Recognizing a silent pandemic happening inside closed doors, Avon Philippines has partnered with She Talks Asia to raise awareness of domestic violence driven by lockdowns imposed to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Countless women quarantined at home have found themselves trapped with their abusers. Here in the country, the Philippine National Police reported 602 rape cases from March 17 to May 23.
With the lockdown effectively cutting off any means of help or escape, Avon has brought the fight online through #SpeakOut Online Tribe Meet Up event.
The two-part online event held on June 20, whose video is posted on She Talks Asia Facebook page, featured She Talks Asia co-founder Iza Calzado and CSR Lead for Avon Philippines Ces Francisco, who discussed Avon’s long-time commitment to end Violence Against Women and Girls and the company’s most recent global campaign #IsolatedNotAlone.
A panel discussion presented insights on the issue, possible courses of action, as well as the proper channels for people everywhere to help.
Notable speakers joined the roundtable to share valuable information and viable ways to mitigate this critical concern, including gender equality advocate and 2005 Nobel Prize nominee Sen. Risa Hontiveros, journalist and Pulitzer fellow Ana Santos, and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Luna Legal Resource for Women and Children Romeo Cabarde, Jr.
She Talks Asia co-founder Lynn Pinugu moderated the panel discussion.
Local celebrities and influencers have also shown support for the #IsolatedNotAlone campaign by coming up with Trojan Horse videos that offer domestic abuse victims a lifeline without rousing suspicion from their abusers.
Published in their social media accounts, these videos feature athlete and activist Kali Huff and mental health and domestic abuse advocate Kris Ponce-Enrile, along with other personalities, seemingly doing regular, everyday activities that actually provide much-needed information on how to reach out to Avon’s partner NGOs.
The Avon Foundation for Women issued P4.5 million in May to support local non-government organizations providing frontline services such as helplines and refuges. The emergency grant recipients included Luna Legal Resource Center for Women and Children, Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation, Women’s Care Center Inc., and ING MAKABABAYING AKSYON Foundation.
