FDVEC DV Vigil report

In March 1995, the Filipino community in Seattle awakened to a tragedy that would change the community in a most significant way.  The news of the violent deaths of Susanna Blackwell, her unborn child, Phoebe Dizon, and Veronica Laureta was our rude awakening that our community was not exempt from that foreign, detached phrase “domestic violence”.  We were able to finally give a name to what we vaguely described as “some private marital problems” when we hear our neighbor screaming for mercy amidst the banging and clanging of pots and pans, when we see a friend wearing sunglasses in the rain because she is embarrassed to show her blackeye, or a cousin yelling obscenities to his wife everyday.  No more will we avert our eyes to the unexplained bruises inn our sisters’ legs, or close our ears to the nightly crying and sobbing because a drunken husband is cursing his wife again.

The death of Susanna Blackwell and her friends was a major breakthrough in our acceptance of the fact that among us in the Filipino community walk predators and victims of domestic violence.  It suddenly and surely woke us up to the realization that some of our beloved traditions have prevented us from confronting the truth that domestic violence is present in our community.  Values such as saving face, hiya or not bringing shame to the family, and not interfering with the private lives of other people kept us from recognizing the painful truth.  We vowed that we will work together so that there will not be another tragedy like the Susanna Blackwell murders.  We vowed to say NO to Violence against women!

Thanks to the API Safety Center, our leaders, then our members, went through training regarding Domestic Violence 101.  We started a Filipino Domestic Violence Education Committee, in partnership with the API Safety Center to continue educating our members and to train natural helpers.  We bond together to help survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.  Survivors socialize with us at the community center and the most important change is that, unlike before, there is no stigma attached to the female survivor anymore.  No more do we point to victims of domestic violence behind their backs and snicker at them.  Now, we see them as human victims in need of kindness, love, and compassion.

We continue to receive calls for help.  Now we have a culturally competent program and staff to refer them to.  And now, we are able to proudly hold our heads up high and say”  The Filipino Community of Seattle will not tolerate violence against our women and children”.