Domestic violence against women, children up 91% in 2010–report

MANILA, Philippines – Cases of domestic violence against women and their children saw an increase of 91% in 2010 compared to 2009 figures, according to the 2010 Annual Human Rights Report.

The data, released by the US State Department, showed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported 9,225 cases of domestic violence against women and their children from January through November 2010.

According to the study, a local women’s support group noted that in smaller localities, perpetrators of abuse sometimes used personal relationships with local authorities to avoid prosecution.

Women who sought to file complaints with the police were told on some occasions to pay special fees before their complaints could be registered.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Report also showed that politically motivated killings in the country remain to be a problem.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reportedly investigated 53 new complaints of politically motivated killings in 2010 involving 67 victims.

The nongovernmental organization Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) recorded 9 cases involving 11 victims of summary executions by government forces during the year. NGO Karapatan, on the other hand, recorded 44 victims of extrajudicial killings.

Since 2001, PNP’s Task Force Usig (TFU) has recorded 161 cases of extrajudicial killings. -abs-cbnNEWS.com