Women Urged Not to Remain Silent on Abuses

A local government women leader here urged other women never to remain silent when they are suffering from violence and abuses.

Lorna Mandin, chief of the Davao City Mayor’s Integrated Gender and Development Division, said their advocacy against violence against women and children (VAWC) continues to level up to encourage more women to come out and report violence incidents.

“We continue our advocacy and education activities especially at the barangay level to keep on raising awareness among women including men to help in our campaign in ending VAWC,” Mandin stated during the observance of the culmination of the 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Children last week.

In this year’s campaign, she emphasized their call for women to “never commit, condone and remain silent” to any form of violence and abuses by anyone.

Mandin said VAWC cases reported to CMO-IGDD has been increasing, from 2004 with 107 cases to 2018 (1st semester) with 1,408 cases.

In CMO-IGDD’s summary of VAWC cases report for the 1st semester this year, 845 women and seven children have lodged their cases in Mandin’s office.

The report further showed that the forms of abuses under Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti-VAWC Act of 2004, included economic exploitation which has the most number with 691 cases, followed by psychological/emotional with 455 cases, physical with 253 cases, sexual with nine cases and 34 other cases such as child custody, rape, properties and annulment.

Other women’s rights advocates also have their shares of encouragement for women to be brave enough to report incidents and to take a strong stand against VAWC.

“Trust the agencies that can help you. How will they know that you’re being eaten by a demon, that you’re being abused?” persuaded Amielyn “Asliyah” Limbona, Al Haj, chair of the Alliance Development Woman Empowerment.

“Please protect yourself from any kind of abuse, not only by your husband, but also by anyone who will exploit your rights as a person,” Limbona further urged during the observance of the 18-day Campaign to End VAWC spearheaded by the Department of Foreign Affairs Mindanao and the Philippine Women College Davao on Dec. 11, 2018.

DFA Mindanao Acting Assistant Secretary Robert O. Ferrer, Jr. said that DFA has been a staunch supporter and promoter of President Duterte’s proactive policies on women’s rights and the government’s campaign against VAWC through their regular awareness raising activities among Overseas Filipino Workers.

DFA Mindanao recently gathered four women leaders and advocates in a lecture-forum to share their experiences and views on various topics such as Magna Carta of Women Act of 2009, the Challenges of Promoting a Culture of Non-Violence in the Bangsamoro Context and the Roles of Civil Society and the Academe in Addressing VAW.

The lecture-forum held at the auditorium of PWC Davao was attended by the members of the diplomatic community based in Mindanao, representatives of foreign governments, non-government organizations, national government agencies and PWC students.

Meanwhile, Department of Tourism Region-XI Officer-in-Charge Zuhairah Abas-Diamla stated, “We must be all aware of these acts that may take place in public and even in our place of abode. Violence not only has negative consequences for women but also their families, the community and the country at large.”

DOT-XI has also been a constant partner of the Davao City local government in upholding the campaign to end VAWC in the region. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)