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Actress Lauren Young isn't having any of it with TV and radio personality Ben Tulfo after it addressed Frankie Pangilinan on rape by saying, “Sexy ladies careful with the way you dress up! You are inviting the beast.”

This led Lauren to share how she was sexually assaulted in public.

She tells her millions of followers, “I was at a bar in Boracay, sober, with my friends and a guy kept harassing everyone there. He kept talking to me and bothering me and just grabbed my boobs out of nowhere. I was fully covered up even at the beach and yet he violated me publicly. #HijaAko.”

She then followed it by declaring, “It's not about what you're wearing --- it's the fact that he was disgusting and wanted to take advantage of me.

“No, I did not give him any signals to do that to me, I was not intoxicated --- and even if I was --- it doesn't give him the right to do that. #HijaAko.”

Its not about what you're wearing - its the fact that he was disgusting and wanted to take advantage of me. No I did not give him any signals to do that to me, I was not intoxicated - and even if I was - it doesnt give him the right to do that. #HijaAko

-- Lauren Young (@loyoung) June 14, 2020

A netizen then objected to Lauren's claims saying that she failed to mention if the guy was sober or not during the said assault.

To which the actress reacted, “Does that excuse what he did? I don't think so…”

“No, it does not. But it completes the story,” the netizen replied.

He continued, “Your boobs getting grabbed by an intoxicated man in a public place is way different than your boobs being grabbed by a completely sober man in a public place. You see my point?”

Lauren then responded, “No, I do not see the difference. Because sober or not you do not do that to anyone.”

Does that excuse what he did? I don't think so... https://t.co/K8EJWVlKIr

-- Lauren Young (@loyoung) June 14, 2020

No I do not see the difference. Because sober or not you do not do that to anyone. https://t.co/csTqGRuw6O

-- Lauren Young (@loyoung) June 14, 2020

“And by the way, if a woman is intoxicated it's her fault? But if a man is intoxicated 'Ayy sorry lasing ako' excuses start to come in,” she added.

And btw if a woman is intoxicated its her fault?

If a man is intoxicated “ayy sorry lasing ako” excuses start to come in. #HijaAko

-- Lauren Young (@loyoung) June 14, 2020

She ended her tirade of tweets by saying, “Good night! Except to those who make excuses for rapists.

“And you know what, I'm not gonna wear a bra in public and you know why? Not because I'm a horny girl asking for it but because my boobs can't breathe and it's uncomfortable, you idiot. #HijaAko.”

Good night! Except to those who make excuses for rapists.

And you know what, I'm not gonna wear a bra in public and you know why? Not because I'm a horny girl asking for it but because my boobs can't breathe and its uncomfortable, you idiot. #HijaAko

-- Lauren Young (@loyoung) June 14, 2020

Rape culture

The celebrity reactions were prompted after Lucban Municipal Police Station warned girls not to wear short dresses as an anti-rape advisory.

According to the now-deleted post and page, “Kayo namang mga gherlsz, 'wag kayo magsusuot ng pagkaikli-ikling damit at 'pag naman nabastos ay magsusumbong din sa amin. Isipin niyo rin.”

According to the Philippine National Police (PNP to GMA News Online, the said post was asked to be taken down and will be investigated due to its victim-blaming message.

Additionally, Directorate for Police Community Relations chief Police Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos said the person behind the post has been identified and is being asked for an explanation.

According to the reports made by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in February 2020, there was a 55.2% increase in women being sexually exploited in 2019 compared to its numbers in 2018. Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) stated around 2,162 rape cases were reported to the police in 2019, about 30.6% higher than in 2018.

In the Philippines, rape is a criminal offense under Anti-Rape Law of 1997 which defines the crime as follows:

“1. A man who shall have carnal knowledge of a woman under any of the following circumstances:

Through force, threat, or intimidation

When the offended party is deprived of reason or otherwise unconscious;

By means of fraudulent machination or grave abuse of authority; and

When the offended party is under 12 years of age or is demented, even though none of the circumstances mentioned above be present.

“2. By any person, who, under any circumstances mentioned in paragraph 1 hereof, shall commit any act of sexual assault by inserting his penis into another person's mouth or anal orifice, or any instrument or object, into the genital or anal orifice of another person.”

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