Women's rights advocate condemns violence vs. DJ Jellie Aw

A women's rights advocate on Thursday condemned the violence allegedly made against club DJ Jellie Aw by her fiance Jam Ignacio.

Aw shared photos of her injuries on Wednesday, 12 February, as she accused Ignacio of physically hurting her. In the photo, Aw showed her busted lips, swollen eyes, and multiple cuts and bruises all over her face and neck.

"We recognize the courage it took for DJ Jellie Aw to publicly speak out about the abuse she suffered in the hands of her fiance," GABRIELA secretary general Clarice Palce said in a statement.

"We stand behind her in her fight to hold Jam Ignacio to account for his crimes," Palce added.

GABRIELA cited that many women still struggle to come forward after experiencing harassment and/or assault, due to reasons ranging from shame to fear for their and their family's safety, especially in cases where the perpetrator holds power or influence.

With that, GABRIELA said it fully welcomes and supports any voice that contributes to ending the culture of silence surrounding various forms of violence against women and children.

"Ms. Jellie's experience resonates with thousands of women and children in communities who likewise suffer abuse within and outside their homes," Palce said.

"Thus, it is paramount that we all come together and fight to end VAWC, including rape and sexual exploitation which has seen an alarming rise in cases especially among young women and girls," she added.

In a separate post, Aw's sister Jo, said Ignacio beat up Jellie in a car on their way home.

"My sister wasn't even able to ask for help because you took her cellphone. Fortunately, the RFID didn't read at the toll and my sister was able to scream when you rolled down the window and asked the teller at the toll gate for help," she wrote.

Jo said they have reported Ignacio to the police.

"I didn't do anything wrong for you to treat me like this. I almost died because of what you did. I'll send you to jail," Aw added.

According to the Philippine National Police, there were 8,055 cases of VAWC nationwide in 2023, however, this number doesn't include unreported cases.

In a Palace briefing last December, Philippine Commission on Women Chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla said only one in 10 cases of violence against women gets reported.

Valdeavilla attributed the underreporting to shame, lack of trust in the authorities, or "they simply don't know what to do."

"Others are also uncertain about the outcome of seeking help from those they confide in," she noted.

According to Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, violence against women is “any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child, whether legitimate or illegitimate, with or without the family abode.”

It covers physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence.