Tacloban strengthens women protection initiative

TACLOBAN CITY, July 21 (PNA) -- The city government here is stepping up the protection against women as violence against them continues nearly three years after super typhoon Yolanda.

Without giving figures, Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez, the second woman city chief executive, said they are increasing budget for women protection in the city.

Romualdez said that the local government is stepping up support to Women’s Shelter, which receives complaints of violence against women and children and offers comfort and protection.

The two storey building is a center for women who are maltreated and abused by their husbands or partners.

“They are given free food and accommodation, legal and medical assistance. During their stay in the center, they are taught with skills like cosmetology, dressmaking, haircutting, cooking, and baking, which they can use to earn a living once they are on their own,” Romualdez said.

Built in 2010, the Women’s Shelter has been a refuge to abused women and their children in Tacloban and other parts of Eastern visayas region.

For its years of operation, the Women’s Shelter has already served thousands of victims to include transient individuals rescued from human trafficking activities.

Aside from values formation provided inside the Women’s Shelter, victims are also given legal assistance from the city hall.

In Eastern Visayas, the case of violence against women and children has increased after the 2013 catastrophe, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

PSA record shows that Violence Against Women (VAW) complaints reported to the Philippine National Police in Eastern Visayas has been increasing in the last six years from 2010 to 2015.

A total of 1,466 VAW cases were reported in January to October 2015, from only 60 in 2010. The increase in the number of reported VAW cases can be attributed to the massive campaign and implementation of the country’s laws on VAW and the improved reporting system in the region.

It further shows that Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act comprised the bulk or 87.6 percent of the total reported cases in 2015.

More than half or 57.8 percent of the 1,285 reported cases were physical abuse and 38.5 percent were psychological abuse. Perpetrators were mostly husbands, live-in partners or those with whom the victims had sexual or dating relationship.

Rape cases also increased from 28 in 2010 to 86 in January to October 2015. It accounted for 5.9 percent of the total VAW cases reported during the period. (PNA)

PGL/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR