STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE

WHAT IS VIOLENCE?
Generally defined as "an unjust or unwarranted exertion of force or power, as against rights or laws" Glorified in our society

Evidenced by structures that allow violence to take place Reflected by global and international inequalities

WHAT IS STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE?

Structural violence refers to systematic ways in which social structures harm or otherwise disadvantage individuals. Structural violence is subtle, often invisible, and usually has no one specific person who can (or will) be held responsible.

STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE
Poor majorities suffer lack of basic needs Evidences:
1. Unjust exploitative social system 2. Premature death of infants 3. Rampant spread of diseases due to poverty and unequal distribution of health care 4. Women and children toil for inhuman wages 5. The urban poor faces constant hunger, substandard housing and illiteracy

STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE
Privileged groups lead western life styles

Reflected on the income distribution in the Philippines

UPPER
MIDDLE LOWER NO CATEGORY

20%
40% 11% 29%

56% income
33% income 11% income no income

STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE

STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE
The wide gap between the rich and the poor are evident in both rural and urban areas.

Evidences:
1. Slum dwellers are living in dehumanized conditions 2. There exists vast inequality in land ownership despite agrarian reforms established by the government 3. Export oriented policies allow transnational to own corporation where they get cheap labor from Filipinos

STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE
Sources of these structures:

1. 2. 3. 4.

Gender Stratification Economic Stratification Political Strife Multi-National / Transnational Corporations 5. Mass Media

Gender Stratification

Definition
Violation of any form done to women During the Spanish era, women in the Philippines are already abused by soldiers and used as sexual objects. Although our Constitution provides equal rights to both sexes, it is inevitable for women to be discriminated. It can be in their own homes, workplaces and different societies.

Forms that women may be violated

A. Rape forcing of sexual intercourse upon an unwilling victim Two types of Rape: 1. Forcible rape using threat or forces 2. Statutory rape usually done to a person under a specified age

 B. Incest sexual abuse is done by a close relative Considered as taboo based on these biological basis: 1. physical regeneration and mental retardation of their children 2. people reared up very close with one another lose sexual interest toward each other 3. incest is against mans innate and natural reaction to commit sexual relations with ones blood relatives
Effects of incest to children: - trauma, emotional devastation, anger and depression, guilty feelings, difficulty in entering into intimate relations with opposite sex, losing trust in people; promiscuous behaviour, suicidal tendencies, man-hater, lesbianism, abusive perpetrators.

 C. Wife-Battering a form of domestic violence where in the spouses experience physical violence from their husbands; Verbal violence, insulting gestures, psychological torture are also forms of violent treatment. Causes of wife-battering: 1. immature, irresponsible and insecure husbands 2. jealousy 3. husbands that are engaged in too much alcohol and drug intake. Cycle of wife battering: 1. violence 2. reformation 3. trust of wives 4. any action that can trigger the same violence

 D. Trafficking of Women common in third world countries for economic reasons E. Women Entertainers Abroad women mostly are exported to Japan to become entertainers but end up as a japayuki who are forces not only to sing and dance but also forces into prostitution. Refusing might cost them their life. F. Mail-Ordered Brides contact marriage with a foreigner to escape the hard life of ones country; some of them are never heard of again or return dead G. Prostitution selling of sexual services; the usual form of payment is money Problems arising from prostitution are: social diseases, AIDS, abortion and drug addictions

 H. Sexual Harassment request of sex favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature done by colleagues or superiors; submission or rejection may affect an individuals employment; Prevention is still the best tool to eliminate harassment in workplace Guidelines when an act is considered a harassment: 1. victim, as well as harasser, maybe man or women 2. victim does not have to be of the opposite sex 3. the harassment can be the victims superior, agent of the employer, supervisor in the working area, co-worker or non-employer 4. victim doesnt have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct 5. unlawful sexual harassment may not cause economic injury to the victim 6. harassment conduct is unwelcome

 I. Women overseas contract workers women who are usually college graduates or professionals work as domestic helpers to suffice their financial necessities

Social problems of women

Women workers are discriminated from the time they are hired through their years of service specifically in the area of promotion. Job advertisements still specify conditions as for men only or attractive women needed. Women in entertainment are made to display their bodies and required to act on pornographic films. Peasant women usually bear a triple burder: a. They do household chores. b. Work in the field. c. Market their produce.

