Study: Most Filipino children experience violence | ABS-CBN
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Study: Most Filipino children experience violence
Vivienne Gulla,
ABS-CBN News
Published Dec 06, 2016 07:12 PM PHT
A study shows majority of Filipino children and youth have experienced violence at least once in their lifetime.
Eighty percent of about 4,000 respondents age 13 to 24 surveyed in the national baseline study on violence say they have been subjected to physical (66.3%), psychological (62.8%), sexual (21.5%), and online violence (43.8%).
Of this figure, only about 10% reported experiencing violence, mostly to their mother or friend.
More than half (54%) of those who experienced physical abuse received corporal punishment at home, which includes spanking with bare hands, rolled paper, or small stick, pulling the hair, pinching, or twisting of ears.
About a third suffered from more severe forms of abuse such as slapping, kicking, tying, drowning, and burning.
Meanwhile, three out of five children were verbally abused, threatened or abandoned by their parents.
Sexual abuse of children 13-18 years old range from unwanted touching, having sex videos or photos taken without their consent, attempted and consummated sex. The commonly cited perpetrators of overall sexual violence at home are brothers and cousins.
UNICEF country representative Lotta Sylwander said the level of overall violence against children in the Philippines is at par with other countries, but internet sexual abuse appears to be higher in the Philippines.
A study shows majority of Filipino children and youth have experienced violence at least once in their lifetime.
Eighty percent of about 4,000 respondents age 13 to 24 surveyed in the national baseline study on violence say they have been subjected to physical (66.3%), psychological (62.8%), sexual (21.5%), and online violence (43.8%).
Of this figure, only about 10% reported experiencing violence, mostly to their mother or friend.
More than half (54%) of those who experienced physical abuse received corporal punishment at home, which includes spanking with bare hands, rolled paper, or small stick, pulling the hair, pinching, or twisting of ears.
About a third suffered from more severe forms of abuse such as slapping, kicking, tying, drowning, and burning.
Meanwhile, three out of five children were verbally abused, threatened or abandoned by their parents.
Sexual abuse of children 13-18 years old range from unwanted touching, having sex videos or photos taken without their consent, attempted and consummated sex. The commonly cited perpetrators of overall sexual violence at home are brothers and cousins.
UNICEF country representative Lotta Sylwander said the level of overall violence against children in the Philippines is at par with other countries, but internet sexual abuse appears to be higher in the Philippines.
Filipino children are also sought after by pedophiles all over the world.
Filipino children are also sought after by pedophiles all over the world.
"It is of deep concern that so many forms of violence pervade and harm the lives of Filipino children across all settings, committed by people they trust. The evidence demonstrates the need for expressed high-level government commitment and partner support to implement the National Plan of Action to respond to and prevent VAC," Sylwander said in a statement.
"It is of deep concern that so many forms of violence pervade and harm the lives of Filipino children across all settings, committed by people they trust. The evidence demonstrates the need for expressed high-level government commitment and partner support to implement the National Plan of Action to respond to and prevent VAC," Sylwander said in a statement.
Among the causes of violence identified in the study are poverty, substance abuse, especially of alcohol, and domestic violence.
Structural drivers of violence include inequality, cultural norms supportive of violent discipline, weak legislation preventing child corporal punishment, and poor implementation of existing laws.
UNICEF and NGOs say there is no silver bullet in addressing violence against children in the Philippines. It requires promoting awareness on violence and help available, strengthening law enforcement at the barangay level, and passing necessary legislation.
Dr. Bernadette Madrid of Child Protection Network Foundation is pushing for a law that will increase the age of statutory rape from 12 to 16 years old, and a ban on corporal punishment.
Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, on the other hand, underscores the need to intensify job creation and anti-poverty efforts.
Among the causes of violence identified in the study are poverty, substance abuse, especially of alcohol, and domestic violence.
Structural drivers of violence include inequality, cultural norms supportive of violent discipline, weak legislation preventing child corporal punishment, and poor implementation of existing laws.
UNICEF and NGOs say there is no silver bullet in addressing violence against children in the Philippines. It requires promoting awareness on violence and help available, strengthening law enforcement at the barangay level, and passing necessary legislation.
Dr. Bernadette Madrid of Child Protection Network Foundation is pushing for a law that will increase the age of statutory rape from 12 to 16 years old, and a ban on corporal punishment.
Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, on the other hand, underscores the need to intensify job creation and anti-poverty efforts.
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She also called on NGO partners and other sectors to make use of the results of the study as basis for legislation, policies and programs for children.
She also called on NGO partners and other sectors to make use of the results of the study as basis for legislation, policies and programs for children.
"We at the Department of Social Welfare and Development call on our units to take a more pro-active role when it comes to reporting cases of child abuse. More importantly, we want to promote a mindset among Filipinos that child abuse is wrong and should not be allowed in a society that claims to have respect for children’s rights," Taguiwalo said in a statement.
"We at the Department of Social Welfare and Development call on our units to take a more pro-active role when it comes to reporting cases of child abuse. More importantly, we want to promote a mindset among Filipinos that child abuse is wrong and should not be allowed in a society that claims to have respect for children’s rights," Taguiwalo said in a statement.
The NBS-VAC was hosted by the National Steering Committee chaired by CWC and UNICEF, with the support of DSWD, the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Justice; and NGO partners ChildFund, the Child Protection Network, Consuelo Foundation, Plan International, Save the Children, the UP-Manila National Institute of Health, and the World Health Organization.
The NBS-VAC was hosted by the National Steering Committee chaired by CWC and UNICEF, with the support of DSWD, the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Justice; and NGO partners ChildFund, the Child Protection Network, Consuelo Foundation, Plan International, Save the Children, the UP-Manila National Institute of Health, and the World Health Organization.
"We cannot do it alone. A single agency cannot create the impact or achieve our vision for a VAC-free society. It being a multi-faceted issue calls for strategic actions. We need to put all our acts together and more importantly, harmonize our actions," Taguiwalo said.
Representatives of government and non government organizations signed Tuesday a declaration of commitment to end violence against children in the Philippines.
"We cannot do it alone. A single agency cannot create the impact or achieve our vision for a VAC-free society. It being a multi-faceted issue calls for strategic actions. We need to put all our acts together and more importantly, harmonize our actions," Taguiwalo said.
Representatives of government and non government organizations signed Tuesday a declaration of commitment to end violence against children in the Philippines.
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