sexandsensibilities.com

 It seems highly unlikely.  

Jean Enriquez, executive director of Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW-Asia Pacific), whose day job naturally includes putting pimps behind bars was brought to tears several times during this interview.  

But just as Jean herself says, and as I was about to discover, such is the power of feminist conversations.  

The first tears come when I ask Jean to tell me about herself.  

“That’s such an open-ended question”, Jean says, stumped. “Where do I even begin to answer that?”  

“Just tell me the first thing that comes to mind,” I say, encouragingly.  

“Single mother”, she says and her eyes turn misty. “I’m really proud of my 20 year-old daughter, Janica. Though I never really imposed my convictions on her, she is growing up to be quite a feminist herself. She feels deeply about the discrimination against the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender) community and Muslim people. I was very surprised to see how sharp and precise her analyses are.” Jean says, proudly.  

The early onset of feminist activism seems to run in the family as Jean’s own brand of activism, also started at an early age.  

“When I was in 13, I was already speaking against the Marcos Administration at the rallies in Mendiola. I knew no fear — maybe because I was very idealistic. People were awed and listened to me and what I had to say.” says Jean.  

What Jean calls her ‘feminist awakening’ came later in university.  

“The other political ideologies that I read about were not relatable. When I read about feminism, it was holistic. It took up issues like relationships, which at that young age preoccupied me. I began to understand the power play between men and women.”, says Jean who also admits that the writings of feminism became particularly poignant at this time because she started engaging in casual relationships of her own.  

“I got involved in relationships without emotions. I went bed-hopping thinking that it would empower me. I only felt I was beautiful when I was sexually active.”, Jean shares, slightly shuddering at the memory.  

“You think you are so beautiful because you’re wanted, when really, you feel like a rug that is being used. You come to realize that even if you are intelligent, educated and respectable, there is no difference between you and a paid woman.”  

“I got pregnant when I was 20 and got married. I was irresponsible and thought having a child by him was love. It turned out to be a violent and abusive relationship which I eventually left.”  

Jean shares this experience of confusion, experimentation and resilience at youth camps the CATW – AP holds. “I don’t want them [the youth] to go through that. I believe that feminism is about empowering ourselves and re-building the self esteem that has been eroded by the media, by men and even by other women.”  

The complexities of sex trafficking  

Throughout her academic life and NGO career, Jean has been on the forefront of cutting edge women’s issues like reproductive health and later on, sex trafficking.  

Tracing this back, Jean says that it was in 1998 when she first became exposed to how women become vulnerable to sex trafficking because their fishing grounds or farms were converted into resorts or malls. “In the mining lands of Western Mindanao, they were being forced to sell their land. They were displaced and for lack of other means, they allowed themselves to be trafficked into prostitution. It is very sad, but within the small mining community, the girls are sold to the miners and the developers.” she says.  

“Sex trafficking is a complex issue which is linked to other issues like economics, poverty, and development. Muslim girls who have fallen victim to sex trafficking are highly stigmatized and sometimes forced to remain silence to save their family honor.”  

“This issue is close to my heart because it deals with the marginalized women in society. The victims are often made to be invisible. Until now, there are not many focused on this issue.” Jean says, and her voice catches in her throat. “Each cases of rape, of incest, of sex trafficking affects me.”  

Tireless, relentless  

 After more than two decades, Jean remains relentless in the fight for women’s rights. CATW-AP, under Jean’s leadership, was one of the women’s groups that were instrumental in the passage of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law in 2003. Currently, CATW-AP is lobbying for the passage of the Anti-Prostitution Law which de-criminalizes prostitutes, but will prosecute buyers and sellers. 

“Don’t you ever get tired?” I ask her.  

Jean does not hesitate before answering.  

“You know, we conduct trainings on violence against women for men. Some of the men, when they come in appear to be really cocky and arrogant. At the end of the training, you can see their illumination and new found conviction. Some even become peer educators themselves. Isn’t that so energizing? How do you quantify the women we have rescued thanking us for making such a difference in their life? When you see that your work can have that kind of effect on people, will you even think about the need to rest?” The rhetorical questions are answered, even before they are asked.

Jean removes her glasses to wipe away fresh tears. “I will not ever get tired of that.” Jean says, with a quiet conviction in her voice.  

And such is the power of the feminist conversation. Its empathy connects one woman to another regardless of superficial differences like age and background; its infinite tenderness softens the heart of even the hardest man; and its power inspires, nurtures and heals all those whom it touches.  

