Juans to Support Juanas: 2015 Women’s Month Issue Concerning the Street Harassment

Running head: THE STREET HARASSMENT 1

Juans to Support Juanas: 2015 Women’s Month Issue

Concerning the Street Harassment

Jonel S. Awit

Polytechnic University of the Philippines


Abstract

This study encompasses the role of men and women in fighting the

issue about Street Harassment using Social cognitive theory,

Identity management theory, Structuration theory, and Aggression

theory. We all know that sexual violence is already an issue

before, but unconsciously, we are not aware that it spreads not

just in women but also in men. The higher the rate of harassment,

the lesser the security of the society, thus, delimits the

actions of women when in public spaces. By using document

analysis, I also discuss how communication affects the structure

of identity between men and women, and how media plays its role

in influencing the actions and behaviors of the harasser in doing

such annoying behavior. And also, aggression as the intervening

variable of the study, was also discussed and results came that

specifically, the intention of the harasser is the main reason of

why the issue gets bigger and wider, of why justice is still


silent among women, and why they adopt the issue in the social

setting.

Keywords: Street harassment, Social cognitive theory, Identity

management theory, Structuration theory, Aggression theory

Abstrak

And pag-aaral na it ay tungkol sa batayan ng lalaki at babae sa

Pilipinas sa isyu ng ng paglaganap ng panliligalig sa panahon

ngayon. Gamit ang teory ng social cognitive, teorya ng identity

management, teorya ng structuration, at teorya ng aggression ay

nangalap ako ng mga datos mula sa document ng mga pag-aaral gamit

ang pag-aanalisa, ayon sa resulta ay lumalaban ang mga lalaki sa

pagtaas ng grado pagdating din sa panliligalig. Naapektuhan ang

mga kababaihan at ilan sa mga kalalakihan na gawin ang nais kung

sila ay nasa publikong lugar lalo sa kapag gabi. Itinalakay ko

rin ang pagganap ng medya sa aksyon ng nanghaharas at ng biktima,

ata ng kinalaman ng intensiyon, na siyang pinaka dahilan kung

bakit lumalaganap ang isyu at kung bakit wala pa ring hustisya sa

mga kababaihan.


Keywords: Street Harassment, Teorya ng Identity management,

Teorya ng Social Cognitive, Teorya ng Structuration, Teorya ng

Aggression


Introduction

Over the past years, Filipino women have contributed much in

the aspects of economy, politics, social, cultural, and

environmental since the enlightenment of Filipinos to equality

versus discrimination. Since then, many protocols were released

by the government regarding the protection for women against

nuisance and other types of violence. Looking forward to the

upbringing of nation’s collaboration with the international

organizations, women’s participation shows that what men can do

is also theirs. These only mean that the role of women up to this

generation is a progress indeed. But until the convivial of the

20th century, the respect to women has decline unconsciously,

with the increasing number of vulnerable women because of sexual

and street harassment. It’s very alarming for everyone because

statistics shows that even men are competing women’s high rate of

violence cases anywhere the harasser wanted to. Thus, delimits


the actions of women in public spaces, even at risk of job

quitting and moving out to places to get out of the trauma.

As celebrating Women’s Month, knowing that women plays a

vital role in the society, particularly for men, this essay will

show discussions on why Juans (men) should support Juanas (women)

and Juans (LGBT and Heterosexual) in protecting them to the

threat that might cause silence in man’s life. Using theories, I

discuss how this threat has spread so far in making a difference

in the world, and what factors affects the rise of viral that

cause men to help them to support women in fighting the dilemma.

I also explain how aggression intervene the attempt of harassment

and how a person perceived this kind of behavior, and also to

identify the identity management of both men women in

interpersonal communication in social setting.

