ILOILO City – Over 2,000 cases of violence against women and children (VAWC) across Western Visayas have been reported to the police from January to Nov. 12 this year.
Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) spokesperson, said they have recorded 2,245 VAWC cases so far – 33 percent lower than last year’s 3,363 reported cases in the same period.
Of the total figure, 1,518 of which have been solved, 547 were cleared and 180 are still under investigation, said Malong, who previously led the Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD) in the region.
Iloilo City has the most number of cases (589). Iloilo province came in next with 541 followed by Negros Occidental with 401; Capiz with 224; Aklan with 191; Antique with 115; Guimaras with 100; and Bacolod City with 84.
According to Malong, most of the complaints were lack of financial support from husbands and physical abuse.
But PRO-6 records all abuses – may it be emotional, psychological, sexual, physical, and economic – toward women and children, according to Malong.
“I’m encouraging the public to report to the police cases of violence against women and children,” Malong said.
Meanwhile, the WCPD of PRO-6 also underscored the help of Barangay VAW Desks that are actively educating people, especially men, about the VAWC Law.
The WCPD holds village dialogues. Republic Act (RA) 9262 – or The Anti-Violence against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 – is discussed.
Other specials laws such as RA 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act) and RA 8353 (Anti-Rape Law of 1997) are also discussed during the dialogues./PN