‘CULTURE OF SILENCE’: Iloilo board member decries stifled cases of child abuses

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Iloilo 3rd District Board Member Jason Gonzales condemned what he described as a persistent “culture of silence” surrounding child sexual abuse, following the killing of a 7-year-old girl in Lambunao allegedly perpetrated by her own grandfather.

In an interview on Dec. 17, Gonzales said the case exposed a broader, often hidden reality in many communities, stressing that while the homicide may be an isolated incident, sexual molestation and abuse of children by family members is a recurring and underreported crime.

“This is a silent crime,” he stressed, adding that many cases never reach authorities because families choose to keep them hidden due to shame, fear, and dependence on the perpetrator.

Drawing from his experience as former mayor of Lambunao, he shared that he had long received reports of child sexual abuse within households, often involving relatives and left unreported unless the abuse escalated to extreme violence.

“It is painful to say, but this culture of silence and protecting abusive family members is happening not only in our communities but across the country,” he said.

He urged families and communities to stop concealing abuse and to prioritize justice and protection for victims over preserving family reputation, adding that the provincial government would look into possible interventions to address the culture of silence surrounding abuse within families.

Authorities said the victim, identified only as “Bebe,” tested positive for sexual abuse based on a medico-legal examination conducted by Dr. Owen Libaquen, which found genital lacerations consistent with abuse.

The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation.

The child was found dead on Nov. 8 inside a sack with a ligature around her neck in the comfort room of their home in Barangay Tampucao.

Gonzales reiterated that breaking the silence surrounding child abuse was crucial to preventing further harm and protecting vulnerable children.