BACOLOD CITY — The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) pushed for further awareness on violence against women (VAW) as this year’s 18-day campaign to end VAW kicked off in this city on Monday.
PCW Commissioner Noreen Capili said the campaign is observed in the country annually to show that violence against women is a national issue, and not just a personal one.
“It supports the Philippine government’s goal to protect women’s rights and address the issue of all forms of violence against women,” she added.
The 18-day campaign runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 12 as declared by Proclamation No. 1172.
This year’s theme is “VAW-free community starts with me”.
Capili said this year, the PCW is holding the kick-off campaign in Bacolod, where the activities included a film showing and forum, and the closing activity in Surigao City on December 12.
Honey Castro, division chief of PCW’s Corporate Affairs and Information Resource Management Division, said the national prevalence data on VAW in reproductive age showed a decreasing trend since 2008 as a result of the campaign which gave women the courage to report physical and sexual violence.
“Ang trend po natin bumababa siya unti-unti. (Based on trend, the prevalence has gradually declined),” she said.
In 2008, the prevalence rate of VAW among Filipino women aged 15 to 49 was at 29 percent. It dropped to 26 percent in 2013 and to 24 percent in 2017. The data are based on the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which is conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) every five years.
According to PCW, the data still provides a picture of the alarming incidence of VAW in the Philippines, wherein one in four women surveyed has experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence committed by their husband or partner.
The PCW noted “these survey results are more indicative of the prevalence of violence in the country since the administrative data on number of clients served by service providers like the police, social workers, and health workers only capture cases reported to these offices.”
Considering this, the 2018 campaign will continue to emphasize the role of all individuals in combating violence against women and girls within various institutions by focusing on primary prevention to reduce incidents of VAW across the country, it added.
