GABRIELA Women's Party is calling for a deeper examination of the reported decline in Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) cases, stressing that official statistics only reveal the "tip of the iceberg."
Dr. Jean Lindo, the party’s third nominee, emphasized in a press conference that many cases remain unreported, as not all victims come forward. Even data from NGOs fail to capture the full extent of the issue.
“Daghan mga unreported cases dili tanan babe mag report unya ang sa NGO gani dili pod 100 percent ma report pati mga hidden cases makasulti gihapon ta nga public health issue gihapon ang Violence Against Women (There are many unreported cases. Not all women file reports, and even NGOs don’t account for everything. Hidden cases still show that Violence Against Women remains a public health issue),” she said on Thursday morning, March 6, 2025.
The Davao City Integrated Gender and Development Office (IGDD) recently reported a drop in VAWC cases, from 2,707 in 2023 to 2,386 in 2024.
Over the past decade, the city recorded around 20,134 cases. In 2024 alone, there were 469 cases of physical abuse, 851 of emotional or psychological abuse, 90 of sexual abuse, and 976 of economic abuse.
Lindo said that economic abuse—the most reported form—harms not just women but also their children. She also raised concerns over the lack of action on workplace sexual harassment cases, emphasizing that both the government and institutions must take responsibility for preventing such incidents.
She added that many women see legal action as a last resort, as they need emotional and mental preparation. Feminist counseling, she said, plays a crucial role in empowering victims before pursuing legal cases.
Meanwhile, Gabriela-Southern Mindanao Secretary General Rose Hayahay shared that the group assisted four abuse survivors in Davao City in 2024 and two more in the first quarter of 2025. Most victims, she noted, were women aged 15 to 49.
Hayahay also highlighted the challenges victims face, including the exhaustion of undergoing medical check-ups and extensive documentation, as well as the financial burden of pursuing justice. RGP