Rape cases up 50% in 2014—PNP

MANILA, Philippines – The number of rape cases reported in the country rose by more than half in the first 10 months of 2014 compared to the same period last year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.

But the director of the PNP Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) cautioned that the rise might “not necessarily be an increase in the actual number of rape cases” but due to “improved crime reporting.”

Chief Superintendent Juanita Nebran said the WCPC recorded 7,306 rape cases from January to October of this year, which is 2,569, or 54.23 percent, more than the 4,737 recorded in the same period in 2013.

Of the figure, almost 8 out of 10, or 76.9 percent, of the victims were minors, which show that sexual offenders targeted children more.

“Sila yung walang kakayahang lumaban at takot sila.”  (They can’t fight back out of fear)

Nebran said the PNP was trying to get the “true crime picture” by citing from barangay blotters and other law enforcement units, not just from police stations.

According to her, the PNP had intensified training and had provided specialized courses to its personnel to improve their capability in dealing with women and children victims of abuse.

“The training complements the information awareness campaigns that they conduct among the public,” she said.

However, Nebran pointed out that successful intervention “depends on the rape victim’s willingness to come forward.

“Hindi namin sila matutulungan kung tatahimik lang sila,” she said. (We won’t be able to help them if they remained silent (about the abuse).

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