OFW reacts to Ana Jalandoni’s brutal abuse from Kit Thompson
Ana Jalandoni, an actress and media personality assaulted by Kit Thompson. ctto
The entertainment industry of the Philippines, weeks ago, was awakened by news of an actress and social media personality, Ana Jalandoni, physically assaulted and detained by her boyfriend, Kit Thompson, also an actor in the Philippines. Photographs of Ana Jalandoni with her scarred face and bruises were on different media platforms. TV programs, online media outlets, and social media covered the story of the actress.
On her live conference with showbiz media last week, she na said she was assaulted by Kit, who got jealous of her former boyfriend (she was in a relationship with Kit for four months). She said that though the incident was not the first time, it was the worst. At the media conference, Ana’s lawyers openly showed the scars and bruises resulting from the attack of her former partner. Other than the brutal assault on her face, she had also bruises on her thigh and neck which her lawyer described that an indication of strangulations. Her right eye was also affected which needs prolonged medication, her lawyer added.
When the news reached Cristina*, a domestic worker, she felt uneasy as she said she knew how to be assaulted by a partner, in her case, her former husband.
She said, “mas grabe pa ang sa akin, Mam, kasi ako halos araw-araw-ginugulpi”. (it’s een worse for me, Mam, because I am beaten almost everyday).
Her former husband, a former domestic worker in Hong Kong, not only physically abused her but also verbally and mentally she said. She kept her sanity for her children, she added.
Once, she relates, that while in her employer’s place, she was beaten by her former husband which caused her tooth to be broken. That was how strong her former husband beat her, she added.
In the Philippines, the RA9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, is a law that seeks to address the prevalence of violence against women and their children (VAWC) by their intimate partners like their husbands or ex-husband, live-in partner or former live-in partner, boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-boyfriend/ex-girlfriend, dating partner or former dating partner.
RA9262 refers to any act or a series of acts committed by an intimate partner (husband, ex-husband, live-in partner, boyfriend/girlfriend, fiance, with who the woman had sexual/dating relationship), against a woman who is his wife, former wife; against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, against women with whom he has a common child; against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate within or without the family abode,
Of which results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering or economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
Cristina* not the real name