Gagged

According to the Philippine Deaf Resource Center, one out of three deaf women in the country is a victim of rape and sexual harassment, and most of them are minors. Half of the reported rape cases happen in the victim’s home, with neighbors and even family members being the most common perpetrators. Produced for the deaf victims and their families, the deaf community and their advocates, and the policymakers and the authorities, Busal (Gagged) presents the experiences of three rape victims and their struggle to attain justice. ‘Emily’ and ‘Angela’ were forced into motherhood after they were raped by people close to them – Emily by an uncle, and Angela by a neighbor. ‘Mariel’ was 17 years old when she was abducted and forced to beg to earn money for her abductors. She was eventually able to escape, but not until after she was raped. All three cases remain unresolved. In the Philippines, it is disturbing that only 1 out of 10 reported cases of rape against deaf women has been heard in court. Interpreting their stories through contemporary dance, Busal highlights the need for the viewers to hear their stories of silence and listen to the dance of their struggles.