Street Harassment Defined

Street harassment can be defined as “unwanted comments,

gestures, and actions forced on a stranger in a public place

without their consent and is directed at them because of their


actual or perceived sex, gender, gender expression, or sexual

orientation (Stop Street Harassment 2015)”. This nuisance

includes whistling on the streets, leering where non-verbal

communication occurs, sexist against women, indirect homophobic

and trans phobic or showing fear and hatred against lesbian and

gay, continuous calling of someone’s name, sexual names, demands

and comments, following someone wherever they go, blinking of the

eye, masturbating in public or in front of the person, fondling

someone for sexual pleasure, assaulting, and rape.

Every form of harassment shows power over one’s weakness.

There are factors to consider why harassment occurs such as Race

(White, Black, or Caucasian), Nationality (this occurs when

someone is not a citizen of a particular country), Religion,

Disability (it happens when someone assaults because of inability

to do what normal people do), or Class (state of living). There

are people who are harassment because of multiple reasons, and

the harasser has the control over one person that manifest

discrimination in the society like phobias and sexism. Because of


this, respect for women, dignity to fight for purity, and

understanding their situation is not treated well.

Street harassment is a form of sexual harassment, and

streets are just one place where abuse is delirious. This human

right issue limits a person’s actions when in public and

movements either from women or LGBT community motivates people

versus gender discrimination and sexual orientation.

Harassment begins at the age of 17 and 20, only shows an

alarming state for teenagers. We can compare inequality in the

dynamics of issue, occurrence of the incident, the threat of

ending into rape, and the impact of harassment on the life of the

harassed person. Some people make it as a joke or trivial

annoyance because they blame women based on what they wear the

time they are in open areas. The concern of movements is not just

focusing on men distressing women but also the harassment of LGBT

individuals.

Street Harassment Cases


Because of uncontrolled spread of crime anywhere within the

vicinity of the society, many villagers tend to compromise their

time in spending so much with other people. Shoshana B. Roberts,

an actress, volunteered to wear crew-neck T-shirt and jeans while

walking in the streets of New York for public service

announcement and campaign for ten hours, with Rib Bliss in front

of her, wearing camera at his backpack. Results came that some

people saying good evening, though uncalled, and few said “Sexy”

and “Hey! Beautiful”, and someone walked with her for about five

minutes to ask her number. This “hollaback” thingy shows that

everyone can be a subject at any time anywhere. (Retrieved from

http://www.philstar.com/news-videos/2014/10/29/1385818/viral-how-

10-hours-street-harassment-looks)

“Our country is in a bilateral kinship, where most families

are dominated by men as the head, or in the society, it is men

that have the most capacity than women. Because of power, men can

do force physical manipulation and as such sexual violence will

occur at the spur of the moment when sexuality arise in men’s

mind” (Evans, 2015). If then sexual harassment is indirect and


unrestrained, then rape should be fearful than sex, because rape

will make a woman a vulnerable, thus takes away their worthiness

and will degrade their dignity and identity.

Poverty is one reason why sexual subordination has grown

because it is their way of providing for their needs and of

course to escape from shortage. For about 800,000 Filipino

prostitutes (as estimated) can multiply and impact the younger

generation for such annoyance over identity. The Congress

considered the safety of women and call out for the expansion of

the law to strengthen the enforcement among vulnerable women.

That’s why, women and policy organizations have gone through some

measures that could emanate this concern.

Another case is disaster aftermath harassment. This issue

occurs in different phenomena. Just like typhoon Yolanda, wherein

thousands of people died and same number also needed aid as being

hampered by the devastating typhoon, but there’s this thing that

remains silent—street harassment among women and girls.

Contending to the basic needs of the vulnerable, the risk of

violence and rape as life-threatening should prioritize the same


way. No harassment has ever been so well, and whatever the

situation is, even at the very risk of natural phenomenon you

will find this undignified constrained against women.

Statistics on Street Harassment

Stop Street Harassment, an organization that fights against

sexual violence among women, released facts about the alarming

state of street harassment, and this can be a basis for studies

concerning the role of men and women today.

