Region 6’s VAWC cases ebb by 35 pct

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

The number of offenses against women and their children in Western Visayas decreased, thanks to quarantine restrictions and liquor ban, according to Police Captain Mona Guia Menez.

“Those two factors done during the pandemic have contributed in the decrease in the number of violence against women and their children cases,” Menez, chief of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) Women and Children’s Protection Desk, said.

The WCPD recorded 824 cases for violation of RA 9262 or the Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act of 2004.

The cases were reported on Jan 1 to Sept 30, 2020.

The crime solution efficiency (CSE) in these cases was 85.07 percent. For the same period in 2019, the WCPD recorded 1,268 cases with CSE at 86.44 percent.

Menez said that the reduction of 444 cases (35 percent) is a big boost in their campaign to end VAWC.

The WCPD records showed that Iloilo City has the most number of reported VAW cases with 298.

Iloilo province had 173 CAW cases; the provinces of Capiz and Negros Occidental with 85 cases each; Aklan province with 82; Guimaras province with 53; Antique with 27; and Bacolod City with 21.

All cities and provinces of Western Visayas registered a decrease in the number of VAWC cases compared to 2019.

Despite the decrease, “this should push us harder to continue with our advocacy to prevent VAWC amid the pandemic,” Menez said.

This advocacy campaign is aimed to constantly remind the public to report VAW cases to the police or the barangay.

“We are concerned that others may not be able to report that is why we continue advocating that help is just a call or text away,” Menez said.

Meanwhile, the WCPD has also underscored the help of Barangay VAW Desks that are actively doing their job in educating people, especially men about the VAWC Law.

“Malaking tulong sa aming mga pulis kapag ang barangay ay aktibo sa pag eduka hindi lang sa mga kababaihan,” Menez said.

She also cited the help of different city and provincial offices, and police stations all over the region for their effort to prevent and end violent incidents involving women and children.

The WCPD has also encouraged all abused women or children to reach out through their RWCPD hotline number 09218009941.

“VAWC is a public crime and anyone who has a personal knowledge of the crime can report directly to the hotline number, their nearest police station or the barangay,” Menez said.