BREAKING the stereotype that women's appearance and behavior are to blame when they are assaulted, the Samahan ng mga Pilipina para sa Reporma at Kaunlaran (Spark) has officially launched its nationwide campaign addressing gender-based violence in Cagayan de Oro City last Sunday, June 2.

Displaying clothes survivors were wearing when they were sexually harassed or assaulted, the campaign dubbed as #RespetoNaman features Don't Tell Me How to Dress Exhibit which aims to combat rape culture and end gender-based violence.

The Don't Tell Me How to Dress exhibit was initially launched in November 2018 by the founding partners: the Office of the Vice President, Leni Robredo, the Embassy of Sweden, UN Women, Spark Philippines, and Empower, as part of the #RespetoNaman Campaign in commemoration of the world-wide 16-day Campaign to End Gender Based Violence and aligned with the global UN Secretary-General's UNITE to End Violence Against Women Campaign.

In the Philippines, 14.5 percent of girls aged 13 to 17 have experienced sexual violence, according to the 2015 National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children.

According to the Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines H.E: Harald Fries, through the #RespetoNaman campaign, the Embassy of Sweden hopes to promote women's basic human right for body ownership, and respect for safe spaces for women regardless of their line of work, what they are wearing, where they are or who they are.

The #RespetoNaman campaigns for awareness, empowerment and policy to spark a sustainable movement across the nation to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence in the Philippines.

Inspired by the global #MeToo and #TimesUp Movement and Thailand's #DontTellMeHowToDress Movement, the aforementioned campaign will focus on bringing the issue into the mainstream and empowering women to rise up against all forms of gender-based violence.

The exhibit, located at the ground floor of Centrio Ayala Mall, will run until June 17 and will be moved to Xavier University.