AFTER sexual harassment allegations went viral on social media, more students from the Far Eastern University came forward and accused teachers of sexually abusing them.

Under the hashtags #FEUSHSDoBetter and #FEUHSBeAccountable, complainants urged the school administration to take action against the teachers involved in the issue.

More alleged victims surfaced and bared their ordeal after the issue trended online.

Some students posted screen shots of alleged inappropriate private messages of teachers to students and stories of faculty members’ supposed attempts to have relationships with minors.

Grooming

One post tells the story of Maria.

Then 17, Maria developed a friendship with Mr. Cruz by inviting him to become her date.

“It all started around November 2018, my friends and I were planning to go to UST’s Paskuhan and nagbibiruan kami kasi wala akong date. At that time, they were telling me to chat Sir Cruz if he wants to come with us or maybe even become my date,” she said.

The friendly messages turned flirtatious. The teacher told her things an inexperienced high school girl wouldn’t be able to pick up.

“Around late November 2018 or early December 2018 he already told me he loves me through a voice message. Nag-I love you back ako,” Maria said.

Maria stated that their relationship was okay.

“We were a thing back then eventually naging date ko siya for Paskuhan kasi ‘yun nga, never ko na-feel na it was all wrong at that time,” she said.

“After a week I came back to him but he suddenly called it quits. Lately, he told me nakonsensiya raw siya kaya niya ginawa sa akin ‘yun but I just found out that on February 2019, he was already harassing a friend of mine,” Maria said.

“He doesn’t deserve to teach if he can’t even do or respect the ethics of being a teacher. Same goes to other predators and groomers of any institution out there. Nakakadiri kayo. Stop taking advantage of your student’s feelings. It took me years of blaming myself,” she said.

Doubting whether her exchanges with a teacher were normal, Kristine also shared her experiences.

Kristine, who was also then 17, became friends with Mr. Reyes after the latter assisted her in school activities. What started as a casual conversation turned into something inappropriate.

“He started grooming me last 2019. I think that was July 2019 when he started chatting me every night and giving me advice about my family problems and other personal problems. He did it to be closer with me and to get me. That’s where he started. A great manipulator by his words,” Kristine said.

She narrated that she was also harassed, manipulated, gaslighted and was taken advantage by Mr. Reyes’ co-teachers from the HUMMS department.

“Ang sama-sama ng loob ko na may mga tropa rin itong mga mahuhusay at magagaling na teachers. If you guys were aware of their shenanigans, why y’all enable and tolerate their shitty behavior,” she said.

While asking Kristine to be his “friend with benefits,” Mr. Reyes told her that it’s okay with him “to be exposed online.”

“If calling me out and telling everyone how much of a hypocrite I am will make you feel better, then do so. I deserve it…Kung friends, puwede bang friends with benefits man lang,” Mr. Reyes said in a chat.

Kristine also claimed that Mr. Reyes used her “traumas” by publishing a series of literature collection for his writing career.

Sexual grooming

There are several Philippine laws that protect people, especially students against unwanted sexual advances.

The Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 defines sexual harassment as demands or requests for sexual favors by a person in authority in the workplace, school, or training environment.

The Safe Spaces Act of 2018 expands the definition to include perpetrators who aren’t necessarily persons of authority. The law also covers acts that may not be overtly sexual but are suggestive or have sexual undertones.

In an education premise, the sexual favor is made as a condition to giving a passing grade, granting honors or scholarships, or the payment of a stipend, allowance, other benefits or consideration.

The sexual advances may also result in intimidation, or a hostile or offensive nature to a student, trainee or apprentice.

In a study conducted by Daniel Pollack entitled “Understanding Sexual Grooming in Child Abuse Cases,” it said that grooming is a method used by offenders that involves building trust with a child in an effort to gain access to and time alone with him/her.

“The offender may assume a caring role, befriend the child or even exploit their position of trust and authority to groom the child and/or the child’s family. These individuals intentionally build relationships with the adults around a child or seek out a child who is less supervised by adults in her/his life. This increases the likelihood that the offender’s time with the child is welcomed and encouraged,” Pollack explained.

Other behaviors predators may use during the grooming process are activities that can be sexually arousing to adults who have a sexual interest in children.

“With each victim who is groomed and sexually abused, we question how it could have happened, how signs leading up the abuse were missed. Knowledge, training, and awareness are our best weapons, and our best chance to prevent abuse before it occurs,” he said.

FEU condemns sexual harassment

The FEU-HS administration has decried the alleged sexual harassment committed by their teachers, saying they take “these claims seriously.”

“We assure the FEU High School Community that this matter is one that we take very seriously, and all efforts are being made to maintain a safe school environment free from any gender-based sexual harassment,” FEU-HS said.

“We strongly urge our students to report these kinds of incidents to our Human Resources Office by sending an email along with supporting evidence to [email protected], so these matters may be handled accordingly. Students may also reach and seek assistance from their respective guidance counselors by sending an email to [email protected],” it added.

The FEU-HS Student Government also condemned such malicious action.

“We unequivocally condemn the alleged sexual misconduct and acts of inappropriateness by select FEU High School employees, both former and current,” it said in a statement.

“We stand in solidarity with students from our institution in the fight against sexual harassment and manipulation, and we believe that the shift of burdened responsibility from the perpetrators to the victims is utterly unacceptable,” it added.

The student body stressed that sexual advances should be punished.

“We call for accountability and justice to engage in efforts to inquire upon the issue and to affect changes in our system and deemed necessary those who are at fault,” FEU-HS SG said.

*Names have been changed for security and privacy.