GMA Network’s “Kapalit ng Katahimikan” documentary tells the story of girls of an indigenous tribe in Maguindanao. It tackles the unfortunate incidents of young girls being sexually abused by other men in their group.
Disclaimer: This article talks about the sexual abuse discussed in the documentary and may be triggering to some viewers. Continue reading with caution.
Kara David tells the iWitness documentary. Before its initial release, the journalist shared that this was one of the toughest cases for her in her career.
“Itong documentary na ito, ilang buwan naming pinaghirapan. Ilang buwan iniyakan, at ako personally, masasabi ko (na) isa ito ‘dun sa mga scripts na pinakanahirapan talaga akong isulat.”
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The documentary tells the story of three young girls, each with a different story and experience. It also covers the different perspectives of the victims and their families, as well as the mediators, who are the tribe’s council.
“Kapalit ng Katahimikan” opens in a very heavy manner, appropriate for the topic. It talks about how a woman’s wedding is one of the highlights of her life. However, what happens when you marry your abuser? This is commonly the case in the tribe featured in the documentary.
The council encourages victims to mediate with their rapists. This was sadly the case for the first victim in “Kapalit ng Katahimikan,” “Dolores” (not her real name). Her older neighbor raped her, resulting in a pregnancy.
Due to their circumstances, her family wasn’t able to pursue a case against her abuser. Additionally, Dolores has mental limitations, further strengthening her case. However, due to their poverty and lack of knowledge, her father wasn’t able to file a formal case against her rapist.
According to the tribal council, pursuing legal action would only bring shame to their tribe. However, they clarified that they’re only mediators and the decision is ultimately up to the victims and their families.
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On the other hand, the case for siblings, “Marisol” and “Jasmin” were very different. During the time of the crime, the girls were only ten and five years old when they were assaulted by their uncle.
After the time of the crime, the girls were emotionally affected and traumatized. Initially, their mother didn’t believe them until she saw it herself.
The girls’ family and the assailant’s wife testified against him in court, despite his threats. Because of their courage, he is now facing time for his crime against the two girls.
Kara David’s “Kapalit ng Katahimikan” shares the unfortunate truth of rape cases. It even mentions the statistics of these cases. However, what’s worse is that these metrics are only the ones reported. Many still go unheard of.
Catch the full “Kapalit ng Katahimikan” documentary here:
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