DAVAO CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Davao Region has noted an increasing number of gender-based violence cases in the Davao region, which is attributed to the intensive advocacy campaign for women’s rights and gender equality.

“Sa karon na nag advocacy campaign na ta, promoting women’s rights and gender equality, we are happy kay nag-report na gyud sila, nakita na gyud nato nga na-raise na gyud ang voice sa atoang mga women and other genders,” DSWD-XI social welfare officer Sherlyn Concubierta reported during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao on March 11.

(Now that we are doing an advocacy campaign promoting women’s rights and gender equality, we are happy because the victims are reporting the violence and that their voices have been raised.)  

She revealed that the victims, especially those victims of sexual abuse, are determined to pursue criminal cases against their perpetrators.

Meanwhile, Jovelyn Trajano, lead secretariat of DSWD’s Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and Violence Against Women, said they are strengthening the mechanisms to support the victims by providing psychosocial interventions and financial support.

Aside from facilitating counseling, she said they also assist and refer them to the proper agencies to address their issues appropriately.

“Tudloan nato sila asa una mo-adto, unsa ilang katungod,” Trajano said.

(We teach them where to go first and make them aware of their rights.)

Also, part of the interventions is the provision of temporary shelter, such as the Home for Girls and Women, especially for rape victims, while they are undergoing counseling and while their cases are still being processed in court.

Moreover, if the perpetrator is the father of the victim, Trajano said that they are empowering the mother of the victim to pursue criminal cases against her husband or partner.

“In the event nga papa ang nag-abuse, we know for a fact na kung papa gani, ang mama motabang na og tabon. So, we have to empower the mother and the rest of the family by facilitating the proper interventions for them,” she explained.

(In cases where the father is the abuser, we know that usually, the mother helps cover it up. So, we need to empower the mother and the rest of the family by facilitating the proper interventions for them.)

Concubierta shared that the victims are also given financial assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of DSWD. (ASO/PIA Davao/Thumbnail photo from DSWD XI)