VIGIL

Over a year ago, a 22-year-old Filipina, “Nicole”, was gang raped and tossed aside by six U.S. Servicemen outside of a club in Subic Bay, Olongapo City (a former U.S. naval base site). Due to the Visiting Forces Agreement, the trial must end.

On November 26, 2006, GABRIELA Network will hold a vigil for “Nicole”, whose perpetrators, six U.S. Servicemen, await their verdict in the upcoming week. At the same time, GABRIELA Network commemorates the International Day to Stop Violence Against Women as well as gathering women from all over the Bay Area to Take Back the Night.

GABRIELA Network not only supports “Nicole” during this vigil, but recognizes women who have been sexually, physically, psychologically, financially, and emotionally abused.

The United States’ treatment of the Philippines like a prostitute is nothing new. For over a century since the Philippines was a colony of the United States in 1898, U.S. troops have continually come into the Philippines, at one point historically making Olongapo and Angeles cities the biggest hubs for prostitution in Asia. In the Philippines where the number of prostituted persons is about the size of the country’s manufacturing workforce, women and girls have and continue to be victims of trafficking where they have been forced to provide sexual services. These women and girls are not prostitutes by choice but have become modern-day slaves.

While the rape case of “Nicole” has gained international media attention, rape is still one of the most underreported crimes anywhere in the world. In America alone, an estimated every two and a half minutes, an individual is sexually assaulted. Many victims do not seek legal recourse fearing that they themselves will be put on trial, publicly humiliated, and further punished for reporting their rape to authorities, while the perpetrators’ actions are oftentimes overlooked by the judicial system. So is the case with “Nicole”, in which vital evidence has been destroyed and stories have been corroborated against her.

This vigil is hosted by GABRIELA Network who demands justice and accountability for the rape of “Nicole” as well as all attacks on women. The perpetrators must be brought to justice now. As the oldest and only national women’s organization in solidarity with the Philippines, GABRIELA Network stands with “Nicole” and all women who continue to bravely overcome their perpetrators while still facing stigma and humiliation in a system that would rather see victims on trial rather than their perpetrators.

PLEASE STAND IN VIGIL WITH US AND LIGHT A CANDLE FOR "NICOLE" AND OTHERS BRUTALIZED BY RAPE AND OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN!

For more information, please contact: sfbayarea [at] gabnet.org