A RECENTLY-leaked Facebook group chat featuring scandalous conversations, confessions, cyber felony, and sex crimes prompted the Faculty and Staff of the College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, to issue a strong statement against sexual harassment in any space and form. The chat revealed the “primitive thinking” that women are mere objects who must be sexually conquered, they said, and these acts reek of sexism and toxic machismo. Please allow us to share the faculty and staff’s statement:
“We, the faculty members and staff of UPV, strongly condemn these scandalous and dehumanizing acts. Misogyny, LGBTQ-shaming, and lewd commodification of women’s bodies have no space in this University. The University should be a safe space for the community, and should protect the physical, emotional, and psychological safety of its constituents.
“UPV should not tolerate sexual harassment and related crimes in any form. We call on all concerned offices to take proper and immediate action by having open lines of communication and actively reaching out to provide support to the individuals harmed by these leaked, malicious exchanges.We ask that the University, through its Anti-Sexual Harassment Office, conduct a thorough investigation and assist the students in filing cases against the perpetrators.
“Furthermore, we strongly demand that the individuals and fraternity involved, if proven guilty, be held accountable according to the penalties set forth by the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law, Safe Spaces Act, and the Cybercrime Prevention Act. We also urge the University to revisit its anti-sexual harassment code provisions on cyber sexual harassment. It is also the responsibility of the UP community to never forget these incidents. We need to ensure that these horrible experiences will never happen again.
“To the survivors, we hear you and we are with you in this fight. Help is available through the Office of Student Affairs ((033) 513-7019; osa@upv.edu.ph) and the Anti-Sexual Harassment Office (oash.upv@gmail.com). We also encourage everyone to be in solidarity with this cause, and to direct your efforts to the proper channels in the University so that appropriate action may be taken. Let us move beyond “calling our and extend necessary help to the survivors of these inhumane acts. Let us amplify this call.
“The faculty and staff of the College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas strongly condemns sexual harassment in any space and form. It has no place in the University; it should never be protected and normalized inside or outside its walls.”