Women are being subject to street harassment (with 65%) than

men (25%), both physical and verbal harassment. Out of those who

were interviewed, 78% said they have to deal with it more than

once and 6% for those who face it daily. Women are subject to

sexual advances while men receive offensive comments or what we

called homophobic slur. As what I have said a while ago, men

have high rates of street harassment, and statistics said that

LGBT community experiences it more than heterosexuals. On the

other hand, men are far more being the harasser with 70% being


alone and 38% accompanied with more than 2 males have bothered

both men and women, thus, men being the culprit and women as

perpetrators.

There are also studies on the ways of harassing a particular

person. The Stop Street Harassment conducted a survey with 1,141

respondents and gave some questions regarding street harassment.

On the first online survey, results came that 99% of the

respondents said they have been harassed more than once, and 65 %

on monthly basis, while on the second online survey, 99% said

they have experienced some form of street harassment such as:

Leering (95% have experienced staring by men at once, while 68%

targeted more than once), Honking and Whistling (95% said they

were blown more than once and 40% experienced it on a monthly

basis, while 94% were whistled once and 38% whistled monthly),

Sexist Comment (87% were targeted and 45% were targeted in public

spaces for at least 25 times in their life), Making vulgar

gestures (82% were the target once and 21% were the target for

about 51 times), Saying sexually explicit comments (81% were

targeted once and 41% were targeted 26 times), Kissing noises


(77% were targeted once and 48% were targeted 25 times),

Following (77% have been followed by stranger in public spaces

and 27% were followed 6 times), Blocking path ( 62% were blocked

once and 23% said it happened 6 times), Sexual touching or

grabbing (57% reported they were sexually grabbed in public and

about 18% were touched 6 times), Masturbating (37% have

experienced a stranger masturbating at or in front of her in

public), and Assaulting (nearly 27% were assaulted at least

once).

Status of Women in the Philippines

Women’s participation in the society has resulted in so many

fulfillments that expand the freedom of the nation. But then, in

commemorating their concern in improving their needs and issues

is the goal of celebrating Women’s month. As years goes by, how

ready are we in impeding this developments to be implemented

among women? What is the status of the women as of now? Is there

any impact these campaigns were trying to slap in man’s heart?

What role has the government have done in the past fifty years?


Long before, there have been some regulations conducted in

opening opportunities and development among women. From the

Spanish era, the emerging of Commonwealth government, welcoming

post-war period wherein there were institutionalized development

in showcasing women’s potential. There were also regulation in

birth control and economic and socio-cultural fabric all over the

country. Cory Aquino’s time also impeded development budget in

representing women in social service commission, up until Erap

Estrada, though not a feminist, pushed agenda in empowering

women, and GMA, put in place the Magna Carta as framework plan

for women.

Education and employment calculate the potentiality of women

in the country. In Marcos’ time, Simple Literacy Rate and

Functional Literacy Rate were used in completing levels of

education. Simple Literacy is the capability of person to read

and write in a language or dialect, while Functional Literacy

focuses on numeric ability of a person and applying in some

activities. Interestingly, women doubled the rate in functional

literacy than that of men, showing greater aptitude when it comes


to numbers. But in employment, are there any spaces for women?

Women were left behind the work force of a nation. How are we

going to break the gap between gender-based references in

employment rate?

Gender-based remains the problem of this issue. Because

women are said to be weak, they have experienced being kept out

of the market jobs or even professional careers that cause them

to hide and not to pursue opportunities that make it impossible

to combine work and family matters. Gender inequality affects the

status of women in the society and violence against women is the

most viral. It threatens them every day and gives less aura of

privacy, and yet the Government has not always dealing with it.

Statistics shows one out of five women have experienced physical

violence same thing in the observation on 2008.On the other hand,

on 2008, one out of five also experienced emotion violence. And

to sum up, among the three forms of violence (emotional, sexual,

and physical), emotional has the most impact of violence (2013

National Demographic and Health Survey).


