Today is day 3 of the campaign. Mercy Global Action at the UN in partnership with Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd are engaging in the full 16 days of activism. #16Days16Stories is part of the UN sponsored 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. Our campaign focuses on the experience of formerly trafficked women and girls who give testimony to gender discrimination and marginalization from childhood into early adulthood. Their stories, told in their own words, highlight the many human rights violations and cumulative disadvantages in their life journeys. Through their stories, survivor advocates provide key insights into preventative measures to end human trafficking.
The launch video and 16 stories can be accessed by clicking on #16days16stories Each day a new video is uploaded. On the 25th we heard from Aleta who said “from the time I was born I labelled myself as a disgrace because I was born as a result of my parent’s extramarital affair.” On the 26th Emerita who was born in 1992 in Mindanao said “I am the fourth of five children. My father worked in a fishing company owned by his friend but was later fired by the owner because my father had a mistress in the office,” and today November 27th Katrina shared “when I was two, my mother and father left us in the care of our elder brother, who was 12 at that time. They went to Cebu for work, an island far away from where we lived…” Having read to the testimony of each women the viewer is asked to reflect for a few moments; presented with points to ponder and suggested actions to take.
A Guide to using the Videos was also prepared.
The 16 days of activism against gender-based Violence Campaign has as its theme this year ‘From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World’ and proposed that organizations around the world plan a twitter teach-in. If interested in knowing more about a twitter teach-in Click Here! @gsijp @mercyworldwide are the Twitter handles using #16days16stories and #GBVteachin The Twitter Teach in @gsijp @mercyworldwide follows the points to ponder and take action of the 16 videos.
Read the book ‘I Have A Voice – Trafficked Women in their own Words‘ by Angela Reed. Tomorrow Leah tells her story. (Please note the videos are available on Vimeo at HERE
Listening to katrina episode already tells of the many human wrongs done to the many innocent children more so girls who suffer mental, physical trauma out of abandonment by their biological parents.
Though the parents may never accept their misdeeds, many a times use defence mechanisms to cover the faults yet forget the trauma that these children face all through life.
I am a psychological counselor and from my occupational experience, I have come to understand why many youth opt for single life because of their family torture, as well as stigma from external focus of evaluation.
The question of who will save such situation rest under the internal locus of evaluation that sets up the journey towards healing. It further extends to everyone’s responsibility to enter into the survivors world of reference and empathise rather than stigmatising.
Lastly is my and our obligation to imagine that no one chooses to be a survivor but its a situation that when faced with one opts and looks upon others to intervene, thus a call to help them overcome he dark world of trauma, violence and trafficking.
Thanks Donatus for your reflection… maybe others will add to it!