Trauma Center para sa mga babaing minaltrato

ISINUSULONG ni Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang Senate Bill 2017 (Trauma Center Act) na magpapalakas ng proteksyon at ayuda ng pamahalaan sa mga babaing biktima ng pagmamaltrato.

Ayon kay Jinggoy, “While there appears to be sufficient legislation providing necessary assistance to victims of rape, these laws exclude victims of battery, harassment and other sexual and physical abuse. Because of this, society has become indifferent to the real plight that victims of such abuse undergo. Many continue to refuse to acknowledge the gravity of mental trauma caused by encountering such experiences.”

Pinansin niya ang National Statistics Office 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey kung saan ay lumabas na “one out of five women aged 15-49 has experienced physical violence; 14.4% of married women have experienced physical abuse from their husbands; and 37% of separated or widowed women have experienced physical violence.”

Base naman aniya sa datos ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), noong 2010 ay may naitalang 9,485 cases of domestic violence ang Women and Children Protection Center ng Philippine National Police pero lumobo pa ito sa 15,104 noong 2011.

“If the statistics prove accurate, then there exists a dire need to expand the existing law against rape to cover assistance and protection to victims of battery, harassment and other forms of physical and mental abuse,” giit ni Jinggoy.

Isinasaad ng panukala ang pagtatatag at operasyona-lisasyon ng Trauma Centers sa lahat ng lalawigan, lungsod at munisipalidad na magtitiyak ng mga sumusunod na serbisyo para sa mga biktima: 1) psychological counse-ling, medical and health services, including medico-legal examinations; 2) free legal assistance; 3) privacy and safety of victims; 4) psychological counseling and medical services for the family of victims; at 5) kaukulang training program sa lahat ng law enforcement officers, public prosecutors, lawyers, medico-legal officers, psychologists, social workers, at barangay officials upang mas epektibo silang makatutugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga babaing biktima ng pagmamaltrato.