Brave children win convictions against abusers

By Fr. Shay Cullen

This is the story of the rescue, recovery and empowerment of an eight-year-old child, Angelica, from Orani, Bataan. She was abandoned by her father and then cruelly physically and psychologically abused by her mother and step-father Glen Rivera. They beat her with a bamboo stick and constantly cursed her and pinched her so hard she could hardly stop crying in pain. One day, they locked her in a room without food or water and left her there all day. Her crying alerted neighbors and she was rescued and brought to the municipal social worker. When she told what had happened to her, she was at grave risk and Angelica was brought last March 2023 to the safe protective care of the Preda Foundation home for abused and trafficked children to heal and recover.

She had severe bruises and marks from the beatings on her legs and thighs, all recorded as evidence. Angelica was glad to be in a safe and happy home. In therapy, she cried out her hurt and pain through the Emotional Release Therapy, young as she was. She grew emotionally stronger, healed and her self-confidence grew daily at Preda with fifty other child victims all recovering from sexual abuse and human trafficking.

Angelica became a strong-minded and courageous young girl and she bravely told her story to the judge in court and was believed. This past week, the Family Court in Bataan found both the mother and step-father guilty beyond reasonable doubt and they are now in jail. That is 14 convictions already by Preda children this year 2024.

Despite her trauma, Angelica has recovered and will have a life free from fear, adult tyranny and abuse, thanks to the help of Preda dedicated care workers and therapists.

In the world today, no one can be complacent, ignorant, neglectful or unaware of the extent of human trafficking and child abuse. Unicef says there are at least seven million children abused one way or another in the Philippines every year. However, that is just a wheelbarrow of dirt from the enormous mountain of abuse that is really there. Let’s face the painful truth that one in every three girls and one in every five boys are sexually abused and raped every year. The challenge for all good people is to help the child victims and speak out and act against child abuse, and child trafficking. Anyone can report abuse by contacting the Preda Foundation Facebook page.

Many people reading could have been sexually abused and victimized as children because it happens to so many. The victims remained silent from fear and because no one would believe them. They could not ask for help. We need to persuade children that if abused, they will be believed. They can run and tell a trusted person, a relative, a teacher, or go to the police or contact Preda Foundation. That is why children can report the abuse to Preda social workers and get immediate help and protection and stay in the Preda home until they win justice, too.

Most child victims, now adults, have endured the memories of their abuse all their lives and bravely endure the pain and memories. Others succeed in repressing the memories. They might be able to share them with a trusted person and even talk to a therapist.

The hundreds of children need help and those that were healed at Preda have no fears and had the chance to fight back and convict their abusers. Many are now serving life sentences in jail and the children are free of abuse. The Preda children win 20 convictions every year with the help of the Preda paralegal team.

Then there is the victory of Rebecca (not her real name). She, like hundreds of others, is a victim of her step-father, Danilo Fortunato. One day, her stepfather took her into a bedroom, undressed her and proceeded to sexually assault her. Rebecca was too scared to tell her mother since Fortunato threatened to kill her and her two younger sisters if she told anybody. Later, she found out that they, too, were being sexually abused by the step-father and she told her mother.

As a good mother, she protected her children and reported the abuse to the social workers of Morong, Bataan and they went to the police. Fortunato was arrested and the children filed cases against him. He is charged with statutory rape and child sexual abuse (RA 7610). The family tried to continue a normal life awaiting a long time for the trial to proceed.

The psychological impact of the sexual abuse on Rebecca caused her to show sexualized behavior in school by trying to expose herself and sending nude photos to her classmates. This was a cry for help. She could not endure the secret memories and was looking for attention sending signals of her problem. The good teacher responded and learned from Rebecca what had happened and Rebecca was referred for healing at the Preda home. She had her therapy like Angelica and was healed and empowered to speak about the abuse and testified clearly in court. A great victory already for her. Once an intimidated child, now a strong outspoken youth. The power of Preda healing therapies developed over 50 years of Preda service saves the lives of hundreds of child victims and gives them a new start in life.

Visit www.preda.org.