MANILA, Philippines — Gabriela partylist on Saturday lamented the record-high cases of violence against women (VAW) in the country under the Duterte administration amid the celebration of International Women’s Month this March.
Quoting data from Center for Women’s Resources (CWR), Gabriela Secretary General Joms Salvador said the group receives one to two cases of violence against women every day.
“One case of violence is too many, 10 minute-interval per abuse is reprehensible. Violence against women occurs with impunity because of a fascist and misogynist president who repeatedly displays ingrained prejudice against women,” Salvador said in a statement.
The group said VAW cases increased by 60.45% from 382 cases in 2015 to 713 in 2016.
Gabriela said 9,943 rape cases were also reported in the first year of Duterte’s presidency which is 53 percent higher than the annual average of 6,480 cases in the past decade.
/atm