Incest incidents in RP rise to 33%

The Child Protection Unit (CPU) Philippines said feminization of overseas labor, alcohol and use of illegal drugs pushed up incest incidents in the Philippines to 33 percent of total child abuse cases recorded in 2009.

“This disturbing phenomenon of the girl-child being turned into substitute spouse has been happening in our country along with the feminization of labor migration,” CPU legal consultant, Atty. Katrina Legarda said, who noted that women now comprise70 percent of Filipino workers deployed abroad.

Legarda described the phenomenon as one of the most damaging social impacts of labor migration, one that can never be measured by any of the government’s socio-economic indicators or captured by statistics on labor export.

The problem remains largely unreported, however, due to its sensitive nature and the child’s fear to file a formal complaint against her own father which would bring severe stress and shame to the family.

CPU targets to help at least 10,000 abused children annually by establishing one national and six regional training and treatment centers, which will be augmented by 25 child protection units in key areas in the country and 81 satellite offices nationwide in the next five years.

The centers and clinics will address the lack of necessary support system for victims while proactively safeguarding human rights of children.

“There is also a need to push for national laws and policies to children from violence and abuse,” Legarda said.

Compared with stranger abuse, incest has a different psychological and emotional impact on the victim because of the relationship of trust between the victim-survivor and the abuser. “A child molested by a stranger can run home for help and comfort. A victim of incest cannot.”

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) records show that Region IX tops the list having the most number of reported incest in 2009 with 90 cases, followed by Region VII with 82; Region III, 60; Region II and NCR with, 50; and Region I with 49.

Legarda said a long-term program should be set in place where society is educated about human rights of children to address the lack of necessary support system for victims while proactively safeguarding human rights of children.–Daily Tribune