        

Human trafficking is the world’s third largest black market industry after weapons and drugs. The United Nations estimates that 12.3 million individuals live in forced labor worldwide, and about 70 percent of them are women or girls trafficked into sex slavery.

In the Philippines,  the estimates of individuals trafficked each year are in the hundreds of thousands. [SAS Editor's note: The numbers may vary because there is no official centralized database to track the number of trafficked individuals.]

In 2003, Republic Act 9208 or The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act was passed.

The passage of this law made the Philippines one of the few countries in Asia to have enacted an anti-trafficking legislation. The law established an Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) composed of government agencies, non-government organizations and other civic organizations to develop and implement comprehensive programs to prevent trafficking.

Jean Enriquez is Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW-Asia Pacific), an NGO who played active part in lobbying for the passage of RA 9208. Jean dissects RA 9208 and helps us understand the complex issue of human trafficking.

1)      In brief, what is the Anti-Trafficking Law?

The Anti-Trafficking Law or RA 9208 criminalizes acts of trafficking. Trafficking in this law is defined thus as the recruitment, transfer, transport, harboring or receipt of persons by means of the use of force, theft or even abuse of authority or inability of persons. This is done for the purpose of sexual exploitation or labor exploitation,  involuntary servitude, or removal or sale of organs .

The Anti-Trafficking Law also includes clear provisions for the protection of all victims, regardless of consent. It also covers trafficking within borders or across borders and it also considers that victims,  while saying that women and children are especially vulnerable, may also include men.

2)      Zeroing in on the aspect of sex trafficking, how is this defined in R.A. 9208?

The very definition of sex trafficking already clearly defines the parameters of the criminalized act. It is about using recruitment or employment, or matching women with foreign men for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The are clear provisions in R.A. 9208 that pertain to sex trafficking.

I think sexual exploitation means not only prostitution, but also pornography. It can also be bride trafficking and other such similar definitions.

3)      What was the trafficking situation particular to the Philippines that made this law necessary?

It might be important to know that before and during the lobbying for this law — which we lobbied for for 9 years, we were going around the country and saw there was no name for this kind of violation of women’s human rights; this recruitment of women who are desperate for work, but are brought to situations of sexual exploitation.

The women and the mothers would say that they just met bad luck. They would only attribute it to misfortune because illegal recruitment is commonplace here. They didn’t know that there is an organized force preying on the vulnerability and desperation of women for additional income; these women who think it’s better to leave the country to save their family from starving and dying of hunger.

But it [trafficking] is not only in the Philippines. It is a global problem that has already allowed businesses and establishments to earn a lot from the backs of these women who are sexually exploited for prostitution like those working in brothels, in massage parlors and even those fronting as entertainment establishments, but are actually selling women to buyers for sexual acts and the like.

4)      What were the changes broought about by the passage of R.A. 9208?

Of course the law, upon announcement, started facilitating the conviction or prosecution of traffickers who have long been immune to criminal liability. Also, it gave the woman confidence to seek justice.  Similar to other forms of sexual paradigms, it is not easy for the women to come out, but RA 9208 enabled more victims to come out and claim that they were actually victims of sex trafficking. The law also somehow increased the reportage of the issue because the law provides for comprehensive support for victims and also it ensures that the sexually trafficked women are not criminalized, thus giving them a sense of protection and security.

Because before, the government would usually blame them.  They [sex trafficked women] would be told “You know what the dangers are out there, but you allowed your passports be falsified, therefore you are in connivance.”

5) We tend to think of trafficking as a remote reality that doesnt affect us. Why should the issue of trafficking be relevant to us, even as ordinary women?

I believe that women being sexually trafficked should bother us because it again gives the statement to all of us that there are men who think that there is a woman who can be bought and used sexually – which is similar to rape.

I am affected by every rape that happens because it’s a statement to all of us women that when you go out there in the middle of the night, dis oras ng gabi, or you’re dressed skimpily or you give signals, then there’s a sanction against you.

The same is true for sex trafficking because it’s sexual violence, it’s violence against women.  R.A. 9208, I think it reminds society that we, women are not commodities to be bought and sold. And we ought to educate ourselves and the rest of the public that this is a standard already which tells men that tell the men you cannot use money in exchange for women’s bodies.

• Access a complete primer on The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, by clicking here
• Log onto http://www.catw-ap.org/to read up on other initiatives of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific.