Saturday, January 05, 2008 Editorials: Sexual abuse case in Talisay
IT'S good that Talisay City Government officials are finally looking into the sexual abuse allegation hurled by a job order employee against her superior.
The accusation is serious---a woman employee forced to have sex with her boss---and, had it happened in a beat like Cebu City Hall, would have grabbed much attention.
Credit must be given to Talisay beat reporters for not letting go of the issue by seeking out the alleged victim and hounding concerned city officials for their reactions.
Initial information on the incident tends to put the police and city officials on the spot for their inaction either for lack of interest or ignorance or of reasons more sinister.
Inaction
The incident was blottered at the Talisay City Police Office in September yet but the police chief, when sought for a reaction by reporters, seemed clueless about it.
Meanwhile, the mother of the victim said that when they talked with the mayor, they were told that their case was weak and they had to produce witnesses first.
The victim subsequently claimed receiving threats from unidentified persons.
Either the officials did not sense the seriousness of the allegation or they did not believe the claims of the victim and thus sided with the subject of the complaint.
Blame
In cases of sexual harassment and rape in the work place, officials tend to side with the superior or silence the complainant supposedly to protect the image of the office.
The search for justice can even become more complicated when religious belief of officials prods them to follow the biblical admonition of “turning the other cheek.”
Lesson
Some Talisay City officials, in finally deciding to act on the allegation, reportedly complained about them getting the blame for the failure of the case to move forward.
But they should not complain and instead should consider this as a lesson in public service and of the need for them to be sensitive to any allegations of misconduct.
Every complaint and accusation, whether made by street sweepers or department heads, must be seriously looked into and resolved fully.
