Hindering Factors To Coping

In conclusion, the micro, mezzo, and macro systems present in the survivors’ environment were contributing factors to the holistic well-being of these surviving families, including the crucial stage of their grieving experiences. The biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of their well-being provide an explanation on how and why they struggle to healthily grieve and process their emotions. It is also important to note that several factors affect their lives from their grieving process, coping process, and ultimately, their recovery process.

Hindering Factors To Coping The research shows that there are several factors impeding and facilitating the coping processes of the EJK survivors. The researchers used the American Psychological Association’s definition of coping (2014): “the cognitive and behavioural strategies to help reduce the negative emotions or conflict caused by stress.” Additionally, for the purpose of this study, the researchers defined coping as the short-term process they underwent to manage to survive and deal with the aftermath of the incident.

The hindering factors to be discussed refer to those that are present in the survivors’ internal and external systems—interpersonal, family-level, community-level, and societal-level—that disrupt their coping process. These include elements that further exacerbate the family’s situation following their loss and those that prevent the family from dealing with the incident in a healthy manner.

BIOLOGICAL FACTORS

Table 17

Biological Factors that Hinder Coping

Main themes Survival Sub-themes 1.

Poor physical health 2. Needing to prioritize their family’s survival above their own emotions

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Three out of the 10 participants shared that survival factors affected their coping process. Two respondents shared that poor physical health affected their coping process since they could not function properly. Two interviewees claimed that they felt the need to focus on their family’s survival above anything else, thus neglecting their emotional and mental well-being that impacted their coping from the incident. “Natalie” shared that her body collapsed due to too much stress and exhaustion, which made it hard for her to balance the needs of her family and her own needs. Additionally, because she was too focused on how to provide for her family, she became too overwhelmed with the responsibility and did not have the time to work on her emotions.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS

Table 18

Psychological Factors that Hinder Coping

Main themes Recurrence of the trauma

Self-Perception of Psychological weaknesses Sub-themes 1.

Triggers/Visions

1. 2. 3. Self-blaming and self-pity Acquired vices Overthinking

One out of the 10 participants claimed to have their coping process be impeded by the recurrence of trauma through being exposed to trauma triggers. “Ella” shared that seeing her brother’s body in the casket was enough to cause a breakdown, prompting her to lock herself in her room and her family to disallow her from attending her brother’s wake in consideration of her well-being. She also shared instances where her father would claim to see the victim still alive in their house, which resulted in him having to drink alcohol just so he could sleep.

Six of the participants shared several internal weaknesses which affected their coping, including (1) self-blaming and self-pity, (2) acquired vices to cope, and (3) overthinking. Three participants shared that they blamed themselves over the death of their loved one and expressed that their family member would not have died had they done something to prevent the circumstances leading to the incident. In particular, “Ella” shared, “Nandun kaming dalawa ng kapatid ko na parang sinisi namin yung sarili namin kung bakit namatay yung kapatid namin. Ako nung panahon na yun, hindi siya dapat namatay kung umuwi ako tapos tinulungan ko siya sa RRL [review of related literature] niya.” (Both my sibling and I blamed ourselves for our brother’s death. I thought at that time that he would not have died had I gone back home and helped him with his RRL [review of related literature]). “Claire” felt immense pity for what her family had gone through which resulted in her feeling down and weak:

“Bigla-bigla na lang, parang magigising ka na lang, tapos mag-iisip ka na naman tapos iiyak ka na lang--tapos naawa ako sa sitwasyon namin; basta feeling ko down na down kami noon tapos parang ang hina-hina ko talaga noon.” (Suddenly, you will wake up, then you will think then you will cry—I feel pity over our situation; I feel we were so down back then and that I was immensely weak).

One respondent shared that she started to smoke and drown herself in alcohol. Five shared that they experienced bouts of overthinking, and “Natalie” claimed that her

overthinking kept her up at night. She would often think about the identity of the assailants, whether they have children of their own, and if the murder also kept the assailants up at night.

SOCIAL FACTORS

Table 19

Social Factors that Hinder Coping

Main themes Stigma and Discrimination

Lack of External Support Sub-themes 1. 2.

From the community

From the schools

1. Exorbitant funeral fees

2. 3. Having to support the deceased’s children Unstable income and livelihood

4.

Lack of government assistance 5. Community and relatives unable to provide support due to being financially challenged as well 6. Limited knowledge or access to service providers

Security Issues 1. Community being a WOD hotspot or with active presence of intimidation

Four out of the 10 interviewees experienced stigma and discrimination. “Natalie” claimed that her community judged them harshly and even claimed that the family deserved the murder, while “Kristina” and “Veronica” shared that their grandchildren and children, respectively, experienced taunting in their school and by their playmates. “Veronica” also added that her neighbors spread ill-rumors about them. One of them claimed:

“Parang ‘yon ang tingin nila sa amin: mababa na. Kaya [naman] wala na kaming kumpyansa sa sarili. Kagaya sa akin, nasa loob na lang ako [ng bahay], lumalabas lang pag may kailangan na kailangan talaga.” (That was how they looked at us: lowly. That was why we did not have self-confidence. For me, I was always inside [our house], I only went out when I needed to do something important).

