QC reopens protection center amid rise in domestic violence over quarantine period

The Quezon City government will reopen its Protection Center for women, children, and members of the LGBT community amid increased domestic violence incidents.

In a statement, Mayor Joy Belmonte said news reports indicated that around 602 people, or an average of eight people a day were raped from March 17 to May 23 in the country.

“Sa pagdami ng kaso ng karahasan at pang-aabuso laban sa ating mga kababaihan, kabataan, at miyembro ng LGBT community, nakita namin ang pangangailangan na muling buksan ang QCPC para matugunan ang problemang ito,” she said.

The center, located within the Quezon City General Hospital (QCGH) compound in Barangay Bahay Toro, will serve walk-in clients particularly those have experienced violence and harassment.

While it was temporarily closed due to the pandemic, the center still accepted inquiries and complaints through its e-mail at quezoncityprotectioncenter@gmail.com, social media account, and Hotline 122.

“We need to provide vulnerable sectors of society an avenue where they can seek assistance against any form of violence and harassment, most especially now that they are frequently at home due to the modified enhanced community quarantine,” Belmonte said.

The center provides free legal, medical and psychological assistance and intervention, among others, for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual harassment, the QC government said.

It was recently certified by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) as a Gender and Development (GAD) Local Learning Hub (LLH) in 2019, it added.

The World Health Organization reported that incidents of violence against women have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic because they are staying more at home due to quarantine restrictions.

It also attributed the growing number to the rising stress, isolation from social support network, and limited access to critical services and the pandemic crisis.

Also, an International Justice Mission (IJM) study showed that cases of internet-based sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines increased by 250 percent 23,333 in 2014 to 81,723 in 2017. -NB, GMA News