety not only in private, but also on the streets, public spaces, online workplaces,
and educational and training institutions. Under this, crimes of gender-based streets and public
spaces sexual harassment are committed through any unwanted and uninvited sexual actions or
remarks against any person regardless of the motive for committing such action or remarks.
Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313)
Gender-based streets and public spaces sexual harassment includes the following
•catcalling, wolf-whistling, unwanted invitations, misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist
slurs
•persistent uninvited comments or gestures on a person's appearance
•relentless requests for personal details
•statement of sexual comments and suggestions
•public masturbation or flashing of private parts
•groping or any advances whether verbal or physical that is unwanted and has threatened one's
sense of personal space such as alleys, roads, sidewalks, and parks.
The Impact of Harassment to the Victims
•Sexual harassment in public reduces women and girls’ freedom to enjoy public life, and can
negatively affect feelings of safety, bodily autonomy and mental health. Being sexually harassed
can be a degrading, humiliating, and harmful experience in itself, but the effects are damaging
more widely (Manalo et al., 2016).

•The women felt more conscious and ashamed about their body and body parts that led to self-
objectification on woman because as they experienced this they felt anxious about how their
body was evaluated by the strangers. As a result, objectification affected the women’s cognitive
or mental state (Manalo, et al., 2016).
Respond to Harassments
•A research on women’s experiences of street harassment by Fileborn, 2013, has found that it is
often ignored or “minimized”, sometimes considered as “normal” and lower level than other
forms of sexual violence. Most of the women described ignoring the abuse, they did not
passively accept this victimization.
Limitation of the Study
The study involved both active and survivors of prostitution, aged 18 years old
and above, who are currently members of Lawig-Bubai, Inc. under the service of
Talikala Inc., a non-stock and non-profit social development organization and
consented to participate in the research.

The questions asked were limited for the topic of interest in line with the newly-
passed law known as “Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act" (R.A. 11313).
Significance of the Study
The Prostituted Women – this study serves as a medium for both the survivor
and still active in prostitution to help them better express themselves about
their experiences in harassment, and to stop social stigmatization.
Talikala, Lawig Bubai Inc., and other non-government organizations – this study
may serve as a reference to help them reassess, improve and develop process
concerning any harassment experienced by the prostituted women, and to
extend other partnership organization that will support regarding this matter.
Public and Private Health Sectors – this study will help them assess the
magnitude of the problem of prostitution in the society and be able to link and
address in awareness of harassment both social and health concerns of
prostituted women.
Government – this study will serve as a reference study in whatever
endeavor that will take especially in implementation of the Safe
Space Act (Republic Act 11313) which specifically seeks to protect
and promote the advocacy and awareness of this law.
Future Researchers – this study will be an additional documentation
of this phenomenon and may serve as a reference study.
Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc.
College of Medicine
Department of Community Medicine
 

METHODOLOGY
 
Research Design
•phenomenological study of qualitative research design
•allows the researcher to focus on the commonality of lived
experiences within a particular group.
•in-depth interview was utilized to gain information about how
experiences on public harassment of the survivor and active in
prostitution.
Research Setting

Lawig Bubai office situated at Sputnik Street corner

Panganiban Street, Doña Vicenta Village, Davao City.
Population
three women survivors in prostitution and four women who
are still active in prostitution,

who are under the membership of Lawig Bubai

Sampling Design

Purposive sampling design

Data Collection
Semi-structured interview schedule which combined
the pre-determined set of open and closed ended
questions in vernacular for better comprehension
and an opportunity for the participants to express
their experiences further.
Data Analysis

via horizontalization, textual, and

structural analysis
Ethical Consideration
A written consent form was obtained prior to data
collection. Furthermore, the respondents from Lawig bubai,
were given the freedom to ask questions regarding the
research study.

The respondents were also informed of all data collection

tools used in this study such as audio and video recorders
for documentations.
 Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc.
College of Medicine
Department of Community Medicine
 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

 
The Respondents

Able to identify seven respondents for this research

Three were survivors while four are still active in prostitution
Still Active in Prostitution
◦ Phine, 23 years old, currently pregnant with two children.

