If you have personal experiences of gender discrimination in court as a litigant, you should write the Chief Justice.

I, MYSELF, HAD A HUMILIATING (AND INFURIATING, TO BE TOTALLY HONEST ABOUT IT) EXPERIENCE JUST A FEW DAYS AGO. LET ME SHARE THIS WITH YOU FOR THE SAKE OF AWARENESS THAT THIS HAPPENED IN AN OFFICE INSIDE A COURT OF JUSTICE ON 19 MARCH, 2010. ALTHOUGH I WAS TREATED UNFAIRLY BY ONE PERSON ( LET ME JUST REFER TO THAT PERSON AS “LEGAL OFFICE PERSON”) IN THAT PARTICULAR OFFICE, I WILL NOT MENTION THE SPECIFIC PLACE, IN FAIRNESS TO THE OTHER LEGAL STAFF WHO WERE, IN ANY WAY, NOT INVOLVED.

I WAS THERE IN THAT UNFAMILIAR COURT OF JUSTICE ENVIRONMENT WITH THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN. WITH MY LIMITED STOCK (OR I MUST SAY, STUCK) KNOWLEDGE FROM THE SUBJECT NURSING JURISPRUDENCE BACK IN COLLEGE, I HAD ONLY THE SLIGHTEST IDEA ABOUT LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

I DID NOT ( I STILL DO NOT) HAVE A PRIVATE LAWYER TO CONSULT WITH. THE LADY POLICE OFFICER IN THE WOMEN’S DESK WAS THERE TO ASSIST.

BUT I HAD TO BE THERE TO FILE FORMAL LEGAL CHARGES OF “ACTS OF LASCIVIOUSNESS” AGAINST THAT RED-EYED MAN WHO VIOLATED ME INSIDE A MOBILE PUBLIC TRANSPORT BUS ON 18 MARCH, 2010. THE EXHAUSTION AND MIXED NEGATIVE EMOTIONS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THAT CRIME COMMITTED AGAINST ME IS BEYOND WORDS. THE HURT, THE FEAR, THE HUMILIATION, THE SHAME, THE HELPLESSNESS, THE ANGER, THE SELF-BLAME, THE SELF-PITY, THE LOW-SELF ESTEEM, THE SADNESS, THE ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA… I COULD GO ON AND ON BUT NOT ALL THESE WORDS CAN SUFFICE TO QUALIFY THE INNER TURMOIL. AS IF WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE WERE NOT ENOUGH, THE FOLLOWING INCIDENCE REALLY STUNG MY WOUNDS:

ALTHOUGH I EXPECTED THAT DURING THE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, THERE WILL BE INSTANCES WHEN IT WOULD BE INEVITABLE TO BE IN A ROOM WHERE THE OFFENDER IS, I TRIED MY BEST TO KEEP MY DISTANCE HOPING AGAINST HOPE THAT HE WILL REMAIN OUT OF MY SIGHT.

THEN THE INEVITABLE CAME. I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE LADY POLICE OFFICER TO ENTER AN OFFICE IN THAT COURT OF JUSTICE BUILDING. THE OFFENDER WAS ALSO DIRECTED TO DO SO.

THIS BRIEF BUT EXTREMELY HURTFUL CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE
AS WE (THE OFFENDER, THE LADY OFFICER, AND I) WERE STANDING IN THAT PARTICULAR OFFICE:

LEGAL OFFICE PERSON:(AS SHE WAS TAKING HER SEAT) “Ano’ng kaso?”

LADY POLICE OFFICER:(COURTEOUSLY REPLIED WITH A SINGLE WORD) “Acts”

LEGAL OFFICE PERSON: (SMILING) “ACTS OF LOVE”

AS I WAS ABOUT TO SAY THAT I RESENT THAT INCONSIDERATE REMARK, THE LADY OFFICER INTRODUCED ME TO THE LEGAL OFFICE PERSON AS THE COMPLAINANT. THE LEGAL OFFICE PERSON CASUALLY SAID THAT YUNG ACCUSED LANG ANG KAILANGAN NIYANG KAUSAPIN. HAVING HEARD THAT, I IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE ROOM. PARTLY, IT WAS A RELIEF THAT I AM NO LONGER IN THAT ROOM WHERE THE OFFENDER IS. WASN’T THE LADY POLICE OFFICER, WHO WAS SUPPOSEDLY THERE TO ASSIST, FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCEDURE? THAT HINDI NAMAN PALA REQUIRED ANG PRESENCE KO THERE? NOT BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS HOW INSULTED I WAS I JUST CONSOLED MYSELF WITH THE FACT THAT, AT LEAST, I NO LONGER HAVE TO HEAR ANY MORE INSENSITIVE REMARKS FROM THE SAID LEGAL OFFICE PERSON.

I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT HEARTLESS WORDS (ironically the phrase includes the word “love”) BE UTTERED BY A PERSON IN A LEGAL OFFICE, DISPLAYING DISREGARD TO MY FEELINGS BY USING THE WORDS ACTS OF LOVE IN LIEU OF THE WORDS ACTS OF LASCIVIOUSNESS. NOTWITHSTANDING, IN THE PRESENCE OF A POLICE OFFICER AND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE OFFENDER!!!

ACTS OF LASCIVIOUSNESS IS ACTS OF LASCIVIOUSNESS! IF IN THE LEGAL JARGON, THIS CRIME IS CALLED BY ANY OTHER NAME, THEN I AM YET TO FIND IT OUT.

