A Voice for the Deaf

“High incident rate of deaf child sexual abuse” – the reason behind the Break the Silence project of the Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme Inc, (GVSP).

GVSP is a non-stock, non-profit organization established in 2005 who has been working with volunteers in projects for and with the deaf community.

The 5-year program Break the Silence Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Network Project aims to educate atleast 2000 deaf children and women. Consequently, its goal is to reach 500 stakeholders that includes community members, parents, volunteers and students.

This project was conceptualized late 2011 with 4 core team from GVSP together with the deaf leaders of the deaf community. They were trained under the Stairway Foundation.

According to JP Maunes, the executive director of GVSP, they designed a module for deaf children and women using the sign language and making the language more visual.

The project started as a Cebu-based program. Eventually, they got support and has expanded to Bohol, Dumaguete and Davao. They are now woking with Deaf Association of Bohol, Dumaguete Effata Association of the Deaf and Davao Deaf Organization.

Since the project started, there were more or less 40 disclosures during the lectures. Meaning, every 3-5 deaf children in the community are abused.

GVSP Logo

“Now we are working closely with the Cebu Association of the Deaf”, Maunes said.

Maunes added that they also coordinated with DepEd Region 7 to conduct session to the children under the Sped program.

The organization mainly recognizes the language barrier between the deaf so they aim to capacitate the deaf community They aim to recognize the sign language.

GVSP’s focus is to raise awareness, get the participation of the community and make noise about the issue at hand.

As part of the Break the Silence Project, the program made their first public event – the Break the Silence Run: Stop Deaf Child Sexual Abuse last Sunday, April 21, 2013. There were four categories during the run: the regular 4K, 8K and 16K and a separate category for Persons with Disabilities (wheelchair, blind and deaf).

GVSP invites you to join the Break the Silence network and stop the abuse and violence against the deaf. The program invites volunteer and accepts donations. Their office is a 24hour response center located at no.7 Sanchez Compound, J. Panis St. Banilad, Cebu City. They also conduct counseling session for the deaf. There are workshops also available: the Filipino Sign Language Fluency course and the Deaf Sensitivity and Courtesy to Persons with Disabilities.

You may reach them through these numbers: 032-260-4043 / 0917-7014700 or e-mail gualandivolunteers@yahoo.com. Visit their site at http://www.gvspvolunteers.org.