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Seven participants claimed that the lack of external support affected their coping process. This factor includes (1) exorbitant funeral fees, (2) having to support the deceased’s children, (3) unstable income and livelihood, (4) lack of government assistance, (5) community and relatives unable to provide support due to being financially challenged as well, and (6) limited knowledge or access to service providers. Two participants shared that exorbitant burial fees drove their families into further debt, while one interviewee narrated that she had to support the children of her deceased sons, which added to the number of people she had to financially support. Seven respondents explained that their unstable source of livelihood or low income compromised their ability to provide for their basic needs. Two participants saw a lack of government assistance, as these agencies either reasoned a lack of resources or the survivors’ request for assistance was simply denied. Two participants also shared that they were unable to receive support from their community or relatives as they were also financially-challenged, while one respondent claimed that she was unaware of possible organizations that could provide the family with assistance. Thus, these factors compromised their way of living and deprived them of the chance to cope properly since they had limited external support which could have assisted them with their survival.

It is important to note that aside from being unable to get support from the government due to reasons such as lack of resources or their requests being denied, at least half of the participants shared that it was their distrust of the government that prevented or originally discouraged them from asking for assistance. For them, because they think that the government is responsible for the WoD that killed their family and that they were complicit in the murder, it would be impossible to ask for help from them or that they were too angry at the government to even consider asking for help. Some of the participants completely refrained from asking, while some still tried to avail the services despite their negative feelings towards the government. According to “Kristina”, her neighbors urged her to seek help from the office of the city mayor but she refused as she claimed that they were still part of the government, and

“Sinolo lang talaga namin, kasi hindi ka naman makahingi ng tulong pag ganyan, dito pag ganung tokhang, hindi magbibigay agad [ng tulong].” (We did not ask for help, we could not ask for help if it’s related to Tokhang; they won’t give you [assistance]).

Three out of 10 participants said that security issues, such as having an active presence of intimidation in their WOD-hotspot community, prevented them from coping. Constant fear for their lives and the anxiousness over their actions were felt by the participants.

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SPIRITUAL FACTORS

Table 20

Spiritual Factors that Hinder Coping

Main themes Weakened spirituality Sub-themes 1.

Feeling forsaken/alone

Three of the 10 participants claimed that their weakened spirituality affected how they cope, particularly with regards to how they felt forsaken and alone. They questioned why the incident had to happen to them and blamed God for allowing it to happen. According to “Veronica,”

Kasi hirap ka na nga eh. Bakit papahirapan ka pa? Yun po yung nasa isip ko nun. Yun po yung balakid kung bakit kinwestyon ko [Siya]. Kasi hindi na nga kami nakakaluwag sa buhay, papahirapan pa kami. Parang sa tingin mo ba kaya ko pa? (“We were already suffering; why did He let us suffer more?” That was what was in my mind back then. That was our struggle hence why I questioned [God]. Because we’re already suffering in life, yet we still have to suffer more. Does [He] think I can handle all this?)

The results show that the restrictive systems the EJK survivors play a big role in affecting how they try to survive after the incident. The hindering biological factors of (1) poor physical health and (2) needing to prioritize their family’s survival above their own emotions were supported by Felbab-Brown (2017) and Santos’ (2020) studies, respectively.

Boghani’s article published in 2019, Coronel et al.’s (2019), and the National Association for Social Work Education, Inc.’s (NASWEI) (2017) research also support this research’s findings on the way stigma and discrimination in the survivors’ community and schools hinder their coping process. It is in the way that the community feels relieved upon the death of the victim, as they feel that their neighborhood had been rid of a “headache,” that makes the family feel isolated and discriminated against (Coronel et al., 2019). Conde’s (2020) study showed similarities with this research in discussing the way the survivors have been deprived of government assistance which affected their survival after the HRV violation, while Espenido’s (2018) study supports the finding on how the survivors were made to change the cause of death of the victims, just to be able to receive government assistance. Felbab-Brown’s study published in 2017 supports the findings on the low income of the left-behind family which affects their quality of life, and Amnesty International UK (2020) showed how the exorbitant funeral fees added to the crippling debt the families have to tend to. Meanwhile, Philippine Human Rights Information Center’s (PhilRights) study (2019) highlighted the security issues the survivors face which disallowed them to properly cope as some had to change residences for their safety.