Issue and Opposition: Women of a Filipino village named Dado situated on Mindanao island were tired of all the in-fighting and conflicts their husbands and male partners were engaged in and wanted to end the violence. The cooperative was helpful to the village women to earn income and improve their household economic condition. However, the fights between male community members waste their time and intervened with their work schedules at the cooperative. Because of unsafe roads, many women were scared to visit the cooperative’s office and deliver their finished products.
Dilemma Action: Women of the village planned a sex strike as a strategy to stop the fighting in their community. They discussed this idea in a gathering at a UNHCR-sponsored sewing cooperative. UNHCR Spokesperson for Asia, Kitty McKinsey, said she witnessed the women quietly implement the solution to withhold sex from their husbands until the fighting stopped — and it worked. The act of denying sex as a punishment is known as a Lysistratic tactic. Written by Aristophanes in around 411 BC, is an ancient Greek comedy that narrates how women by refusing sexual favors to their husbands and lovers – warriors fighting in the Peloponnesian War- were successful in ending it. The Peloponnesian War was fought between the Greek city-states and had great negative impacts on all parties in the War. Loss of wealth and life concerned the female protagonist of the play Lysistrata and other women. Persuaded by Lysistrata, women declare that they would refuse sex to their men if they did not stop fighting with each other. The comedy focuses much on the battle of wit and the battle between the sexes.
Outcome: This dilemma action had positive results within a short time. After the women began their protest and sex strike, it took men only a couple of weeks before they stopped their violent behavior. Reports indicate that the village riads opened up and were found to be safe for women. Increased safety on roads helped the village women to continue their work at the sewing cooperative.