Reported women’s abuse cases in Davao City up by 100% in 2006

The number of Dabawenyas being subjected to violence has increased by a hundred percent from January to August this year compared to the number of reported cases during the whole period of 2005.

Data from the City Mayor’s Integrated Gender and Development Division show that a total of 260 cases of violence against women have been reported in the said office from January to March and from July to August this year.

This is more than a hundred percent increase compared to the 120 Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) cases reported in the same office for the whole 2005 considering that figures for September to December this year are still unavailable.

Women’s groups however said that the increasing trend in the number of reported VAWC cases can be attributed to a rising awareness on the rights of women.

Physical and economic abuse had the highest percentage of reported VAWC cases reported from January to March this year, with a percentage of 29.63 cases for each type of abuse. Cases of economic abuse were reported to be around 49.37% from July 1 to August 31 this year.

The other reported abuses against women and children include abandonment, child abuse, marital infidelity, physical abuse, rape, sexual abuse, bigamy, concubinage, sexual harassment and threat.(lovely a. carillo)