Women This Week: #MeToo Trends in Thailand After Women Speak Out Against Politician

High-Profile Thai Politician Charged With Sexual Abuse and Rape

Deputy Leader of the Thai Democrat Party Prinn Panitchpakdi resigned last week after an eighteen-year old woman accused him of sexual assault. On Saturday, Prinn was charged with sexual abuse and rape after five women filed separate complaints; Prinn was released on bail on Sunday. Since the initial allegation, more than a dozen women have come forward to accuse Prinn of rape and sexual abuse. A lawyer representing the accusers said the women had been afraid to come forward due to the powerful status of Prinn’s father, a former World Trade Organization chief and a former deputy prime minister of Thailand. The #MeToo hashtag has trended on social media in Thailand since the accusers came forward, with many social media users discussing the apparent impunity for Thailand’s political elites.

Turkish Prosecutors Seek to Shut Down Prominent Women’s Rights Organization

Turkish prosecutors have filed a lawsuit  demanding the closure of We Will Stop Femicide, the largest women’s rights organization in Turkey, alleging the organization is “against morality.” We Will Stop Femicide has been among the most outspoken organizations to object to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on violence against women last year. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets on Saturday in several Turkish cities to oppose the lawsuit against We Will Stop Femicide. Human rights groups have voiced their support  of the organization, as have some celebrities and politicians.

Disinformation Ahead of Philippines’ Presidential Election Targets Candidate’s Daughter

Disinformation has plagued the presidential campaign in the Philippines, and the daughter of Vice President and current presidential candidate Leni Robredo has become the latest target. Online content attempted to link Robredo’s daughter to sexually explicit material; that content has since become inaccessible. Analysts have observed that disinformation has disproportionately targeted Robredo and benefitted presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and current leader in presidential polls. Robredo has spoken out against disinformation and has accused the Marcos campaign of being responsible for the smear campaign against her daughter. The Marcos campaign has denied the accusation.