◦ Rica, 19 years old, currently a grade 10 student of Sta. Ana National High School and the fourth child
among the ten siblings in her family.

◦ Chin, 28 years old, an active woman in prostitution, currently living with her partner together with her
three children whom, until now her partner doesn’t know about her job. She only sneaks out at night or
make excuses for staying outside.
Prostitution Survivors:
Khy, 37 years old, who previously worked as ticket encoder at the yellow bus company and a
college graduate of Holy Cross College of Davao before her entry into prostitution.

Belle, 54 years old, a single mother and owns small businesses such as sari-sari store and
carenderia as her source of income.

Lor, a survivor in prostitution, a former secretary general of Lawig Bubai and currently an active
member of Lawig Bubai under the Act for Children (boys project).
Experience on Public Harassment by Specific Acts
Cursing
Belle stated that she experienced cursing from other people that makes her self-
esteem affected. Thus, this act may consider as public spaces sexual harassment.
” Ingon kag burikat, mangingilog, magkasakit pa gyud kag STD”
Catcalling and Wolf-whistling
 -one of the acts that most people experienced.
=This is by making a whistle, shout, or comment of a sexual nature to a woman passing by.
=According to belle, she also experienced this kind of act when she was still in prostitution.
“Kung nasinati lang, grabe labaw pa na sa witwew (catcalling) Labi ng naa ka sa kahimtang sa
prostitusyon, maharass man gane ng mga professionals studyante, kinsa pa man naa diha ma
bata man o tigulang, naa man gyud na. Syempre sa amoa mga prostituted, dili nan a sa amoa
bag-o, naa man gihapon na, labi na sa mga kanto sa parehas namo (prostituted women) dili
gyud na malikayan.
Misogynistic and sexist slurs
Rica stated that she had experienced misogynistic and sexist slurs where men or
other people uses attacking or degrading words to her as a prostituted woman.
“Kanang muagi ka, chismisan ka. Like karon na muskwela kog balik kay nagstop
man ko, muana sila na “nagskwela pa man kag balik oy, na mao ra man pud
gihapon”
Taunting
Also, Rica added that she also experienced when someone provoked her with an
insulting word.
“Sometimes ginahilakan gyud nako kay mga negatibo na mga bagay ang
ginaingon, na unsa man na sya oh, hugaw man na sya”
Request for Personal details (Name, Contact, Social media details)
The same person, Rica, further added her statement that even the customer
wants her phone number to be taken, and if not given by her, she receives
degrading words.
“Customer man gihapon na mangayog cellphone number, “Ahh murag
kinsa, nawng ra man gane kag kwarta”
Experiences on Public Harassment by Location
At Streets
Most of the prostituted women who works on streets face a threat and harassment.
According to Phine, an active prostituted woman, she frequently receives degrading
words from the people who passed by in their work area.
“Gina kanchawan ko kanang mag agi ko sa amoa area, usahay naay mga
estudyante ug uban pang tao na makakita akoa ug sa amoa area ug ingnan mi ug
burikat or buring
This was supported a study conducted by Armstrong (2016 ) stated that sex workers
do usually receive verbal and physical abuse perpetrated by passerby
-these women face more social discrimination because of their line of work
which is very keen to the eyes of the judgmental society.
-According to Ramadan (2018), these acts of degradation, gave more impact to
the psychological and emotional well-being of the victims that resulted to low
self-esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, self-objectification, and shame. They
usually resorted to social detachment and other ways of diversion.
At Public Establishments
Rica also experienced harassment at public places even at the computer shops.
“Sa computer shop kay magchancing sya, magsagyad sagyad syag kamot.”
Lor, a surviror in prostitution second her motion regarding this matter and share
her experiences with regards to harassment in public establishment.
“Ang first jud nako na experience while bag-o pa ko didto-a, katung gikuot akong
lubot, kase akong sanina kay mini skirt tapos nakablazer. Uhmm…”
At Online or Cyberspace
Some of the respondents have lack of interest in social media, they mostly do not receive
any harassment online, such as one of our respondent Phine.
“Wala kaayo ko nasinati sa online especially facebook kay dili ko hilig mag facebook ug mag
post2x. Wala pako nakasulay ug harass sa online or social media. Wala pa pud ko nadaotan
didto (I haven’t experienced any harassment online since I’m not really interested posting on
facebook)”
Rica added as opposed to Phine, since she uses facebook more frequently, she can easily block
the person who harassed her online
“Kung sa facebook kay ginablock man pud nako. Dati kay nay nagpost sa akoa na burikat ka,
kabit ka. Pero giblock lang pud nako (English)”
At workplace
Belle experienced harassment at workplace.
“Hapit pud ko marape katong nagkatabang ko, di pa gyud mutuo akong amo
nga babae. Kay ngano daw nag igat-igat? Normal ban a mag igat-igat ka og 9
years old ka? Dili man mutuo.”
At Educational or training institutions
Among the respondent, Rica is the only one who is still schooling, and she
experienced harassment by her teacher.
“Nakaagi pud ko sa akong maestro na gilugos ko. Dose anyos ko
ato.Giingnan kog isaka daw nako ang silhig tapos pagsaka nako sa silhig,
gibutang na nako unya giarrange nako, natingala nalang ko na gisirad-an na
niya ang purtahan. Nag-gunit man gud to syag gunting. Mao ng naglingkod
nalang pud ko ato, naghilak ko.”
Public Transport
 
