Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, information officer of the Cebu City Police Office
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City police are appealing to women and children who are victims of abuse to report to them as much as possible so that they could immediately act on the complaint.
With lesser average cases reported from January up to this date regarding cases of attacks against women and children, the Cebu City police are encouraging women and children to report to police stations if they are victims of any sort of abuse.
“I’m pretty sure that it’s not easy for [victims] to [come] out. Though we, law enforcers, for us to help, it would be better that they would speak up. If they continue to remain silent, it would be difficult for us to help them in whatever they’re going through,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, information officer of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said.
The CCPO recorded 363 cases of attacks against women and children in 2021. From January up to this date, they have recorded 34 cases. In 2021, they average at least 30 cases per month but in two months this year, they only average 17.
“We cannot say that it is good if it increased or decreased because either way, the statistics are negative,” Macatangay said.
Among the complaints police received are Acts of Lasciviousness, Anti-Rape Law of 1997, Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, Sexual Assault Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act (Anti-Child Abuse Law).
Macatangay said that there is a possibility that pandemic has become a factor in the cases recorded in 2021, given that most people were at home.
“Those who had bad intention, they consummated their acts within the confines of their homes. We can probably say that but there is really no study that will support that conclusion. Ours is just an assumption because this year, reports of abuse decreased,” she added.
To address this problem, Macatangay said that they will continue to intensify their efforts against abuse on women and children, especially in information dissemination.
Coordination with local government units, especially at the barangay level, will also play a huge factor. They look to continually educate and give lectures and seminars to women and men in their respective localities. The city’s Women and Children Protection Desk (WPCD) offices also continue their training and continue to strengthen their ties with different sectors to detect and deter any kind of attempts.
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