population and that the rules on relationships with other women are not as strict. They also shared that most of them are in a relationship with a fellow detainee and that they are able to hold hands, kiss and sleep together. However, those with partners in medium security are unable to visit and they would only see each other during mass. This kind of leniency is however rare as most of the FGDs revealed strict rules on relationships, particularly for lesbian, bisexual, and transgender inmates. There were also participants who shared accounts of sexual abuse and violence perpetrated by fellow inmates. An FGD participant recalled, “May karanasan po akong pag-aabusong sekswal, pine-pressure, pinagsasalitaan ng hindi maganda, abusado, diskriminasyon sa kasama ko sa loob at sa female custodial (I experienced being sexually abused, pressured and talked down to, abused, and discriminated against at the female custodial).” Another woman from Sorsogon Provincial Jail shared that she had been subjected to sexual abuse while in detention, but since she did not know where to seek assistance, no complaint was filed. A transgender woman inmate from the CARAGA region shared: “Yes, I experienced sexual abuse. That was during my first two months in jail when one of the prisoners showed me extraordinary care and I did not believe he wanted something in return … Weeks after, he blocked me as I was on the way out of the bathroom, startled me with an improvised knife, and raped me. Out of fear, I did nothing.” (local language translation not available) In these cases of varying forms of violence and discrimination against women deprived of liberty, the challenge of seeking remedies is apparent. Without information and knowledge on the available redress mechanisms and complaints procedures, without assurance of protection from retaliation and further discrimination and violence, many survivors of violence are silenced. The power relations involved in incarceration are instrumental in silencing many survivors. As one participant shared, they experienced being belittled and their voices dismissed, as evidenced by the statement of a detention facility officer: “Kung magagalit kayo, walang mangyayari. PDL lang kayo (Nothing will happen if you get angry. You are merely persons deprived of liberty)!” 27