In the middle of its comprehensive COVID-19 pandemic response programs under health, safety, and economic recovery areas, the City Government of San Fernando has also been focusing on the eradication of violence against women and their children (VAWC) amidst this crisis.
This was affirmed by the City’s Local Committee against Trafficking, Child Pornography, and Violence against Women and their Children (LCAT-CP-VAWC), citing that cases of domestic violence against these sectors increased within the nearly first two years of the pandemic.
“Noong nagsimula ang pandemiya, tumaas ang average na bilang ng mga reklamong VAWC sa ating tanggapan. Umaabot ng dalawa hanggang tatlong reklamo kada araw. Noong wala pang pandemiya, halos wala tayong natatanggap na reklamo sa ilang magkakasunod na araw,” said Jo Jaemie Deang, Head of San Fernando Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC).
City Social Welfare and Development Officer Aileen Villanueva said the cases, which are mostly happening within a household or among the family members, are attributed to the social impact of the pandemic where some household members lost their jobs or livelihood.
“Ang nakikita nating dahilan ay ‘yung epekto ng pandemiya sa trabaho. Marami ang nawalan ng trabaho o pagkakakitaan kaya nakulong sa bahay ang miyembro ng pamilya. Dahil dito, mas nagkakaroon ng pagkakataon na masaktan, maabuso ang mga kababaihan at mga anak dala na rin ng problema o kapagsubukan,” she said.
Despite this, the officer cited that violence may come from any other factors—a reason for her to call on the community to be the first responders for the victims.
One program that the committee has been doing for years now is the Capacity Building Training among its members that include local government unit officials and employees, teachers, doctors, police personnel, and barangay council members, among others.
For this year, a two-day training was to be held anew from December 9 to 10 for the said members, with an aim to eliminate or alleviate the number of victims of these cases and educate them on the proper handling of cases.
Speakers to facilitate the training are from the government and non-governmental sector. They are Social Worker Sherryl Santos and Pastor Glenn de Guzman, respectively.
Apart from VAWC and members’ duties and responsibilities, they are also to discuss matters on human trafficking, handling of gender-based sexual harassment in streets and public spaces, and online sexual exploitation of children.
“Katulad ng nabanggit, tumaas ang kaso ng VAWC kaya itong aktibidad na ito, isa ito sa mga responses natin sa problema. Dito, pinapalakas natin yung level ng knowledge, awareness, at functionality ng mga miyembro sa pagsugpo sa mga ganitong kaso,” Villanueva added.
Along with this regular training, the WCPC also conducts entrapment and rescue operations against the perpetrators and victims, respectively.
Deang shared the process of responding to these cases. “Ang barangay council ang unang responder para sa mga kaso ng VAWC. Dadaan sa assessment kung kailangan na ba ng tulong ng WCPC. Kung oo, idadala na sa aming opisina ang kaso at dito na isasagawa ang initial interview at interview proper kasama ang doktor at pulis. Kapag kumpleto na ang report, kasama ang medico legal ng biktima, iaakyat na sa korte ang kaso,” she said.
