OVER 100 cases of child abuse were recorded in Benguet in 2018, with rape cases still prevalent.
From January to December 2018, a total of 115 child abuse cases were recorded compared to the 138 cases in 2017.
Provincial Social and Welfare Development Office (PSWDO) data show rape remains the leading cases of child abuse with 42, followed by physical injury (41), acts of lasciviousness (15), cases of rape (42), incest rape (11), and emotional abuse (3).
La Trinidad incurred utmost number of child abuse cases with 40, followed by Tuba with 24 cases, and Mankayan with 12.
There were 10 cases of rape recorded in La Trinidad, nine in Tuba, seven each in Mankayan and Bokod. Incest rape cases were also reported in La Trinidad, Tuba, Mankayan, and Itogon while bulk of the physical abuse cases were reported in La Trinidad, Tuba, and Itogon.
Physical abuse was committed against ages 14, 17, and 13 years old, while an eight–year–old was reported to be a victim of acts of lasciviousness.
Based on the age at the time of abuse, there were two cases of two years old who were raped, including one four years old, two for five to seven years old and nine to 10 years old, and three cases of for 11 years old.
Most of the incidents happened inside the victim’s house with 31 cases, followed by neighborhood (11), schools and public places (10), perpetrators house (8), and boarding houses (2).
Of the total rape cases, 16 were committed by neighbors, eight by strangers, and four by security guards.
For incest rape, five were by fathers, two each by cousin and grandfather including one case each by brother and uncle.
Majority of the rape and physical injury cases were filed in court, according to the PSWDO.
PSWDO also attributed the decrease of the child abuse cases in the province to the department’s advocacy programs on parenting and spiritual activities.