DSWD assists over 12K abused women from ’21 to ‘23

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AT least 12,055 individuals who are victim-survivors of violence against women and their children (VAWC) from 2021 to 2023 have been attended to and assisted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), an agency official said yesterday.

Social Welfare Officer (SWO) Carol Nuyda, during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum, said the victim-survivors were provided comprehensive assistance under the agency’s Residential and Non-Residential Care Services, the Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP), and various community-based services.

Among the interventions provided included psychosocial care or counseling; psychological or psychiatric testing; provision of professional health services; referral for medico-legal examinations; and mechanisms for protection against mental, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as other forms of exploitation.

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The DSWD also provides clothing and personal items, provides legal and paralegal assistance, and facilitates referrals or transfers to local government units (LGUs) or registered and licensed private residential care facilities for temporary shelter or proactive custody.

Nyuda said at the height of the pandemic, there were fewer cases reported but it started to pick up as the lives of people normalized. She, however, did not have the available figures.

She said in 2023, the PNP reported that there were 10,023 cases of violence against women that were reported and addressed by the police.

She said aside from having access to police after the pandemic, people are now more aware that there were existing reporting mechanisms and bodies handling VAWC cases that contributed to the PNP data.

Nyuda said VAW is defined as any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman which resulted or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

DSWD Director Aiza Riz Perez-Mendoza of the Office of the Undersecretary for International Affairs and Attached and Supervised Agencies (ASAs) said the briefing on VAW is one of the initiatives of the agency to raise awareness and promote the agency’s programs and services for victim-survivors of VAWC as part of the 18-day campaign to end violence against women.

Perez-Mendoza urged the public, particularly victims-survivors to report instances of abuse to relevant authorities so proper action can be taken.

She said at present, there are still a lot of cases that are not reported owing to the “culture of silence” on the part of the victims.

“Magsalita po kayo para matulungan namin kayo (Speak up so we can help you),” she said, adding the public may report VAWC cases through the National Emergency Hotline at 911, the Aleng Pulis Hotline at 0919-777-7377 or 0966-725-5961, and the nearest Barangay VAW Desk and Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Desk.

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