Responding to Violence Against Women and Children

We need to have a sense of urgency in acting on cases of violence against women. In one case upon following up a call for assistance we discovered that the victim had already been killed and was now in the funeral parlour. Children having absorbed the violence and pain inflicted on their mothers have been known to take the law into their hands, inflicting violence upon the violent parent.

The impact of the violence and damage is sometimes ignored or underestimated as in the case of children in cyber-pornography. The adults believe there is no harm done because the child is not actually touched by the exploitative adult. But Tress des Hommes through research found out that this experience introduces the child to sexualized behaviour which is very self-destructing and leads to the child’s loss of a sense of self-worth. They become damaged, and at times for life.

It was very clever of the group to have found a way through technology to trace the demand or those who avail of the services of the children via video-cam. Mr. Arquiza calls on us and declared: IF YOU DO NOT REPORT, YOU SUPPORT (cyber-pornography)!

In the Magna Carta of Women in Chapter IV Rights and Empowerment the first right mentioned is the right to be protected from all forms of violence. “Sec.9 Protection from Violence – The State shall ensure that all women be protected from all forms of violence as provided for in existing laws. Agencies ogender-based offenses and help women attain justice and healing.’’

The same law in Section 33. Women in Especially Difficult Circumstances declares: WEDC “shall refer to victims and survivors of sexual and physical abuse such as rape and incest, illegal recruitment, prostitution, trafficking, armed conflict, women in detention and other related circumstances which have incapacitated them functionally.” Sec 34 discusses the services which should be provided in such cases: “(a) temporary and protective custody; (b) medical and dental services; (c) psychological and psychiatric evaluation, (d) counselling and Critical Incident Stress

Debriefing (CISD); (e) legal services; (f) productivity skill, capability building, and/or livelihood assistance; and (j) transportation assistance. All service providers shall undergo capacity building to ensure gender-responsive, rights-based and culture sensitive provision of services.”

Let us be encouraged that action, work has been done. With local government and non-government organizations cooperation such as the case with Cebu Province, International Justice Mission and Children’s Legal Bureau their anti-trafficking efforts as well their interventions in video-cam child pornography cases have resulted in arrests, convictions of the exploiters and helpful assistance to the victims.

The Legal Alternatives for Women Center in their latest issue of Linkages narrate inspiring stories of women who have transcended their victimization. They have been assisted through psycho-social counselling, assistance in the filing of cases, and other forms of help. We also have accounts of women who have become economically empowered and have become less vulnerable to becoming victims of violence. We also have a report of sessions in the various barangays with Atty. Virginia Palanca-Santiago discussing the Anti-Domestic Violence against Women and their Children Law and Ms. Fe Cabatingan providing information on the Magna Carta of Women. They also had a paralegal training to increase the effectiveness of VAW desks in the various barangays.

Sa Mata sa Kababayn-an (aired in CCTN on Tuesdays and Sundays at 3:30 p. m) has not only been a source of information and inspiration; it has been a venue for the clarification of points related to women’s problems since Atty. Virginia Palanca-Santiago responds to phoned-in questions. Actually, she is always ready to offer assistance, including linking the callers to her friends in various offices. In these discussions, the need to organize the males and programs for perpetrators of violence have emerged.

In the Forum of Sidlak, Region VII Gender Resource Center hosted by UP GAD efforts to end violence against women and their children were proposed: join the activities of Tress de Hommes like signing the petition to press for government action on child cyber-pornography and participate in research. Atty. Virginia Palanca-Santiago said that everything starts in the home with the family. She emphasized that if families lived their Christianity authentically it would be a big solution to the problem of domestic violence.