The lack of security or inability to safely take the public transit makes the people, even
in prostituted women receives harassment on public transportation.
According to phine who always take jeepney in her everyday life, she experiences of
being harassed.
“Usahay guot man sa jeep, ang iyahang kamot gina igo sa akoa totoy na murag
ginasadya (Sometimes I get harassed in the jeepney when a person’s hand always
touches my breast intentionally)”
 
Reason for Harassment of Prostituted Women
Most women entering in prostitution are powerless due to their poverty and
belongs to economically disadvantaged families.
Aside from being helpless, they are also marginalized individuals because of
their work that faced numerous social problems.
Despite of victimization, most of the harassment are difficult to investigate due
to lack of public interest, lack of credible witnesses and the unwillingness by
most prostituted women and their clients report to police.
Phine, 23 years old, who were harassed after her client was not satisfied by her
service and went outside screaming for help. Fortunately, she found a police
mobile.
“Mao to nanawag kog police mobile kay gigukod naman ko sa customer. So mao
to nangayo mig tabang sa police mobile ug nisumbong na gituok ko, unya igo ra
ko niya gitan-aw sa mobil na murag lang ug wala”
As experienced by Phine, she is less likely noticed due to her state of being
powerless, this may lead to the delay of the investigation and increasing the
likelihood of destroyed evidence.
According to her, the situation was happened again by another customer, but
rather not to seek help anymore that might disregard her concern.
“Oo nausab ni pero wala na ko nisumbong ug police mobile kay nadala ra nako
ug uyon2x ang customer (The situation happened again but this time I did not
seek help to police mobile and tried to negotiate the customer not to hurt me).
Perpetrators
The perpetrators not only in workplace public area but also in family members or unrelated
person experienced by the prostituted women.
One of our respondent Khy, a survived prostituted women experienced harassment by touching
only her legs while sleeping, although her other private parts were not touched.
“Nag work ko sa una sa manila unya nag puyo ko sa balay sa auntie sa akoa cousin unya iya
auntie naay anak na lalaki siguro naa sa 18 or 19 years old, inig tulog nako mafeel nako naay
sigeg hikap sa akoa legs then nakamata ko ug nakita nako cya nag masturbate sa akoa
atubangan”
In this situation, the act of harassing women is seen by as early as 18 years old. According to
the study by Kaltiala-Heino, et. al (2018), sexual harassment may increase in adolescents with
their emerging sexual desires. In addition, it also brought by their curiosity, making the women
vulnerable in this kind of action by the adolescent.
Defense and Preventive Measures
As mentioned earlier, Phine experienced harassment in the jeepney, and for her
there were no one to defend her even there were many people witnessing the
act of harassment. But for Phine, the only way to defend herself from such
harassment.
“Ni ana ko na kuya dili na gud na tama imo ginabuhat unya binastos na nang
imuha, unya naulawan siya ug nag dali2x siya ug naog sa jeep”
From there, Phine was not able to report the scene since the man suddenly
went out of the jeep, and for her there were no proof or any documentation
that she was harassed inside the jeepney.
“unya nag away mi sa jeep unya ni ana ko na kuya dili na gud na tama imo
ginabuhat unya binastos na nang imuha, unya naulawan siya ug nag dali2x siya
ug naog sa jeep. Katong panghitabo wala kay balak ireport to? Wala kay asa
man to nako ireport.”
Knowledge and Future Utilization of Safe Space Act
The bill is officially called “Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act” or Republic Act No. 11313 created
as Bawal Bastos Law that seeks to protect not only for women but also for the LGBT (Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community.
Most of the respondents do not have the knowledge about this law, but still the harassment of
many people is still practiced
. According to Phine, this law is helpful for them if it is practiced by many people.
“Makatabang unta kung naay mutabang ug mudungog sa amoa reklamo. Kasagaran
mureklamo mi unya abi na ing.ani lang mi, balewalaon lang gani mi labi na mga police”
Thus, this law needs more implementation since most of the people do not know about this law
and they still doing such harassment.
This is also said by one of the respondent Khy, a survivor in prostitution.
“Kulang jud ug implementasyon. Ang gusto nako, kanang murag gud cya ug pag bawal sa
sigarilyo kanang ing.ana na pag implementa para mapatuman jud pud (There is lack of
implementation.”
History of other Gender-related violence on Prostituted
Women
Aside from the enumerated gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces,
there are other types of gender-related violence worthy of mention and
documentation in this study, such as incest, rape, and beating which are
concealed to themselves and most frequently denied. A few of the interviewed
prostituted women admitted such experiences:
“Sa physical hapit na ko mamatay ana. Gitutukan tag baril, gisadista o gikulata
ta sa mga customer, giluwaan, kanang pitkan imong bisong while nagasayaw
ka. Paso sa sigarilyo. ”-Belle
Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc.
College of Medicine
Department of Community Medicine
 