This issue renounces development that helped women

concerning the objectives in clearer focus. As results came from

Millennium Development Goals, education equity has improved from

42.56%-57.44%, but remained lag when it comes to employment rate,

which has a percentage of 78.4%. This explains socio-cultural

explanations why women remain under-tapped in the developing

economy of the nation.

In the 2015 message of Women’s Month celebration, it said

that “both men and women represent the leadership of the country.

But because of reproductive roles, though opportunities in

political and economic are open, the mindset about women has

never fade away. Fear, being the root of so many barriers, of

being judged, making choice, being not liked, negative attention

by others, being a bad daughter or mother, are all up that cause

these harassment exist until today. It should occupy half of the

leadership that exists in the country, showing equity between

men. Every individual has its own life and experiences, that’s

why we have different perspectives in life, hence, both men and

women should be in all forms of leadership. Women should


participate freely and equip every skill necessary for the

improvement of the government. Perseverance is the key to break

the gap between men and women in the aspect of society. Men

should support women, for it is the best way to foster

partnership and relationship in sharing roles and

responsibilities. They should also the one to promote the rights

of women and make stand to define women not of the men itself,

but of women.” (Retrieved from

http://www.pcw.gov.ph/article/2015-national-women%E2%80%99s-

month-celebration-message).

Stopping Street Harassment in the Philippines

Because of street harassment, people make their routes and

limit their hobbies in neighborhoods and public places because of

fear to face harassment. Harassment such as racial, homophobic,

and disability are far taken seriously than the street

harassment. Though for some it’s a joke or compliment, in reality

it delimits the mobility and mind that cause it to be an equity


and human rights issue. Unless street harassment ends, then

gender equality will be achieved but, as expected, our society

forms a spiral of silence.

The Stop Street Harassment, an organization in United

States, surveyed 811 women on 2008 and tried to ask a question

what they do when in actual harassment. Results came that as

women guarding themselves, 80% assess their surroundings while

walking, 69% avoid having eye contact with whom they think have

malicious intentions, 37% wear clothes to attract less attention

so whistling can be avoided, and 42% pretend having phone call

while walking to avoid spitting. Next is the behavior of limiting

an access to public spaces and results came that 50% of the

respondents take other route, 45% avoid being out when evening

came, 40% are afraid being alone walking, and 24% prefer to have

their exercise at gym rather than outside or at their backyard.

Last behavior is about the impact of street harassment for some

women, and results came that 19% move out from their

neighborhoods while 9% changed their career because of life

threatening area within the vicinity of their job.


On the other hand, LGBT individuals are also affected by

this issue, and by this, the Stop Street Harassment Organization

took a survey of 93,000 and result came that half of them don’t

want in open areas, two-thirds avoid public display of affection

in public areas, and four-fifths overhear jokes being made of

LGBT individuals. When they were asked what place/s do they avoid

being open about themselves as feared to be harass, and results

said that most of them avoid being in restaurants, public

transportations, streets, parking lots, and other parks. While

lower at home, work, and school. According the study of Patrick

McNeil, out of 331 gay and bisexual men, 71% said they observe

their surrounding when in public area, 69% avoid being in

neighborhood, 67% avoid eye contact, and 59% take alternative

routes.

Another surveyed have done in United States and results said

that street harassment starts at puberty (around 50% experienced

it at the age of 17), and respondents said it happen for multiple

times (with 86% of women and 79% of men reported a harassment

more than once). The issue we are talking about depicts the


constitutionality of human rights. Everyone deserved a safer

place and women too. Most of the respondents believe of a cure

for this problem (91%). About 55% recommended to have security

cameras for protection, 53% suggested a workshop in institutions

about respect and ways to interact with strangers. This is not

just a call for men, but for everyone, including leaders, groups,

and individuals to do something about it.

