Before there were cases of rape against young women outside their houses or before there were cases of rape perpetrated or done outside marriage and elsewhere either by group of drug addicts or gangs or by single person alone; now there is a full blown decline of such cases but has become full blown rather on their own homes which should be their den of protection against lingering rapist in the streets but their homes had become now the den for committing rapes and other domestic sexual violence. Moreover, what replace the rape outside respective homes are the rape cases against fellow males, but just rarely.
Recent reports presents a great number of increase, according to the 2008 National Demographic Health Survey that one among five among Filipino that ranges from age 15 to 49 has been reported to had experienced physical and sexual domestic violence by their husbands and their own father( for children being sexually abused)
“From 2006 to the present, there has been a constant increase, In 2011 there were 12,948 reported cases, up from 4,954 in 2006 – a rise of more than 150 percent – the PNP Women and Children’s Protection Centre (PNP-WPC) noted. From January to April of 2012, 5,629 cases have been reported. ..The 2008 National Demographic Health Survey estimated that one in five Filipino women between the ages of 15 and 49 had experienced physical violence, while 14.4 percent of women have been physically abused by their husbands….”
Unfortunately, the department in the Philippines that should protect women and children is clueless why domestic violence happens according to chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), Elizabeth Angsioco. The Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines is a national federation of women’s grassroots communities in the Philippines that protects the rights of women; but some quite or not quite similar to party list group Gabriela, as well as to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that seeks welfare of anyone in the Philippine society but most of all women and children.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development or DSWD had nothing also to do about it or just clueless why it happens despite there is an enforcement of the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law, which was passed in year 2004.For if this government department – the Department of Social Welfare and Development or DSWD- and as well as these Non-government organizations or NGOs like the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines and the party list group Garbriela really acts and enforce what their department and organization is purpose of, why still sexual violence and domestic violence still happens and rules and increases in number? Is the Department of Social Welfare and Development or DSWD just wasting government funds or just secretly corrupting it and doing the Noynoy thing – as they call it, “Noynoying” – and since this social department in the Philippines is under the wings of protection of Noynoy, thus it is not scrutinize but spare and whitewash in the public to be working hard as Noynoy himself though his hypocrisy and lies is already blatant and apparent still says the opposite what the thinking public sees about his public acts. Great hypocrite is he, why he scrutinize or examine the irregularities on his own management which is already apparent and obvious?
“Yes, there is an increase in reported cases, but we cannot say why. Part of it may be a natural development due to the increased awareness of the laws meant to protect women,” admitted by chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), Elizabeth Angsioco.
Ironically, “…Since the legislation was passed (the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law) , the number of cases of reported intimate partner violence has been steadily increasing, from 218 in 2004 to 9,021 in 2011. Violations of RA 9262 make up the largest component of reported acts of violence against women (VAW), including rape, sexual assault, and physical injury…”
Actually, the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law, is a law that protects the welfare of women and children in the Philippines from all forms and sorts of violence of violation of their human rights.”… . It broadened the definition of abuse to include physical, emotional and economic harm. It also made violence by an intimate partner (anyone with whom a woman has a sexual relationship) a public crime, and made it possible for anyone -not just the victim – to file a case against a perpetrator….”
In concurrence, the World Health Organization also agree to the increasing number of level of sexual violence in the Philippines and described it to be of serious concern to ponder about,”… The World Health Organization described the level of sexual violence in the Philippines as ‘a serious cause of concern’..”.
However, the authorities in the Philippines said in contrast that they are doing some measures to avert and combat the violation of the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law,but they deem it to be of personal matters for the Philippine police do not see themselves as marriage council that repairs marriage or relationship that had marred or broken; but yet these Philippine police as if willfully forget or just oblivious that there are cases of the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law which need their attention or which require their intervention and authority.
“..The authorities have taken a number of measures, mainly gender-sensitive interventions, to encourage women to come forward…..“Before the law [RA 9262], domestic violence was seen as a private issue. Some [police] officers were confused about their role and would reconcile couples,”
However, some senior competent Philippine police knew their roles in pertaining to such cases but some neophyte or even oldies doesn’t knew their roles regarding the implementation of Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law.
But actually, the Philippine National Police or PNP in 2007 had constructed Women and Children Protection Centres or WCPC to protect women and children or house them in these centers which shoulders their welfare. There are already 1,800 Women and Children Protection Centres or WCPC in the Philippines or across the Philippines archipelago and 3,038 policewomen stationed on these centers which houses women and children that has undergone abuses like sexual abuse and domestic violence.
