Violence against women seen to rise in 2021

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Cases of Violence Against Women (VAW) in the first half of 2021 is nearing the 2020 figures, according to the latest data from the Iloilo provincial government.

The case trend is expected to exceed the 2020 number if all figures are accounted for by the end of 2021.

Between March to August 2021 alone, 213 VAW cases were recorded, against 241 cases in 2020.

Most of the cases were reported in May (53), followed by April (49), June (42), March (41), August (17), and July (11).

The top five areas with the most VAWC cases in March to August 2021 are Oton (18), Balasan (16), Cabatuan (11), Passi City (9), and Janiuay (7).

In an interview Thursday, Rara Ganzon of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) expressed their worry that these were still incomplete figures.

“We’re actually worried because that’s 213 and those are just reported cases. What about for those that are not reported? We have far-flung areas and barangays in mountainous areas where access is difficult,” Ganzon said.

As to the lack of data in other months, she explained that these may be due to either no cases being reported, or difficulties brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“It’s either zero have been reported, none have been submitted, or maybe at that time, duty bearers may have been nervous in going around because of COVID, and they can only report what they have collected,” she added.

Ganzon believes that strict lockdown measures due to the ongoing pandemic have contributed to the rise in VAW cases, especially in domestic abuse cases.

VAW cases also include those that were committed by non-married partners, or those with established dating or sexual relationships.

These also include relationships with the opposite male sex, or same-sex relationships with other females.

“It’s very common that abuse occurs inside the home, and that’s domestic violence. I would want to believe that when our perpetrators are members of the family, and they are at home while on lockdown or quarantine, there is a huge possibility that abuse is continuous because they are always together at home,” Ganzon said.

Iloilo City’s VAW figures constitute only 10.61 percent of the 2,007 cases in Western Visayas for the same period – Physical Abuse (949), Sexual Abuse (140), Psychological Abuse (710), and Economic Abuse (419).