The Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) launched the "Filipinas Against Violence" campaign in response to the lack of a specific agency or organization in the U.S. that is geared to the needs and cultural considerations of Filipina women and girls in violent situations.

FWN advocates the implementation of the blueprint released in 2002 to improve the City of San Francisco's system in helping victims of domestic violence.

It was the killing of a Filipina woman, 28-year-old Claire Joyce Tempongko, witnessed by her two young children, in 2000 that prompted the investigation of San Francisco's citywide response system to handle domestic violence. There is no Filipino in the commission that has been tasked to implement the investigation's results.

Kamala Harris, now San Francisco's District Attorney, wrote in an article in Asian Week (Dec. 5, 2003), "Our city desperately needs a change in our criminal justice system. I can sum up why I'm running for district attorney with the story of one Filipina American's life: Claire Tempongko."

Another Filipina woman, 32-year-old Marisa Corpuz, was killed by her husband, William Corpuz, in September 2004. Her death is prompting San Francisco prosecutors once again to rethink the city's system for safeguarding victims and counseling their abusers. William Corpuz just completed 39 weekly counseling sessions before he slashed Marisa's throat in their home shared with her parents and one of their two young children.

The San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women has planted the seed in the creation of a Filipino Advisory Council now called the Filipino Community Alliance to examine the high domestic violence incidents in the Filipino community. Realizing that there is no specific agency or organization in San Francisco devoted to the needs and cultural considerations of Filipina women and girls in violent situations, FWN reaches out to the Filipina community through the following activities

1. Publish the V-Diaries, FWN's anti-violence resource and help guide (distributed in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York)
2. Produce two benefit performances of "The Vagina Monologues"  and "Usaping Puki" (Tagalog version) in San Francisco and New York.
   The Tagalog version is part of our community outreach to the Filipinos in California, the largest Asian Pacific American (APA) group (1.1 million).  2006 was the first year that an all-Tagalog show has ever been shown in the U.S. 

To purchase tickets to The Vagina Monologues and Usaping Puki performances:

SAN FRANCISCO -   March 24, 2007 at the Herbst Theatre.  For tickets, go to www.cityboxoffice.com or call City Box Office at 415.392.4400.

NEW YORK - March 30 and April 14 at The Philippine Center New York.  For reservations, go to http://vfilipina2007nyc.eventbrite.com or call 646.821.9642.

For group tickets and community partnerships, call FWN at 415.278.9410.

Filipina V-Day 2007 - Meet the Cast & Crew

Beneficiaries:

1) My Sister's House - - the first and only non-profit organization to specifically identify and address the unique needs of women and children impacted by domestic violence in the Central Valley's highly diverse Asian and Pacific Islander community.

2) Filipinas Against Violence - the Filipino organization with an advocacy campaign to end violence against Filipina women and girls

3) V-Day's Spotlight Campaign - Justice to 'Comfort Women'. On the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, FWN and V-Day join 1,136 groups in colleges and communities in over 60 countries in calling for justice to the aging survivors who are dying one by one without redress from the Japanese government, which still denies legal responsibility. 'Comfort Women' were young women who were abducted from their homes and conscripted for the sexual gratification of the occupying Japanese Imperial Army.

In 2004 and 2005 more than 150,000 people were exposed to FWN’s anti-violence campaign through three all-Filipina performances of The Vagina Monologues, media, word-of-mouth and email marketing, and the publication of the V-Diaries, FWN’s anti-violence resource guide. FWN has raised more than $89,000 benefiting CORA and West Bay, two organizations serving the Filipino community and V-Day’s Spotlight Campaigns (Murdered and Missing Women of Juarez, Mexico in 2004 and the Women of Iraq: Under Siege in 2005).

Domestic violence is a serious problem in the Filipino community. According to a 1998 homicide survey of the San Francisco District Attorney's office, 40% of women murdered by their partners were Filipina women. Many more incidents are unreported because victims are afraid. Victims believe they are shaming (hiya) themselves and their families if they talk about their violent situations. They blame themselves for the abuse and they do not know who can help, who can listen, where they can go for assistance. Culturally, we lack the language and the means to talk about "abuse at home".

There is much to be done -

1. We need to create programs (in collaboration with domestic violence agencies) to address the lack of culture and language-appropriate resources for Filipinas. Existing community agencies cannot often relate to the specific complexities that Filipinos face in a domestic abuse situation.
2. We need to partner with more mainstream and ethnic-serving community service agencies and organizations.
3. We need to rally our workplaces to eradicate domestic violence.
4. We need to inform our community leaders and government officials of the much needed resources and funding for the Filipino community.
5. We need to engage our friends and neighbors to recognize the signs and learn about the roots of domestic violence.
6. We need to talk to our sons and our daughters about the realities of domestic violence.
7. We need to encourage victims of abuse to seek help.
8. We need to help domestic violence survivors to lead productive lives and nurture their courage.

We need your support.  Please contact us if you can help.

In sisterhood,

Marily Mondejar

Filipinas Against Violence

Filipina Women's Network

415.278.9410

Email us at vday@ffwn.org

www.ffwn.org

Thank you for participating!