TO SAY THAT “ACTS OF LASCIVIOUSNESS” IS “ACTS OF LOVE” IS AN OUTRIGHT INSULT TO AN ALREADY INJURED HUMAN BEING. KAYA NGA PO AKO DUMULOG SA KORTE KAHIT PO SUPER FEELING DYAHI ABOUT ALL THESE, KASI I WAS VIOLATED TAPOS GANUN PA KA-INSENSITIVE ANG MAKAKASALAMUHA KO.

I AM NOT SUFFERING FROM DELUSION OF PERSECUTION. I AM NOT A NUT CASE ( WELL, AT LEAST NOT YET EVEN AFTER ALL THESE CHALLENGES).
I AM GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE A VERY LOVING SON WHO INSPIRES ME TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH REALITY. LIGHT MOMENTS WITH LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS ANG PAMBALANSE KO SA MGA UNEXPECTED BLOOPERS AND BLUNDERS IN LIFE. AND BUTI NA RIN PO THAT I WAS ACCOMMODATED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES CENTER FOR WOMEN’S STUDIES IN DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY. COUNSELOR BETTY PENA SHARED HER PRECIOUS TIME AND EXPERTISE VIA A CRISIS COUNSELING SESSION WITH THIS LOST SOUL YESTERDAY, 26 MARCH, 2010, OTHERWISE, BAKA UNDER MEDICATIONS NA AKO BY NOW OUT OF FRUSTRATION FROM INSULTS. PAANO NA LANG YUNG IBANG DUDULOG SA KORTE NA NAAGRABYADO NA NGA, WALANG MASASANDIGANG KAMAG-ANAK O KAIBIGAN, TAPOS MAIINSULTO PA FURTHER SA LOOB PA MISMO NG KORTE???

EVEN AFTER ALL THESE SHINANIGANS, I AM STILL CAPABLE OF SMILING AT AMUSING ANECDOTES. HAVING IN MIND THE GOOD DEEDS OF OUR EVERYDAY LIVING HEROES, LIKE THE DRIVER AND THE CONDUCTOR WHO HELPED ME, I AM STILL WILLING TO LAUGH WITH PEOPLE, HAVE FUN WITH PEOPLE.

THAT IS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM LAUGHING AT PEOPLE OR MAKING FUN OF PEOPLE!!! AND ON THAT DAY, IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION, THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR ILL HUMOR!!! IF I WAS AFTER A GOOD LAUGH NA MAY HALONG PANG-OOKRAY (AS OUR GAY FRIENDS CALL IT) I WOULD HAVE GONE TO A COMEDY BAR, NOT TO A COURT OF LAW. CLEARLY, I WAS THERE TO SEEK REDRESS FOR THE CRIME COMMITTED AGAIST ME, NOT TO GET INSULTED.

MORE IRONICALLY, MY FELLOW FEMALE EARTHLINGS, THE LEGAL OFFICE PERSON WHO MADE THAT CALLOUS AND INSENSITIVE REMARK, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS A FEMALE!

WAS I TOO SELF-CENTERED ASKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT? NO! I FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE LADY POLICE OFFICER TRUSTING THAT SHE KNOWS AS TO WHAT TO DO AND IN WHICH OFFICE TO COMPLETE THE FILING OF THE FORMAL COMPLAINT.

I WAS NOT EXPECTING TOO MUCH, BUT NEITHER WAS I EXPECTING OUTRIGHT INSENSITIVITY NOR CALLOUSNESS, MORE SO FROM A LEGAL OFFICE PERSON INSIDE AN OFFICE IN A REVERED COURT OF JUSTICE! AGAIN, LET ME STATE: I WAS THERE TO SEEK REDRESS, NOT TO GET INSULTED!

EVERYBODY DESERVES RESPECT! NOBODY DESERVES CALLOUSNESS!

GENDER ISSUES ARE ALL OVER. MANY FAR WORSE THAN WHAT I WENT THROUGH. WE NEED TO ADDRESS THEM NOW. A LITTLE STEP (WHICH MAY HURT NOW AND THEN) WILL TAKE US A LONG WAY TO PROMOTE NOT ONLY GENDER SENSITIVITY BUT ALSO HUMAN RIGHTS.

I AM FOR GENDER EQUITY AND EQUALITY. I AM NOT FOR HATE CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE MALE POPULATION. MANY MALE EARTHLINGS RESPECT WOMEN’S RIGHTS. SOME MEN, (THE GREAT HILARIO DAVIDE, FOR EXAMPLE) EVEN GO AS FAR AS COMING UP WITH UNPRECEDENTED LEGAL DECISIONS SIGNIFICANT TO THE PROMOTION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS. MEN AND WOMEN ARE NOT MEANT TO BE ADVERSARIES. IF WE ARE TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM CLOSER, IT IS EVIDENT THAT VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS TAKE PLACE ACROSS GENDERS!

ONE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A FEMINIST TO BE SENSITIVE. RESPECT PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF GENDER! BE A HUMANIST!

SITES SUCH AS THIS INCREASE AWARENESS. MORE POWER TO GENDER WATCH!

MANY THANKS TO BRILLIANT MINDS AND KIND HEARTS SUCH AS THOSE OF ATTY ROWENA GUANZON AND HER FRIENDS FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES CALLED “WOMEN”!!!!