Objectives of the Study

Prior to the themes explained above, this study aims to know

how street harassment has go viral that cause men to call for

support to women in fighting the dilemma, to determine the

relationship of aggression on how harasser perceived the attitude

of being nuisance and how the subject received the action, and to

determine the identity management of both men and women in

interpersonal communication in social setting.

Methodology


This section includes the method of data gathering used, the

unit of analysis, and the theories that discuss the concept of

the study.

Research Method Used

The document analysis was used in breaking down information

to achieve its objectives. Foreign and local studies were used in

data gathering compose of statistics, cases, and definition about

street harassment.

Document analysis involves readings from written materials

that can relate to the social world and use as basis for

qualitative packages. It is intended for objective statements and

composed of several types. The researcher intended to use

Interpretative Analysis to capture the hidden meaning behind the

everyday experience of the subjects in the issue. It also aims to

analyze the message involved.

Theories Used


This section includes the explication of Identity Management

Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, Aggression Theory, and

Structuration Theory to obtain the objectives of the study.

Identity Management Theory

According to Cupach and Imahori (1993), this theory

“explains the changes in cultural identity when there is

interpersonal relationship from initial acquaintance to intimate

and commitment. The theory has four concepts: Competence,

Identity to oneself (composed of two forms, Cultural Identity

which is the accepted identity in a group that shares meanings

and norms as well as rules of conduct, and Relational Identity

which is a private transaction of understanding that helps the

members of the group to coordinate with the meanings and

behavior), Face or the individual’s social identity (composed of

two forms, Positive face which means the desire of acceptance and

approval to be accepted from others, and Negative face which

means the desire of freedom and autonomy from imposition), and

Face work.”


There are types of faces in cultural identity. First is when

their cultural identity is being embarrassed by others and put

label on it. Second is when their identity is not taken seriously

or being ignored which can be referred to as nonsupport. Third is

when the communicator experiences a tension between supporting

one’s own face and the company’s face related to their cultural

identities. Last type is when the communicator experiences a

tension between supporting the company’s negative or positive

face.

Structuration theory

According to Giddens (2001), this theory “explains the

society and culture changes in broad circle, that is, by looking

at the relationship between human and social structure, the

actions and repetition from it might produce another structure

that makes it broad circle.” These means that in everything that

we do, there is a social structure and it can be changed once

people ignored it, replaced, or reproduce it another way.


The behavior and the structure are intertwined, meaning, the

behavior of people on a particular phenomenon will for a

structure that will define the society and humans participate in

the creation of the structure. The duality of structure, the idea

that when interaction goes by , both person will stretch the

structure across time and space.

Social Cognitive Theory

Media plays a vital role on the way people behave. According

to Bandura (1977) “Social Cognitive Theory emphasize that

learning occurs in a social context and that much of what is

learned is gained through observation. Think of a trending

commercial or television series today, by simply looking on the


actions of the characters might be a big impact to the mass

audience. The same thing with the view of social cognitive

theory, there are psychological qualities (such as the stimuli

came from the media message) that can influence a particular

audience. There are three concepts of this theory; Operant

Conditioning (in which people perceived things indirectly),

Observational Learning (wherein people perceived thing by simply

observing a person’s behavior), and Observation and Imitation

(wherein people want to learn things or behavior, they would be

able to learn that model and imitate that model).

Aggression Theory

“Aggression is a behavior that is intentionally imitated

towards an individual to cause harm” (Bushman & Anderson, 2001).

The offender is certain and motivated that what he will do will

harm the subject, and that the subject will tend to avoid that

harm. There are two types of aggression; Hostile aggression (is

an unplanned motive rooted in anger that cause the target to feel

harm and provocation) and Instrumental aggression (obtains some


goal of impairing the subject and getting positive rather than

combative). Of all the five theories under Aggression theory, I

chose Social Learning theories (which became social cognitive

theory later on).