IMPLICATION
 
Sexual Harassment is not centrally measured in public places (Women and
Equalities Committee, 2018), and some of the incidents are not documented and
this mostly constitutes criminal offenses
women especially prostituted women are vulnerable since they are mostly weak
and economically challenged that is why most of them do not seek help to the
other organizations or to the police.
Republic Act 7877 or Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 has its limitation in
protecting women from any form of harassment since it only seeks to defend
only in employment, education or training environment. Fortunately, this newly
amended act Safe Spaces that seeks to protect not only for women but also in
the LGBT community in the public places.
Nowadays, most people do not have any knowledge on this law and most of the
respondents experienced public harassment. That is why this act should be
thoroughly implemented and giving punishment or fines to those violators of the
Law.

Lawig Bubai is an organization which offers services and programs that help these
women who entered into prostitution
Through this non-government organization and having an opportunity to work with
them, the researchers have identified that Lawig Bubai were most of the respondents
seek help or report if they experienced harassment not only in public but also with
their clients
Thus, the researchers would like to give recommendation that might help the
organization and the women in prostitution, and with these, the researchers
hope that through this Law and our respondents, there will be a decrease of
harassment in public places and hear the voices of victims of harassment
especially in prostituted women by the government institution and other
organizations, thus decreasing the stigmatization of the marginalized prostitutes.
 
 Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc.
College of Medicine
Department of Community Medicine
 

RECOMMENDATION
 
1. Individual victims, especially prostituted women, should be encourage to have a proactive
approach when dealing with public gender-based sexual harassment.
2. There should be an established and effective grievance mechanism that would allow victims
of harassment to voice out their complaints and to which they would be duly assisted to file
for sexual harassment claims.
3. Centralized reporting system should be set out for receiving and recording grievances
through a standard Incident Report form specific to public harassment. This would help in
tracing up the status of each filed complaint.
4. Strong and active campaigns should be conducted to raise citizens’ awareness on the newly-
enacted law and how they could be able to file their grievances.
Furthermore, the participants themselves, would like to recommend that:
1. There should be adequate information dissemination
2. A more robust and strict implementation of the law should be observed at the barangay level
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