Economic Stratification

Poverty
Generally defined as lack of sufficient resources United Nations

denial of choices and opportunities lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society not having enough to food and clothing a family not having a school or clinic to go to not having the land on which to grow ones food or a job to earn ones living not having access to credit insecurity, powerlessness and exclusion of individuals, households and communities It means susceptibility to violence, and it often implies living in marginal or fragile environments, without access to clean water or sanitation

 World Bank
Poverty is pronounced deprivation in well-being It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity encompasses low levels of health and education, poor access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate physical security, lack of voice, and insufficient capacity and opportunity to better ones life

Types of Poverty
Absolute Poverty
Individual is unable to provide even the basic necessities of life Felipe Miranda:
Cannot provide needed nutrition requirements Afford to at least two changes in clothing Cannot provide themselves with minimal medical care expenses & afford to pay imputed rent & buy necessary fuel

Copenhagen Declaration:
is a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to social services. The term 'absolute poverty' is sometimes synonymously referred to as 'extreme poverty.

 David Gordon's paper, "Indicators of Poverty & Hunger", for the United Nations, further defines absolute poverty as the absence of any two of the following eight basic needs:
Food: BMI must be above 16. Safe drinking water: Water must not come solely from rivers and ponds, and must be available nearby (less than 15 minutes' walk each way). Sanitation facilities: Toilets or latrines must be accessible in or near the home. Health: Treatment must be received for serious illnesses and pregnancy. Shelter: Homes must have fewer than four people living in each room. Floors must not be made of dirt, mud, or clay. Education: Everyone must attend school or otherwise learn to read. Information: Everyone must have access to newspapers, radios, televisions, computers, or telephones at home. Access to services: This item is undefined by Gordon, but normally is used to indicate the complete panoply of education, health, legal, social, and financial (credit) services.

Common in Sub Saharan Africa

 Relative Poverty
Median family income Relative poverty views poverty as socially defined and dependent on social context, hence relative poverty is a measure of income inequality

Terms related to poverty:

Poverty line
Standard used by the government to denote the borderline between relative & absolute poverty

Poverty threshold
Amount of income that will provide the family with adequate food, clothing & shelter

Causes of Poverty
Cultural Theories
Stress differences between the poor & middle class Set of values & attitudes

Social Structure Theories

Focus not on attitudes but on the institutional structures, primarily the economy, that constrains individuals by limiting opportunities Survival is only for the best fitted White race and who are intelligent are fitted to survive Poverty due to low wages, high rate of unemployment & underemployment as well as culture & values of the people Poverty is brought about because of the depend-of developed countries to underdeveloped & developed countries for their supply of cheap labor force Capitalism as the root cause of poverty

Social Darwinist Theory

Culture of Poverty Theory Dependency Theory

Theory of Capitalism

Aspects of Poverty
Low income comes from either wage employ or self employment Large squatter population are located in urban areas Impoverished children resorted to mendicancy and vagrancy Marginalization of communities are due to depleting resources Impoverishment results from natural calamities Over-all poor state of health among the citizens are due to inadequacy of health services, high-incidence poverty, related illness & low nutrition level There is limited access to educational services esp. from the lower level of society The increasing numbers of overseas contract workers & migrants to other counties are indicative of flight from poverty Anti-social behavior such as criminality & drug addiction is caused directly or indirectly by intolerable conditions of poverty

LABOR UNREST
Unemployment: occurs in all social and occupational groups:
Young Some racial Ethnic minorities Woman Old people People live in declining area

Four Unemployment Sources

Cyclical Employment- defined as workers losing their jobs due to business cycle fluctuations in output Seasonal Employment- an elevated level of unemployment that is expected to occur at certain parts of the year.

 Frictional unemployment- unemployment that occurs because of people moving or changing occupations. It is voluntary on the part of the worker. Structural unemployment- unemployment arising from technical change such as automation, or from changes in the composition of output due to variations in the types of products people demand.

Underemployment
workers that are highly skilled but working in low paying jobs workers that are highly skilled but work in low skill jobs and parttime workers that would prefer to be full-time.

the individual is working but isn't working at their full capability.

Policies of the Government towards Unemployment

Adoption of various policies to restrain rates of unemployment and to train workers for more productive employment. Fiscal policies and monetary policies affect an employment to stimulating or depressing business activity are in place. Such policies however, guide the economy as a whole but they are too broad to be aimed at specific industries or population groups needing help.

 Programs to create new job, to upgrade workers skills or retain workers for new types of jobs are often adopted to fill these needs.
Setting of a minimum wage allowable by law ensure that employees receive subsistence income. Although it is sometimes claim that this increases unemployment among the young by the ruining cost of hiring unskilled workers.

 Providing subsidies to workers or industries to relocate Directing resources into selected industries or sectors through economic planning.

