ZONTA CLUB OF CEBU II HOLDS FORUM ON IMAGE-BASED ABUSE and ITS HARMFUL EFFECTS

Those who upload or post photos and videos with sexual content on social media without the consent of the concerned person/s are punishable under the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act and other legal frameworks, said Atty. Mark Lawrence Badayos, resource speaker during the webinar on Revenge Porn and Deeper Harms organized by the Zonta Club of Cebu II.

The webinar is among the various activities conducted by the Zonta Club of Cebu II in celebration of the 18 Days of Activism to Stop Gender-based Violence.

Photo or Video Voyeurism refers to the act of taking a photo or video coverage, of a person or group of persons in intimate privacy or any similar activity or of capturing an image of the private area of a person or persons without the latter’s consent, under circumstances in which such person/s has/have a reasonable expectation of privacy and the broadcasting, selling, exhibiting of these.

To combat this grave misuse of modern technology the Philippine Congress has legislated Republic Act No. 9995, otherwise known as the Anti-voyeurism Act, one of the progressive laws that have been enacted to protect the intimate privacy of an individual against unscrupulous individuals who use the modern technology abuse and debase their intended victims.

Atty. Badayos discussed the mental and physical impact of this abuse on the victim such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression; loss of bodily control/autonomy; fear of physical attack and further abuse; loss of self-dignity and respect; and, inhibition of sexual expression and the consequences like the loss of livelihood and employment; being ostracized by families, friends and other circles and the normalization and tolerance of sexual abuse.

The online forum on Revenge Porn and Deeper Harms marks the last day of the 18 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence observed by Zonta Club of Cebu II.

“As we close the advocacy of the 18 Days of Activism through this last webinar on ‘Image-based Sexual Abuse,’ the insights given this afternoon by our resource speaker show that the need for the creation and the passing of new statutes that would protect the people’s rights in a different circumstance now involving technology,” Dr. Elsa Basubas, chairperson of Abay sa Kahayag committee, said in her closing remarks.

Zonta Club of Cebu II believes in and supports survivors of gender-based violence in all its forms including image-based sexual abuse. We hope we can empower our young men and women through human rights education and experience-sharing so that we will become advocates for a violent-free world.

Best regards,