TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, August 30 (PIA) -- The cycle of abuse of women and children has to break, and breaking that cycle is in our hands.

This sums up the statement of officials at the Women and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) stations in local government units across the province, as echoed by Police Capt. Mildred Tagaamo during the recent Kapihan sa PIA.

Tagaamo and Police Senior Master Sergeant Beatriz Pogoy, both investigators and guests at the Kapihan, bared that most abused children and women grow into abusive or aggressive personalities, continuing the cycle of abuse.

The sensitive nature of the cases also force most victims into keeping the abuse secret rather than reporting it.

According to Camp Dagohoy, violations against Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) Act tops the cases, followed by rape, acts of lasciviousness, and sexual harassment.  

On violence against children, Republic Act 7610 or the act that provides stronger deterrence and special protection against child abuse and exploitation tops the cases, followed by rape, and acts of lasciviousness.

From January 1 to July 31, 2022, violence against women cases reached 70 and increased by 19 in 2023.

Rape, on the other hand, registered eight cases for the same period in 2022 and jumped to 20 cases in 2023.

From five cases in 2022, acts of lasciviousness or the illegal touching of another person's private parts with the intent of sexual gratification, went up to 11 this year.

Sexual harassment went down from two cases in 2022 to one in 2023.

Child abuse cases, on the other hand, went down to 42 this year from 63 in 2022.

Cases involving rape of minors also rose with 45 cases recorded in 2022 to 47 in 2023.

On acts of lasciviousness committed to minors, there were 14 cases in 2022, but went down to 10 in the first seven months of 2023.

While 34 rape cases in 2022 involved aggression, the victims and the perpetrators have no relations.

By 2023, rape cases went up to 43.

In the case of incest, police recorded eight incestuous rape cases in 2022 and five cases in 2023.

Rape by siblings in 2022 had one case, which went up to two this year.

Rape by stepfathers also figured in three cases in 2022, which increased to four in the first seven months of 2023.

In most of these cases, police investigators found out that perpetrators had either a traumatic childhood experience involving violence and sexual abuse, and would tend to also commit the same when they grow up. (RAHC/PIA-7 Bohol)