CHILD LABOR

 Children under the age of physical maturity are employed in jobs which required long hours and under inhuman conditions
Exploitation of children Deprived of the companionship of their family and from school

SQUATTER PROBLEM

Causes of Squatting
Poverty Low wages People in the provinces are lured in to the city

Effects of Squatting in the community:

Overcrowding and congestion affect the basic services of the government. High incidence of criminality, lowering of morality, and loss of family values. Pollution and environmental problems. General standard of social and economic status are lowered Delay of implementation of government projects in the area

Effects of squatting to the squatters themselves:

Endangered lives especially those who lives in riverbanks and railways. Live in substandard conditions even to the point of dehumanization Malnutrition, health, sanitation, and criminality are threats to the residents

Government Action
Housing policy of our government is to offer relocation sites. The RA 7279- create jobs and livelihood opportunities both in urban and rural areas.

Low-cost housing projects.

POLITICAL STRIFE

Political Strife
It can be viewed in many aspects such as the following: A power play in leadership Citizens lack of awareness of political power play Crime committed against the government

Political strife are evident in:

1. POOR LEADERSHIP -It is the right of every country and citizen to choose and maintain good leaders.
Good leaders Good government control Less economic problems Lesser crimes and violence

-Poor morale saps energy and contributes to an uncomfortable climate that turns petty disputes into interpersonal wars. Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance. -J Donald Walters

2. GRAFT AND CORRUPTION Graft is defined as a use of public stature to gain illegal benefit. Corruption is the acquisition of money, profit, position anything by illegal, questionable and dishonest means.

Causes of Corruption
Bad examples set by political leaders Marked discrepancy between cultural and legal norms Complex system of justice and the discretionary powers given to government officials Lowly paid government employees and the highly paid officials It is easy for businessmen and politicians to become corrupt and practice graft.

Negative Effects of Corruption

The cost of corruption is passed on to the citizens in the form of high taxes. This practice decreases respect and allegiance to the government and dislocates the national economic planning.

Positive Effects of Corruption

It increases the effectiveness level of bureaucracy by providing more supplemental mechanism for investment purposes. It benefits the depressed sectors of the society in the form of gainful employment.

Remedies to Graft and Corruption

Article II, Section 27 of the 1987 Constitution

The State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption.
Office of the Ombudsman Sandiganbayan Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Services

Election Problems
Cheating Overspending of candidates during campaigns Violation of campaign guidelines Flying voting and vote buying Minimal provision of authority to maintain peace and order in voting places Inferior security provided in maintaining the safety of ballots

Over-Spending in Government
It has a dire effect on the citizens because the governments budget is not used for their benefit. More emphasis should be given in providing the basic needs of the people such as education, health, housing, peace and order.

Nepotism
Favoritism shown by somebody in power to relatives and friends, especially in appointing them to good positions One negative effect of our Filipino values of close family ties

Political Dynasty
Across the country, the same political clans are winning. The equivalent of an oligarchy in political science

Political Violence
Actual physical force employed in achieving political goals. It can also be a threat of violence as well as other forms of harassment and manipulation that do not involve physical injury. Forms of Political Violence: War, political assassination, terrorism, riots and coup d'tat.

 Type of system of government that causes political violence:

Liberalism Conservatism Democratic Socialism

3 Objectives of government against violence:

To defend against foreign attacks To establish administration of justice To undertake providing goods or projects which are not profitable in a free society but will provide collective benefits.

Multi-national or Transnational Corporation

What is multinational corporation?

An enterprise operating in several countries but managed from one (home) country. Generally, any company or group that derives a quarter of its revenue from ooperation's outside of its home country is considered a multinational corporation.

Laws Regarding corporations

Article XII Section 10 60% Filipino owned corporations Authority over foreign investments Section 11 Limitation of foreign investors

 Section 16 The Congress shall not, except by general law, provide for the formation, organization or regulation of private corporations Government owned corporation common good

FACTS ABOUT MULTI-NATIONAL OR TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION

Known as MNC Controls marketing distribution in Third World Facilitate export from developing countries Breaks down monopolies

FACTORS INFLUENCING FOREIGN INVESTMENT

Tax concessions Employment of Aliens Transfer of Earnings Exemption from appropriation or acquisition Ownership of real estates

INVESTMENT INCENTIVE ACT

Republic Act No. 5186 Pioneer investments Investor and enterprises guarantees

EPZS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Republic Act No. 5490 Export Processing Zone Adopted in 1969 Aim to raise foreign exchange investments

Positive Contributions
Purchase of EPZ forms raw materials Purchases of imported equipment Servicing of foreign depts. incurred by the same enterprise Outward profit remittances

Mass Media

A. Four Major Categories of Mass Media

Broadcast Media: 1. Print Media 2. Recordings

3. Motion Pictures
4. Radio and Television

B. Advantages of Mass Media

- Most effective means of disseminating information - Serves as the only source of news for certain individuals - Cheapest form of entertainment

- Learned information shape the way people view the world especially in areas they have little to no experience - Personalities serves as role models to the audience

Effects of Television

C. Negative effects of Mass Media

1. Sexism and Advertising
2. Media Violence 3. Pornography

D. Censorship as a Remedy for the Negative Effects of Media

Censorship- suppression of information, ideas or artistic expression by anyone, whether government officials, church authorities, private pressure groups, or speakers, writers and artists themselves.

E. Conclusion

Summary of:

Structural Violence

Summary of:

Structural Violence

The phrase structural violence was first coined by John Galtung.

Galtung defined it as: an avoidable impairment of fundamental human needs the impairment of human life, which lowers the actual degree to which someone is able to meet their needs below that which would otherwise be possible
SV theorists defined it as: the avoidable disparity between the potential ability to fulfill basic needs and their actual fulfillment
(Ho, 2007)

Summary of:

Structural Violence

Structural violence is almost always invisible, embedded in pervasive social structures, normalized by stable institutions and regular experience.

Structural violence occurs whenever: people are disadvantaged by political, legal, economic or cultural traditions people are denied access to society resources When inner city children have inadequate schools while others do not, when gays and lesbians are fired for their sexual orientation, when laborers toil in inhumane conditions, when people of color endure environmental toxins in their neighborhoods, structural violence exists.
(Winter & Leighton, 2001)

Summary of:

Types of Structural Violence

Economic structural violence Unemployment & impoverishment Economic marginalization and exclusion Exploitation of water, land, people's work Destruction of civil society & infrastructure

Structural Violence

Political structural violence Denial of self-determination, sovereignty, right of return Cultural structural violence Stereotyping of Palestinians, Arabs, women in the media, education, language Discrimination of women Imposition of other cultures and their value systems Authoritarianism and glorification of militarism/the violence of the state and direct violence
(Suryanarayana, Vangapandu, Himabindu & Tirupati, 2010)

Summary of:

Types of Structural Violence

Religious structural violence Fundamentalisms Environmental structural violence Pirating & diversion of water resources Confiscation & destruction of agricultural land
(Suryanarayana, Vangapandu, Himabindu & Tirupati, 2010)

Structural Violence

According to Paul Farmer: The inequalities that exist in terms of disproportionate life chances are directly caused by an unequal distribution of resources but the underlying problems is the power to decide over the distribution of resources is unevenly distributed.
(Ho, 2007)

Summary of:

The Role of Peace Education

Structural Violence

Raises the consciousness of poor citizens regarding the roots of poverty Empowers the ordinary people to seek greater social justice and a fairer distribution of rational wealth and income Awakens the will of those socialized into apathy and hopelessness by generations of deprivation to struggle for justice, freedom and democracy Upholds the desirability of creative non-violent strategies for a just social change

The Role of Peace Education in the Philippines Should encourage the learners to objectively consider the pros and the cons of various economic policies and issues Should emphasize values and skills formation which help the Filipino graduates understand the daily realities of structural violence Should insist on focusing on the training for creative non-violent action instead of military training in educational institutions

Summary of:

Structural Violence
CONCLUSION
Structural violence is preventable if we become aware of its operation, and build systematic ways to alleviate its effects. The same structures which feed structural violence, can also be used to empower citizens to reduce it. In the long run, reducing structural violence by demanding social justice and living wages, providing prenatal care, alleviating sexism, and celebrating local cultures, will be our most surefooted path to building lasting peace.
(Winter & Leighton, 2001)

References
Ho, K. (2007, September). Structural violence as a human rights violation. Essex Human Rights Review, 4(2), 1 - 17. Winter, D. D., & Leighton, D. C. (2001). Structural violence. In D. J. Christie, R. V. Wagner, & D. D. Winter (Eds.), Peace, Conict, And Violence: Peace Psychology In The 21st Century. New York: Prentice-Hall. Suryanarayana, N. V. S., Vangapandu, N. Himabindu, G. & Tirupati, T. (2010). Structural violence. Articlesbase. Retrieved January 20, 2013 from http://www.articlesbase.com/international-studies-articles/structuralviolence-2773901.html. Handout: Chapter 4 Second Issue: Structual Violence

End of Presentation