Fight child sexual abuse, schools urged

MANILA, Philippines—To be part of awareness week on the prevention of child sexual abuse, schools may hold poster-making and slogan-writing contests and similar activities on the topic, or integrate into school subjects current issues that focus on how children can protect themselves against such exploitation.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro in a memorandum encouraged regional and school division offices as well as elementary and high schools nationwide to observe the 19th national awareness week for the prevention of child sexual abuse and commercial-sexual exploitation.

This year’s awareness week, to be marked from Feb. 8 to 14, has for its theme: “Labanan ang Pang-aabusong Sekswal sa mga Bata: Now Na!”

Luistro said the observance was meant to educate students and their communities on the importance of ensuring a safe, protective and caring environment for children.

The observance on the second week of February every year was based on Presidential Proclamation No. 731 signed by President Fidel V. Ramos.

Raise public awareness

The proclamation stressed the need to raise public awareness on the extent and magnitude of child sexual abuse and its adverse consequences on the personality of the child, on his or her family and on society as a whole.

It was also meant to inform people that child sexual abuse can be prevented but that once it happens, it must be reported so that programs and services can be made accessible to the victim.

A 2007 study by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), based on records from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), found that 2,277 children were sexually abused, with most of them victims of rape, incest or molestation. Nearly 200 children were sexually exploited through prostitution and pornography, while others fell prey to pedophiles.

Majority of female victims were aged 10 to 17, while male victims belonged to the 1 to 10-year-old age group. Most of the cases were reported in Central Luzon, while over 200 cases happened in Metro Manila. Most of the children were from the National Capital Region.

The PSA however noted a downtrend in the cases since 2000, when over 5,000 children were reported to have been sexually abused and exploited.