FOURTY-SEVEN rape cases were recorded in Benguet Province in 2019, one less than the 48 recorded in 2018.
Family members are top perpetrators while the youngest victims are aged three and five years old.
Provincial Social Welfare Development Office (PSWD) data recorded of the 47 cases from January to November in 2019, 10 were incest where perpetrators are uncles, fathers, and grandfathers.
In 2018, there were 12 incest rape out of the 48 cases.
Perpetrators of rape are neighbors and boyfriends with eight cases each, followed by peers, live-in of mothers, teacher and house/farm helper.
Data shows rape transpired at home with 14, 10 in perpetrator’s house, two cases each in neighborhood, boarding house, school and public place.
Youngest victims of rape include a three-year-old, three six-year’s old, two seven-years-old while for incest rape, youngest victims include one three-years-old, five years-old, seven and eight-years-old.
Breakdown of incest rape were reported in Mankayan, Kapangan, Buguias, Tuba and Kibungan while most rape were recorded in La Trinidad and Tuba both with nine cases followed by Mankayan and Buguias with seven and six cases respectively.
Of the reported rape cases, 39 were filed in court while two were amicably settled.
Juana Bannawe, PSWD officer, said trainings and lectures are provided to enhance parent’s awareness of their responsibilities and boost capabilities in caring for their children this through the Program Enhancement Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities (EARPAT).
In the Cordillera region, there are 898 rape cases from 2016 to October 2019 with Benguet having the most cases at 215, followed by Baguio with 187, 176 in Ifugao.
Penalties for rape vary from six to 40 years of imprisonment depending on the act and circumstances.
Moreover, a total of 113 reported child abuse cases were recorded from January to November 2019 with an increase of 9.70 percent from the same period of 2018.
Most victims composed of females with 81.41 percent and males 18.58 percent.
La Trinidad had the highest number of reported cases of child abuse followed by Tuba and Mankayan.
Among the forms of abuse are sexual/rape, incest rape and acts of lasciviousness with 56 cases followed by physical abuse with 36 cases.
Data shows most of the victims are school children with most of them are in their primary and secondary education.