VAWC cases in Kidapawan rise by 70%

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines - The city police recorded a 70-percent increase in criminal offenses against women and children in October 2013, about three-folds higher than the cases listed in prior months.

Senior Inspector Lou Melocotones, chief of the Women and Children's Protection Desk of the city police office, announced on Friday that 34 cases of violence against women and children (VAWC) were logged in October 2013.

Only 24 VAWC cases were reported to the city police in September 2013, Melocotones said.

There were lower recorded VAWC cases in the city during the months prior to September 2013.

Melocotones said most of the VAWC cases reported to the city police in October 2013 were domestic violence involving couples and sexual abuses.

“We would like to interpret this high number of VAWC cases in October 2013 as, possibly, a result of the consciousness now of victims to come out in the open to report VAWC cases. Victims, in the past, rarely come out to speak to us due to many reasons,” he told reporters.

The city police has actively been disseminating, through dialogues with barangay folks, information on the Republic Act 9262, also known as the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Law, for local residents to understand the rights of women and children under the Constitution.

“The local communities are responding positively to our information campaign. Many victims came out and sought protection and assistance from the city police,” Melocotones said.