Policemen keep a curious crowd, which includes children, from a crime scene. A psychologist warns that frequent exposure to violence may make kids less sensitive to other people’s pain. —RAFFY LERMA
It was 10:30 a.m. in late September and Dina (name changed for her son’s protection) was running late, preparing to take her 3-year-old son, Patrick, to school. In the middle of her preparations, gunshots suddenly rang out near their house in Pasay City, followed by people wailing.
“We heard around eight to nine shots,” Dina, 31, told the Inquirer in a recent interview. “I immediately hugged my son and niece and took cover.”
The victim turned out to be her uncle, a known drug den maintainer in the area. Leaving the children inside the house, Dina stepped out. She saw her uncle slumped lifeless by the side of the road, the metal gate behind him bearing bullet holes.
Since then, Dina, who works the late night shift as a video editor, has grown fearful not only for her safety, but for Patrick’s as well.
More than four months after the Duterte administration started its war on drugs, over 4,000 drug suspects have died, either killed by policemen in legitimate operations or by vigilantes.
Unintended consequences
Every day, these deaths are reported by media, accompanied at times by graphic images. Frequent exposure to violence, however, whether firsthand or through mass media, can have a long-term adverse effect,
particularly on the youth, according to a psychologist.
Dr. Joanna Herrera, who has worked with children facing trauma for more than a decade, said the violence caused by the drug war can ultimately hurt society.
“Most people want a solution [to the drug problem] but [the one being employed now] affects Filipino families a lot,” she told the Inquirer. “I am wondering if the side effects are worse than the cure.”
According to Herrera, scientific studies showed that
children’s exposure to violence can lead to their exhibiting violent behavior, including aggression, delinquency and crime, in their later years.
“Violence can beget violence,” she said. “Overexposure can also lead to desensitization, especially for children who are more malleable.”
Herrera also noted that young kids may become less sensitive to the pain of other people and more fearful of the world around them.
“Watching violence on television can create a distance, but when children have more affinity and intimacy with the situation, [like when] they witness killings in their own communities, it can be more emotionally overwhelming for them,” she said.
Since the death of her uncle, Dina said she now deliberately shields Patrick from watching television.
“But when there is violence on television whenever we watch together, I usually cover his eyes and ears and tell him it’s bad for him.”
Too young
Dina noted: “I think he is too young to be aware of and understand this kind of reality.”
While exposure to violence can affect anyone regardless of age or gender, research has shown that aggression and rule-breaking behavior as a result tend to occur more in boys, while girls have a tendency to internalize problems which can lead to depression.
But even more worrying, Herrera said, was the seeming approval of the drug-related killings by most people.
“It is not just about the violence but the tacit approval of it,” she said. “If the [country’s] leadership also shows approval, what does it say to our young people?”
“As a society, this era of tacit approval might shift our moral schema on addressing our problems,” Herrera said. “We become more distanced and more Drug war… disengaged with people who are killed as if they are not human.”
She added: “It is worrisome because the justification of violence seems to turn off our compassion, a characteristic inherent to Filipinos.”
While it may not be easy to shield children from violence in their communities, Herrera said parents and guardians must play a bigger role to help them understand the situation.
“It is important that parents talk about it and bring up the other side of the truth which is recognizing other people’s pain and suffering, as well as the injustice in society,” she added.
According to her, whether or not they agree with the methods used in the antidrug drive, parents should help their children connect with other people to make them compassionate to others.
“It is also important to encourage them to critically evaluate the situation,” Herrera said. “Instead of imposing their beliefs, parents should allow their kids to form their own thoughts and convictions on the matter.”
Change in behavior
For Dina, she finds it quite unusual that Patrick has yet to ask her about their relative’s death. The boy, however, has shown fear toward policemen although he continues to play with toy guns while acting out his favorite super heroes, she noted.
“At his age, it is so difficult to explain the complexity of the drug war situation,” she said, adding that she prefers that they avoid the topic for now because she is scared of the negative impact it may have on Patrick.
“To be honest, I don’t know exactly how I will explain it to my son,” she said. “But I have to be prepared because I cannot just ignore him if he asks. And he might seek his answers elsewhere and get the wrong answers.”