“..The PNP established Women and Children Protection Centres (WCPC) in 2007 to deal with crimes involving the exploitation and abuse of women and children. There are now more than 1,800 such centres throughout the country, staffed by 3,038 policewomen trained in the laws that protect women, such as RA 9262, and gender sensitivity. Some police stations have been equipped with child-friendly interview rooms for minors, and pink interview rooms for women…”.
But despite the Philippine National Police or PNP has done a solution to handle cases that violates the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law, still there is still lacking on their part for according to them volumes of cases that violates the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law is continually increasing and their stationed policewomen are reported to to overworked since they lack more staffs and police to do and handle and manage each cases from the violation of the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law.
“…Despite these measures there are still huge challenges, including a shortage of staff to handle the volume of cases. Some police stations are not open 24 hours a day, and most policewomen take on additional functions, such as community relations, apart from handling the women’s desk. “These policewomen are overworked and we are understaffed,….. Of the 140,000 PNP personnel, only an estimated 15,600 are women…”
According to chief of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), NharleenSantos-Millar, which is on the Policy Development and Advocacy Division, said that since the passage of the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law, there are volumes of convictions but find it hard to manage each one.
“…Since the passage of RA 9262, there have been a number of convictions, but getting the exact numbers would involve the arduous task of going to individual Family Courts, said Santos-Millar. The systematic compilation of data lags behind and means the success of the measures to protect women and children cannot be accurately monitored…”
In 2009,according to Amnesty International ( a human rights watchdog),published their reviews regarding the implementation of the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law, said the major problems why there is an increasing volumes of cases regarding the violation of the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law in the Philippines is because there is no visible near legitimate and Philippine National Police authorized police stations on each women and children that has been abuse and strip out their rights on the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law, on which they could report with and that will help them in their abused condition thus they endure rather their abuse condition; and this is the deterrent for rising volumes of human rights violation regarding the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law.
However, the Philippine National Police in response to the reviews and report of Amnesty International which is an international human rights watchdog last year 2009 made an action to end the deterrence and bridge the gap between women and children from far away or remote areas in the Philippines that has suffered sexual violence and domestic violence or has experience the violation of their rights which was stapled, enclosed or protected under the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law.
The solution or response the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Philippine National Police or PNP and other government offices have done is setting up what they call Violence Against Women (VAW) desk on every barangay in the Philippines.
“….In response, the PCW and other government offices rolled out guidelines in 2010 for the establishment of a VAW desk in every barangay, the smallest government unit. As of December 2011, out of the 42,025 barangays in the country, 27,705barangays (or 66 percent) have set up a VAW desk….”
But really unfortunately, some cases are not being solved because of the ingrained mindset on every Filipinos that ..”… Men think it’s part of being a man, women think it’s part of being in a relationship,” according to dismayed Non-Government Organization or NGO in the Philippines – Knowledge Management Officer of the Women’s Crisis Centre.
Or that is the culture in the Philippines that Men in a relationship should rule over and the Women just a mere below them, thus breeding more domestic violence and generating volumes of violations of the Philippine Republic Act (RA) 9262, known as the Violence Against Women and their Children Law.
According to Tet Balayon of the Knowledge Management Officer of the Women’s Crisis Centre,”.. There is too much tolerance for violence in our culture (Philippine Culture)..” which is seconded by NharleenSantos-Millar, chief of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Policy Development and Advocacy Division.
“Violence against women is a societal concern. Everyone needs to be sensitized – judges who think they need to save the family no matter what, communities who pressure women to stay with their abusive husbands – you can’t undo a mindset like that overnight,”
In my concluding opinion, I guess why such dangerous mindset of some Filipinos regarding the status of Filipino men and Filipino women in the relation is mostly affected by their respective belief system or by their respective religions; in Christianity and Muslim the women are regarded a low and needs to be subjected under the ruling of their husbands; and these two religions are predominantly ruling the Philippine religions.
Therefore, the Department of Social Welfare and Development or DSWD of the department of the Philippine is totally nonsense and do nothing but just receiving government funds pocketed by its current secretary and wasting government funds yet not scrutize and examine for corruption and irregulaties by the greatest hypocrite of the Philippines Noynoy Aquino, but rather protected it and spare it.
If this current Philippine is for reforms as he braggartly reports and after corruption in the Philippines why he scrutinize and examine the Department of Social Welfare and Development or DSWD if it does its part; in this article of mine, this department is useless but other government offices of the Philippines are the ones being active whereas the burden of action is upon this useless department which continually being funded instead of abolishing this useless department. What does it does to protect women and children being abused of their human rights? Nothing as in, for the domestic violence regarding women and children’s rights still continues and there is no mention of its cooperation.
