The Department of Social Welfare and Development opened the first-of-its-kind “refuge facility” for women who are victims of human trafficking in Central Visayas.
DSWD regional director Teodulo Romo said they recently inaugurated “Her Space”, a new facility at the second floor of the DSWD-7 building along M.J. Cuenco Avenue designed for trafficked women.
“This project was borne out of the absence of a temporary shelter which is conducive and safe for victims of trafficking to stay in,” Romo said.
“Her Space” can house, at a given time, around 20 to 30 women-victims of trafficking usually rescued from bars and brothels by law enforcement agencies.
The facility will also serve as a one-stop shop where processing and assessment of rescued victims of human trafficking will be done by social workers, doctors and even by law enforcement officers.
Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, harboring, or receipt of people for the purpose of exploitation.
Exploitation includes forcing people into prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.
For children, exploitation may also include forced prostitution, illicit international adoption, trafficking for early marriage, or recruitment as child soldiers, beggars, or for sports or religion.
Women are particularly vulnerable to slavery-like practices due largely to the persistent inequalities they face in status and opportunity worldwide.
Victims of human trafficking are typically recruited using coercion, deception, fraud, abuse of power, or outright abduction. Threats, violence, and economic leverage often make women susceptible to exploitation.
Romo said the installation of the shelter was realized through the partnership of the DSWD-7 and the International Justice Mission.
DSWD provided the space for the victims while IJM funded for the repair and rehabilitation of the center as well as the provision of fixtures and other equipment.
Present during the inauguration was IJM lawyer Andrey Sawchenko who led the ceremonial cutting of ribbon. — Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV