A center for women who are victims of gender-based violence was inaugurated in Las Piñas on Thursday. Photo from City of Las Piñas Facebook page.
MANILA, Philippines — In 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that 17.5 percent of women experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence from their current or recent partners.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police likewise said that the most reported case of violence against women was physical injuries at 8,399, followed by rape at 1,791, and acts of lasciviousness at 1,505.
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According to the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), violence against women severely affects women in numerous aspects.
“It does not only affect women’s physical and reproductive health but especially their mental and emotional state. It has caused women to feel ashamed and lose their self-esteem. It threatens women’s personal security,” the PCW said on its website.
On May 9, a center for the shelter and rehabilitation of women who are victims of gender-based violence was inaugurated in Las Piñas City.
According to the official Facebook page of Las Piñas City, the Women’s Crisis Center will support up to 40 women aged 18-59 years old.
In the statistics of Violence Against Women and their Children as reported by Radyo Inquirer, Las Piñas City had more than 1,880 abuse cases in 2023.
The Facebook page of Las Piñas said that the center will offer various services such as counseling, legal assistance, livelihood training.
In an interview of Inquirer.net with the City Social Welfare And Development (CSWD) of Las Piñas City, the CSWD said that while the center is not yet operational, it is expected to open its doors to women by May, when all of its operation system will have been finalized.
The CSWD will also be in charge of the administration of the center.
Women who have experienced abuse may opt to bring their children with them at the center, the CSWD added.
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“Kasi meron po cases na madalas na kung kailan po ng immediate na shelter, siyempre, kailangan po na kasama ‘yong anak nila para maprotektahan, may mga ganoon pong cases,” the CSWD said.
Some of the livelihood training will include commercial cooking, reflexology massage, as well as in beauty and hair care.
The funding for the building of the center, which cost P5 million, as well as its future operations, came from the gender and development fund of the LGU, the CSWD said.