Sunday, April 13, 2008 Forum on realities of domestic violence held
IN OBSERVANCE of International Women's Month, the Community Relations and Marketing Division of Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco), through marketing specialist Leo Belingon, recently organized a forum on domestic violence in Benguet.
This was a joint project with the Social Development Force for Children and Youth (SDFCY), Stop the Abuse and Violence Against Our Women Inc. (Save Our Women), and Save Our Street Children Foundation Inc. (Soscfi) -- three non-government organizations (NGOs) advocating for an end to domestic violence.
With the theme "Accepting the Realities of Domestic Violence," the forum was held at the Provincial Capitol in La Trinidad, Benguet last March 29.
In attendance were representatives from different precincts and stations of the Woman and Child Protection Centers (WCPCs) of Baguio and Benguet, Beneco, the Soroptimist International of Hope Baguio, the Zonta Club of Baguio, the Atok Women's Association, the Kalipi Women of Asin Road, the Multi-Sectoral Electrification Advisory Council (Mseac) of Baguio-Benguet, the National Council for Social Development Foundation, the barangay council of Gadang, Kapangan, the Department of Education (DepEd), as well as students from the Benguet State University Supreme Student Government and other schools.
SAVE Our Women (Save), an organization that particularly addresses the issue of domestic violence in Baguio and the Cordilleras, took charge of the forum.
According to Save our Women president Patti Gallardo, they began the program with a brief report on actual domestic violence cases. This was tackled by Save's board secretary Nicole, followed by a moving personal testimony from a survivor of domestic violence.
Police Officer Leiza Batanes of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Women and Children Protection Section (WCPS) explained the 2007 and January to March 2008 statistics of domestic violence cases they handled, while Police Officer Sylvia Tomas of Benguet Provincial Police Office WCPS reported statistics from the thirteen municipalities of Benguet.
A 45-minute lecture on Republic Act (RA) 9262 or the Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Law of 2004 was presented by Save member and Judge Jennifer Humiding of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Lagawe-Hingyon, Ifugao.
Gallardo said this was followed by an open forum, where problems and dilemmas that police officers and barangay officials often face in the course of implementing RA 9262 were discussed.
It was agreed that the said law could only be effectively utilized if women, who are victims of domestic violence, could be properly educated as to their rights and the procedures to be followed when filing these cases.
According to Gallardo, they are planning similar undertakings in the future to further spread awareness about the prevalence of domestic violence and how to end it. (ENO)