As per Bandura (1983) and Mischel (1973), “people are

getting aggressive either direct or by simple observing others or

experiences”. This experiences that were acted upon by the

aggressor will be expected to affect the social behavior of the

target or subject, thus, will interpret the social world where

they belong.

Using these theories, I will be able to explain the goals of

the study and how the concepts of theory will be able to apply on

street harassment.

Discussion

Earlier, I discuss how street harassment has emerged

unconsciously from International to Local settings. By the

conceptualization of theories, here’s the discussion. In Identity


Management Theory, considering the concepts; Identity to oneself

(Cultural Identity explains that in the society where we belong,

as long as interpersonal communication exists within the members

of the society, and Relational Identity explains that some shared

meaning exist within or among the members of the society are

either private or not, and coordinate with the meaning of the

behavior). This only means that sexual harassment is being done

as long as there is a communication built in between the harasser

and the victim, it’s either kept secret or transacted away from

the rules of conduct. On the other hand, the concept of

Individual’s social setting explains that Women today is affected

by their positive face, wherein they are discriminated against

freedom and acceptance from others according to their

potentiality in bringing fulfillment in the society. The types of

faces also explain why women and even LGBT individuals are being

discriminated, first because of labeled identity. Women are ought

to be embarrassed on streets because of the arising feeling from

men, and there are many cases about it. Second, the government

has not enough time to take it seriously and yet the gender based


identity is being taken only as an issue for the western

countries. Third, the victim experiences tension when harassment

occurs.

Structuration theory explains how this issue goes viral.

Culture is the way we behave according to the rules implemented

in the society. As long as actions (street harassment) is being

done by the members of the society, and interaction between the

harasser and the subject continues, a structure is being form

without knowing it, it’s getting bigger and bigger until that

structure defines not just the society but the victims and

suspects of the issue across the time and space.

Social cognitive theory, on the other hand, explains how the

harasser perceived the kind of behavior he wanted to imitate. The

meaning of social cognitive only means that as media passes

information to his audience, the audience has the tendency to

adapt that behavior and thus, will act on it depending on the

type of society he belongs. The harasser might learn by just

being observant either direct or indirect, or by just motivating


to adopt being a harasser, he will make ways how to imitate that

model.

Aggression theory explains how aggression intervene the act

between street harassment and the rampant spread of the issue.

The concept of this theory means that the harasser his intention

is the one intervenes the action between the subjects. As long as

the harasser is motivated to do the action (any form of

harassment) either unplanned or with intention will cause harm to

the victims. Social learning theory says that the harasser is

doing the action prior to the experiences before (it might be

that the action were also experience by the harasser and so he

wanted to revenge or influence others to do it, or it can be a

family setting, or just the arising feeling of men to do it).

Therefore, Juans are to support Juanas aiming the peace not

just in the society but also to the lives of the women. Being

aggressive to do something to satisfy yourself will not satisfy

the society you are right now, and as for women, standard of

living is the key to keep figting for this unjustifiable issue.


References

http://www.pcw.gov.ph/wpla/antisexual-harassment

http://www.philstar.com/news-videos/2014/10/29/1385818/viral-how-10-hours-street-harassment-looks

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/2014/11/philippines-2/

http://web0.psa.gov.ph/content/q-sexual-harassment-cases

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/2013/11/philippines/

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/2014/11/philippines-2/




http://distractify.com/people/6-graphs-that-show-the-alarming-

statistics-on-street-harassment/?v=1http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/resources/statistics/sshstudies/

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/about/what-is-street-harassment/why-stopping-street-harassment-matters/http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/national-study-report-executive-summary.pdf

http://www.pcw.gov.ph/article/2015-national-women%e2%80%99s-month-celebration-message

http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2015/03/02/1428959/engendering-

development-status-women-philippines

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/National-Study-Report-Executive-Summary.pdf

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/National-Study-Report-Executive-Summary.pdf

http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/

Juans to Support Juanas: 2015 Women’s Month Issue Concerning the Street Harassment

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