TRIGGER WARNING: MENTION OF RAPE
THE Department of Justice - Regional Prosecution Office Davao (DOJ RPO-Davao) reported that 600 rape cases were filed in the first quarter of 2024.
Lawyer Janet Grace B. Dalisay-Fabrero, Davao's regional prosecutor, shared during the Kapehan sa Davao on November 25, 2024, that their office had recorded 697 violations of the Anti-Rape Law, slightly down from 737 cases in 2023.
She emphasized the ongoing effort to educate the public about gender-based violence, noting that although efforts to end it by 2030 are in place, cases like rape continue to rise, with many victims being children aged 10 to 16.
“Ibig sabihin (It means) the struggle to really disseminate and educate the public about the need to be very conscious about this gender-based violence is a continuing effort,” she said.
Assistant State Prosecutor Carla V. Guevarra said that in 2023, 20,877 rape cases were reported nationally, with nearly 10,000 cases filed in the first quarter of 2024. She added that statistics show one in five Filipinos experience sexual assault and 17% of Filipino children aged 13 to 17 face sexual violence.
Guevarra highlighted that many cases go unreported, and male victims are also affected.
“We have reason to believe that these numbers are also less than what is happening because a large number of rape victims refuse to report and many rape victims are not only women and children, there can also be male children who are victims of rape,” she said.
Guevarra attributed the rise in cases to better awareness and information dissemination across various sectors.
Lorna Mandin, head of Davao City's Integrated Gender and Development Division (IGDD), emphasized the importance of the 18-day campaign against Violence Against Women (VAW), stressing that the fight against violence should continue beyond the campaign period.
“Not only during 18 days but every day we remind offices, we remind individuals, men and women alike na to gyud undangon ang nagataas na ihap sa lain-laing porma sa women's violence (Not just during the 18-day campaign, but every day, we remind offices and individuals—men and women alike—that we must put an end to the rising number of different forms of violence against women),” she said.
PMaj. Catherine Dela Rey, the spokesperson for Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-Davao), confirmed their support for the campaign, with their office actively engaging in information dissemination.
She noted that PRO-Davao recorded 352 VAW cases, including rape, in 2023, a number that dropped to 280 in 2024, representing a 20 percent decrease.
The discrepancy in data between the DOJ and PRO-Davao stems from cases that were referred but not filed.
The Nonoy Librado Development Foundation (NLDF) also called for the implementation of the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 190 to address workplace violence against women.
Leah Emily Miñoza, NLDF's Executive Director, explained that the convention would provide a framework to protect women from workplace abuse, ensuring they feel safe, valued, and empowered.
“Workplace violence against women can range from verbal abuse and outright physical assaults to more insidious forms, such as harassment, coercion, or wage exploitation. No woman should have to choose between her safety and her livelihood,” she said. RGP
