Quarantine also locked down abuse complaints

MANILA, Philippines — The number of reported cases of violence against women and children went down this year, but the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) said this did not mean the incidents had become fewer.

PCW deputy executive director Maria Kristine Balmes said the drop was mainly due to the movement restrictions that were imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic that made it difficult for women and children to report such incidents to the police.

“During this pandemic, the reported cases of violence against women went down. This went down because the pandemic prevented women, especially the victim-survivors, from being able to access services of service providers,” Balmes said at an online briefing. “This does not mean the cases of (violence against women) went down.”

“Because we’re in a pandemic and many were unable to leave their homes especially during the (enhanced community quarantine), the tendency was for the women to be victimized even more,” she said.

The quarantine restrictions aggravated women’s usual reluctance to report incidents of violence as only one in three seek assistance if they suffer abuse, Balmes said.