I have expressed in my previous column a profound joy in the fact that the image of the Filipino and the Philippines has gradually changed in the last two decades as the demographics of Filipino migration has likewise changed. At the peak of the Skilled Migration phase, Filipino workers were able to sponsor their own families and have settled in the country for good.
For a long time, the majority of migrant Filipinos were the women who married Aussie men. Many have done very well. But every now and then we hear stories of Filipino women struggling to lead a decent life in their new home because they are mistreated by their husbands/partners who sponsored them. We hear of dreadful stories of women suffering from abuse and violence, and occasionally, death, in the hands of their own husbands. What is more disturbing is the fact that these women keep their situation to themselves, either in fear of their husbands or for lack of someone to turn to for help. This is a sad state of affairs and one that must concern the Filipino community in Australia.
To raise awareness on the issue, the Perth Filipino Community Symposium spearheaded a seminar on Domestic Violence on 3rd May at FACPI Clubhouse; the workshop being an action from a resolution proposed at the OMI-organised Filipino Leaders Forum in October 2016.
I was glad that I was able to participate in the seminar, which was certainly an eye-opener for me. I could not begin to comprehend the extent of domestic violence in Australia involving not only Filipino women but also the general Australian women population. Abuse against women, we are told, comes in many different forms: It can be physical, emotional, social, sexual, financial, cultural, and even spiritual.
We have no control over the continuing influx of Filipino women coming to Australia as wives or partners, who are potentially victims of domestic violence. But there is something we can do for those who are being subjected to this dire treatment in their homes right now. We can be of help, first of all, by encouraging victims to come out and seek help and assistance. We can be of help by being vigilant in identifying signs of deprivation and inhuman treatment amongst our own circles of friends and within the community.
Finally, we might make an effort to help our circles of friends become aware of what violence and abuse constitute, and help women victims understand their rights and make them feel supported, even by just maintaining a safe involvement in actual cases of abuse. These little contributions can make a difference, and help keep women and children feel safer and more protected against actual and potential violence in in their own homes.
Editor’s Note: Fr Nelson Po is a member of the Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Perth, currently assigned as head of St Benedict’s Parish in Applecross WA. He also provides spiritual direction to students at St Charles Seminary in Guild- ford WA. Aside from his priestly duties, Fr Nelson is a much-sought advisor on matters of community significance. He is one of the prime movers and conve- nors of The Perth Filipino Community Symposium, which seeks to elevate the status of the Filipino migrant community as forceful contributor to the wider multicultural society of WA.
Send a comment or response to Fr Nelson Po at nelson_po2002@yahoo.com
