Behind the Screen
Tatler delves deeper into cyberbullying to shed light on the threats that this issue poses in the modern, digital world
A look into one of the perils of the technological age: cyberbullying
“I was a girl full of dreams.” This was how Paula Salvosa described herself when Tatler asked how she was before being a victim of cyberbullying. On November 13, 2012, she was caught on video yelling at a security guard at the LRT 2 Santolan Station. Uploaded on YouTube, the video captured Salvosa repeatedly uttering, “So you’re saying I’m a liar?”, which gave birth to the buzzword “Amalayer”.
Salvosa’s momentary outburst became a national scandal. Different news agencies—from tabloids, broadsheets and late-night programmes— picked up her story and broadcasted it to millions of Filipinos.
Even when she managed to share her side of the story (that the guard allegedly grabbed her when she failed to put her bag on the conveyor of an X-ray machine), Salvosa failed to earn sympathy. Behind the cameras, and away from social media, she became fearful of what will be thrown at her next. “I began failing some of my classes, I was not able to function properly,” she says. In fact, even several years later, she still suffers from the scar the cyberbullying left. A series of clinical visits diagnosed her as suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Bipolar 1 disorder.
According to Prescription Psychiatrists Philippines, symptoms of PTSD include vivid flashbacks of the trauma, nightmares, intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma, physical sensations such as pain, sweating, nausea or trembling.
“While I acquired PTSD because of the cyberbullying, my Bipolar 1 Disorder was caused by some environmental, psychological and biological factors that triggered my predisposition to the illness. My psychiatrist told me that the ‘Amalayer’ incident was the catalyst of one of my manic episodes,” she shares.
If Salvosa can get psychological treatment for her disorders, her legal options are next to nil. In the Philippines, lawmakers are still lobbying for bills that specifically cater to victims of cyberbullying. Former House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur 1st District Representative Rolando Andaya Jr, for one, filed House Bill (HB) 5718 or the Act Defining and Penalising the Crime of Cyberbullying. In his explanatory note, he says, “Because of the anonymity that the Internet gives, social and moral norms are easily switched off and users are emboldened to just say or post anything online without accountability. Internet bashing has become a culture among Internet users and even spawned problems that involve hostility and aggression.”
He defines cyberbullying as “acts of cruelty committed using the Internet or any form of electronic media or technology that has the
effect of stripping one’s dignity or causing reasonable fear or physical or emotional harm”. His bill seeks to impose, at the discretion of the Court, a penalty of fines ranging from PhP50,000 to PhP100,000, or imprisonment between six months and six years, or both. The bill has yet to hurdle the lower chamber.
What then can Salvosa and company do? They may seek the assistance of the cybercrime divisions of the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), or the Department of Justice (DOJ).
According to DOJ, formal charges may be filed with the help of RA10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act. Here, any person found guilty of committing prohibited acts of libel as defined in Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code may be punished with prision correccional in its maximum period to prision mayor in its minimum period, or a fine ranging from PhP6,000 and up to the maximum amount determined by the Court.
As of this writing, Salvosa says that she is still in the process of healing. “I am taking my maintenance medication religiously [and I am] undergoing therapy sessions.” To cope, she has joined a Christian community that helps her advocate and care for people dealing with mental health disorders.
“People have the tendency to dehumanise those they do not agree with. For many people and public figures, most of whom cite ignorance or evolving standards of decency for their failures, a ‘call out’ can serve as a catalyst for growth, but only if given the chance to re-engage in the conversation,” she adds.