Hontiveros to LGUs: Strengthen channels for reporting child abuse amid stricter lockdowns

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday cautioned that child abuse and exploitation may increase amid the imposition of stricter lockdowns around the Philippines due to the COVID-19 Delta variant.

The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, then urged Local Government Units to ensure that channels are open and are readily-available to victims of sexual or physical abuse.

"Abuse and exploitation of children inside the home is more common than our society would like to admit. Iba't ibang klase ng pang-aabuso ang nararanasan ng ating kabataan - sekswal man o pisikal - at kadalasan sa kamay pa ng mga indibidwal na pinagkakatiwalaan nila. Ngayong marami ang nakakulong ulit sa mga bahay, dapat talasan ng mga barangay at LGUs ang pagbabantay," Hontiveros said.

According to the Department of Health, Women and Children Protection Units in DOH-retained and LGU-supported hospitals reported that sexual abuse cases (64%) are more common than physical abuses (17%). Other reports have also stated that incest rape is pegged at 33%. The senator said LGUs must also be ready to provide psychosocial support should victim-survivors report abuse.

"Many cases of child sexual abuse happen within the domestic environment. It does not help that our country's age of sexual consent is still at 12 years old, the lowest threshold in the world, and predators often use this as a loophole to get away with child rape. Hindi lang online sexual abuse of children ang pataas nang pataas ngayong pandemya, maaaring domestic sexual abuse of children ay pataas din," Hontiveros said.

The senator principally authored the Raising the Age of Sexual Consent Act or Senate Bill 163 to raise the age of sexual consent from 12 years old to 18 years old. Under Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code and as stipulated in the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, statutory rape covers only children below 12 years old.

"Our Revised Penal Code was enacted in 1930, but the provision on our age of sexual consent has not changed. That's over 90 years of allowing child rape. This bill is a necessary step to make amends to every Filipino child. I look forward to the Raising the Age of Consent Act's passage, given the Senate's commitment to support the measure," Hontiveros said.

"Habang dumedepensa ang mga LGU sa komunidad at habang trinatrabahong mapasa ang pagpapataas ng age of consent, ang bawat mamamayan ay may responsibilidad din na siguraduhing walang bata ang nalalagay sa panganib. Tumulong sa pag-report. Tumulong sa kampanya laban sa karahasan. Our children will inherit the society they will grow up in. They are the reason we fight for the future they deserve," Hontiveros concluded.

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Hontiveros sa LGUs: Pagrereport ng child abuse palakasin sa gitna ng lockdown

Nagbabala si Senador Risa Hontiveros nitong Lunes na maaaring tumaas ang mga kaso ng pang-aabuso at pagsasamantala sa mga bata sa gitna ng panibagong lockdown sa Pilipinas dahil sa COVID-19 Delta variant.

Si Hontiveros, na chairperson din ng Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations at Gender Equality, ay hinimok ang Local Government Units na tiyaking bukas ang mga channel para madaling makapagreport ang mga biktima ng pang-aabusong sekswal o pisikal.

"Abuse and exploitation of children inside the home is more common than our society would like to admit. Iba't ibang klase ng pangaabuso ang nararanasan ng ating kabataan - sekswal man o pisikal - at kadalasan sa kamay pa ng mga indibidwal na pinagkakatiwalaan nila. Ngayong marami ang nakakulong ulit sa mga bahay, dapat talasan ng mga barangay at LGUs ang pagbabantay," sabi ni Hontiveros.

Ayon sa Department of Health, mas karaniwan ang mga kaso ng sexual abuse (64%) kaysa sa physical abuse (17%) batay sa ulat ng Women and Children Protection Units sa mga sa DOH-retained at LGU-supported na opsital. Sa iba pang reports, 33% ang kaso ng incest rape. Sinabi ng senadora na dapat maging handa ang mga LGU na magbigay ng psychosocial support kung ang mga victim-survivors ay mag-report ng pang-aabuso.

"Maraming mga kaso ng pang-aabusong sekswal sa bata ang nangyayari sa loob ng domestic environment. Hindi makakatulong na ang edad ng age of sexual consent ng ating bansa ay nasa 12 taong gulang pa rin, ang pinakamababang threshold sa mundo, at madalas itong gamitin ng mga predators bilang isang loophole upang makawala sa child rape. Hindi lang online na pang-aabusong sekswal sa mga bata ang pagtaas sa pagtaas ng pandemya, posibleng domestic sexual abuse sa mga bata ay nadagdagan din, " sabi ni Hontiveros.

Inakda ni Hontiveros ang Raising the Age of Sexual Consent Act o Senate Bill 163 upang itaas ang age of sexual consent mula 12 taong gulang hanggang 18 taong gulang. Sa ilalim ng Artikulo 266-A ng Revised Penal Code at tulad ng nakasaad sa Anti-Rape Law ng 1997, ang tanging saklaw ng statutory rape ay mga bata na 12 taong gulang pababa.

"Our Revised Penal Code was enacted in 1930, but the provision on our age of sexual consent has not changed. That's over 90 years of allowing child rape. This bill is a necessary step to make amends to every Filipino child. I look forward to the Raising the Age of Consent Act's passage, given the Senate's commitment to support the measure," sabi ni Hontiveros.

"Habang dumedepensa ang mga LGU sa komunidad at habang tinatrabahong mapasa ang pagpapataas ng age of consent, ang bawat mamamayan ay may responsibilidad din na siguraduhing walang bata ang nalalagay sa panganib. Tumulong sa pag-report. Tumulong sa kampanya laban sa karahasan. Our children will inherit the society they will grow up in. They are the reason we fight for the future they deserve," pagtatapos ni Hontiveros.

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