Alina's Story: From victim to advocate

As a child, life at home was difficult for Alina. Living with 11 other children in an impoverished community in the Philippines, there was never enough to go around. When a distant aunt asked Alina to come and stay with her family to care for her child and help around the house, Alina saw a chance for stability. “I instantly said yes,” she remembers. Alina moved to her aunt’s house, anxious to leave the chaos of home behind.

In her new home, Alina had food to eat. She had enough money to take the bus to school. She was part of a family.

Everything changed when her aunt’s husband returned to the family home. A high-ranking police officer, he had been assigned to a far-off municipality when Alina first moved in.

“I want to give [other clients] courage by letting them know that they are a blessing.” – Alina Alina (pictured with an IJM social worker) now helps other victims of abuse as they seek justice.

“I love hosting and organizing events.”
Alina helps lead an event at a recent gathering for participants in IJM Manila’s S.T.A.R. programme.

Upon his return, he sexually assaulted 11-year-old Alina and threatened her with violence if she told anyone about the abuse.

Alina had no voice. She was a young girl from a poor family, and her assailant was a man of influence in the community because of his position on the police force. For several months, Alina remained silent – afraid to speak against him or to even tell anyone what had happened to her.

“With [my uncle’s] return, I faced a prisonlike existence. … I was trapped in my brokenness, my silence and my fears for a long time,” Alina remembers.

But someone was willing to speak up for Alina. IJM Manila’s team of lawyers learned of her case. They began working with local authorities to secure the arrest and prosecution of her attacker. Alina had an advocate and a chance for justice.

IJM legal staff are still pursuing justice for Alina in court. The process has lasted more than five years – in the Philippine judicial system, court proceedings can be particularly long and protracted – but the trial against her abuser is moving forward. Alina is not giving up, and neither are the IJM lawyers standing with her.

IJM also filed an official complaint against Alina’s uncle with the Philippine National Police, seeking his dismissal from the force. After four years of advocacy, the Philippine National Police issued their decision, and the message was clear. Alina’s abuser was dismissed from the force for conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

And today, the girl who once had no voice is a young woman with a strong presence and a passion to stand for justice. IJM aftercare staff continue to work alongside her as she pursues her goals for the future. She is attending college, where she is studying Mass Communications. “Broadcasting is my passion,” she explains. “I want to share with other people the knowledge, the experience and the lessons that I have learned in life.”

Alina is also pursuing this passion for helping others by advocating for and supporting other victims through IJM Manila’s S.T.A.R. program. As a part of the S.T.A.R. program, Alina helps other victims of abuse prepare to testify against their perpetrators in court – a process that can be extremely difficult. “I can put myself in their shoes and understand them,” she says. “The main reason why I am doing this is to help them come out triumphantly from the situation.” Today, Alina is a voice of hope to new clients in the Manila office, sharing her own story and encouraging them through the process of seeking justice.

As you read this, other young, innocent victims of sexual abuse wait silently for an advocate. On their behalf, we ask you to join with IJM so that, together, we can speak up for these children. Please give a financial gift today so that IJM can protect more children like Alina.

S.T.A.R.: From Victims to Advocates

Participants in IJM’s S.T.A.R. programme celebrate during a recent event.

Alina is just one of a growing team of former clients in IJM’s S.T.A.R. programme who help others walk through the journey of justice and restoration. The programme, which stands for “Standing Together to Advance Rights,” began in the Manila field office in 2007, and has already grown to a group of more than 20 young adults.

The participants, who have been victimized by trafficking, sexual violence or illegal imprisonment, build a strong network of support for each other. Guided by IJM aftercare staff, S.T.A.R. participants take part in leadership training, community service and teambuilding. They are also equipped with skills that enable themto mentor others who have been abused, a powerful step in their own process of healing.

“Participants in the S.T.A.R programme are living proof that you can survive these forms of abuse and even thrive – and for the victims they walk alongside, they represent a promise of hope that you can really get better,” explains Kathy Stout-Labauve, IJM Aftercare Specialist. “For the S.T.A.R. participants themselves, the programme represents an opportunity to give back, as something tragic in their own lives is used for good in another person’s. It is beautiful the way the process of healing comes full circle.”