THE Department of Justice – Regional Prosecution Office Davao (DOJ RPO-Davao) said that there is a need to intensify information dissemination on Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) amid the increasing number of cases in the region.
Lawyer Janet Grace B. Dalisay-Fabrero, Davao regional prosecutor, said the number of VAWC cases their office received in 2023 was 454. She expressed concern over the increase in numbers for 2024, citing that the data they have as of the moment is only from the third quarter of 2024.
“First to third quarter pa lang ng [of] 2024, we already have a total of 337 cases filed region-wide, so ibig sabihin [it means that] the struggle to really disseminate and educate the public about the need to be very conscious about this gender-based violence is a continuing effort,” she said during the Kapehan sa Davao on Monday, November 25, 2024, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
She said they were planning to end the campaign in 2030, however, the number of cases their office is handling is still rising.
Lawyer Carla V. Gueverra, assistant state prosecutor of DOJ-Davao, said that at the national level, 13,682 VAWC cases were filed in 2023, while in the first quarter of 2024 alone, 7,394 cases have already been filed.
“I think this shows the trending 2024 tumataas yung [it is increasing] number of reported cases which is I think is because of the information dissemination campaign conducted by our partners,” she said.
Sherlyn S. Concubierta, regional women and solo parent focal of DSWD-Davao, said that their office has received around 30 walk-in clients from the first to the second semester of this year. She explained that these clients receive psychosocial interventions, such as counseling, referrals to Crisis Social Intervention depending on the clients’ needs, and legal interventions.
Meanwhile, Jeanette L. Ampog, executive director of Talikala, said that their office has received around 20 cases involving prostituted women, gender-based violence, abuse from partners, and abuse from customers of prostituted women.
Lorna Mandin, head of Davao City’s Integrated Gender and Development Division (IGDD), said that in Davao City alone, from 2014 to 2023, there have been around 17,748 VAWC cases. In 2023, there were around 2,797 cases, a significant increase compared to 2022, which had only 1,864 cases.
“Daghan gyud ang naga-report [There is an increase in the reports] because services are available isa pod na siya [this is one of the reasons], information also in a way we believed is well disseminated,” she said.
PMaj. Catherine Dela Rey, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO), said that they have conducted multiple information dissemination activities in barangays, specifically in schools, to raise awareness about what constitutes rape, and sexual abuse, and what to do if such an incident occurs, as most victims are often afraid of the perpetrator.
“As soon as nangyari agad ang insidente i-report agad para mahuli agad natin ang suspects or suspect huwag natin paabutin ng buwan o ilang araw para po ma-inquest agad natin o diretso po natin makulong ang suspect at hindi na po siya makapagbiktima pa ng ibang babae (As soon as the incident happens, report it immediately so that we can apprehend the suspects right away. Don’t let it take months or days before reporting, so we can conduct the inquest and immediately jail the suspect, preventing them from victimizing other women),” she said.
To further reduce gender-based violence and VAWC cases in the community, Mandin highlighted the importance of men’s participation in seminars. She emphasized that it would be a huge help if green jokes and name-calling were not excused, and by informing men that they should also advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
She added that these issues are already integrated into some educational materials, such as books, addressing name-calling and green jokes as unacceptable.
Mandin shared that in collaboration with Talikala and the Department of Education-Division of Davao City (DepEd-Davao), they have integrated concepts about VAWC and gender-based violence into the modules of grades four through junior high school. RGP
