Chocolates & Roses: Breaking the silence about domestic violence in the Philippines
An ethnographic documentary coming soon!
Violence against women is widely recognized as a significant global problem, a major public health concern and one of the most widespread violations of human rights.
Violence against women, including domestic violence, is a universal phenomenon that persists in all countries and societies of the world, affecting all communities irrespective of race, gender, class, religion, cultural background or ethnicity. Nevertheless, there are cross-national and cultural variations.
Philippines ranks among the top three countries for gender equality in East Asia and the Pacific, yet domestic violence against girls and women is widespread, endemic and on the rise. Domestic violence is considered a serious and pervasive human rights and global public health issue in the Philippines and an important risk factor for suicidal behavior, both for the ‘victims’ and their children.
“Chocolate and roses: Breaking the silence” is an ethnographic documentary resulting from a visual research project on domestic/family violence against women and girls in the Philippines and its impact on suicidal behaviour. Through deeply personal accounts, we meet women from all walks of life—from a young mother raising three children in the streets of the country’s second-largest slum while enduring abuse from her drug-addicted husband, to a respected psychiatrist who only found the strength to leave her marriage when her husband violently assaulted her while she was pregnant. These stories cross social classes, gender identity and ethnicity, revealing how domestic violence spares no one.
Against the backdrop of national efforts such as the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, this film also examines the legal and cultural frameworks that compound these struggles. In a country where divorce remains illegal under all circumstances—the only one in the world with such a ban—and where annulment is rarely acknowledged by the church, survivors like Gail are often further isolated and stigmatized by their communities and religious institutions.
Yet, interwoven with these stories of suffering are narratives of resistance and resilience. The film honors the tireless work of grassroots advocates and support organizations—many led by survivors themselves—who are striving to break the cycle of violence and create pathways to healing.
“Chocolate and roses“ is not just a story about the Philippines. It is a universal call to acknowledge and challenge the violence endured by millions of women around the world, and a tribute to those who dare to speak out in societies where silence is often the only accepted response, including a society that is beginning to change but remains bound by religious traditions and conservative laws.
Ethnographic audiovisual explorations of experiences of domestic/family violence and strategies to deal with this violence have important implications for practice.
This project aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of the experience of domestic/family violence against Filipino women and girls. In particular, it explored successful help strategies as well as barriers in receiving/providing help. The experiences collected through this visual research contribute to improving prevention strategies for violence against women and girls and suicidal behaviour, while also represent a powerful medium for advocacy and public awareness -both in the Philippines and beyond.
This visual research project was funded by The University of Melbourne ECR Award to Dr Erminia Colucci (Principal Investigator and director/camera) and was carried out in collaboration with Dr Dinah Nadera (Ateneo de Manila University, School of Medicine and Public Health) and the National Center for Mental Health in the Philippines, and the Centre for Mental Health, Global and Cultural Mental Health Unit at The University of Melbourne, Australia.
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