BY SHAY CULLEN
WE MUST give women and children the opportunity to tell their truth and share their story and give help and support. Everyone with a heart and compassion for the abused have to be also strong and open to accept and understand, ready to listen and believe the story and complaint. Public awareness campaigns are vital to change further the attitude of the public to realize that there is massive women and child abuse and especially at this time of Covid-19 pandemic when many are forced to live in lockdown.
In 2017 , the National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority says that one in every four Filipino women and children age 15-49 has experienced physical, emotional or sexual violence by their abusers or husband or partner.
Female victims of child sexual abuse left untreated leaves the child traumatized, to grow up in fear of rape and sexual abuse. That is why intervention, protection, healing and empowerment therapy is so important. At every level of social status, rich, middle class, poor, besides formal education, there has to be additional human rights training for boys and girls from the earliest age in human dignity and equality.
Women have to be empowered economically by having skills training and small business opportunities and thus take control over their lives. The economic power of women is essential for changing the inequality and the injustice in societies where women are treated unfairly and regulated to some lower status than males.
Money talks and in community-based Grameen loaning schemes, it is the women who are mostly given the loans. They are considered stronger, more reliable to pay back and wiser in using the loans and more caring of the needs of the children. Having money empowers the women and gives them status and respect in the community and in their families.
The education of boys and men in values to respect girls and women is vital. They must be taught that their own value and dignity as a human being and role in family and society is rooted in the respect for the dignity of females.
We need to take action by having a gentle, friendly chat with children asking if anything bad ever happened to them and offering to help them if it had. Listening with affirmation and understanding is opening a door for a child to share her story of abuse.
Then, get help immediately. You can call or text information to Philippine number +63 917 532 4453 or email me at shaycullen@gmail.com. We will direct immediate help wherever the child is and get professional help to him or her.
Everyone must do their part to save abused women and children. (www.preda.org)/PN
