As we do pre-orientation, with our Team Leaders showing the whereabouts of certain organisations and schools as well as the police, the first stop was GVSP. My work placement.

Gaulandi Volunteer service for the Deaf, partner with ICS in order to improve the economic and social wellbeing of poor and marginalised Filipinos. They do it through active citizenship and asset reform.

GVSP have achieved the goal of creating awareness of 153 Deaf children and the wider public, on Deaf child abuse prevention through their 'Break the Silence Project.' They've also facilitated the participation of 80 Deaf voters in the national mid-term elections as well as health education of 250 Deaf children and youth in six schools.

In the UK, Deaf people are more likely to have mental health problems due to access to services and are more likely to face abuse. In the Philippines, deaf Filipinos cannot facilitate the difference between right and wrong, especially when a stranger is giving them pesos. They think 'he is giving me money, I have to give him what he wants.' GVSP have done training with many and more and more Deaf Filipinos are confessing this horendeous act on them. The abuse are continuous and can be a family member or/and their taxi driver. The vulnerability is that the rapists know they cannot speak or scream therefore the Deaf Filipinos become a sexual victim. Some have been gang raped and left for dead. Many cases have gone to court which is still ongoing. Theres not one family or Deaf person who have got justice. They're simply ignored or witheld.

Sometime during our stay here, we will be standing outside court supporting a Filipino family get justice through protesting and being in their presence. Merely because were Deaf and we know its wrong.....