MORE than 1,000 women, children and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTs) people who were victims of various forms of domestic violence and abuse have been saved by the Quezon City Protection Center (QCPC) since 2011.
Vice Mayor Joy G. Belmonte spearheaded the establishment of the QCPC in 2011, a few months after she was first elected as vice mayor of Quezon City in June 2010.
QCPC data showed that from December 2011 to March 2018, a total of 1,147 victims (women, children and LGBTs) were rescued and given psychological, medical and legal assistance by the QCPC to help them recover from their extremely devastating experiences.
Of this number, 694 were women, 359 female children, 80 male children and 13 LGBTs.
QCPC data showed the No. 1 form of violence done to the victims was physical abuse at 618, followed by sexual abuse, including rape and molestation with 343 victims, psychological abuse at 60 and economic abuse with 31 victims.
There were also 43 cases of bullying, stalking, unjust vexation and discrimination.
The QCPC said the youngest victim was a 7-day-old male infant, who was a victim of physical abuse, while the oldest was a 77-year-old grandmother, who was also a victim of physical abuse.
Also, 11 persons with disabilities (PWDs) and people with special needs were victims of violence and abuse.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said any form of domestic violence and abuse on women and children is considered a “public crime in Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004.”
In a statement, Belmonte said it is unfortunate that violence and abuse continue to happen in the city despite having a QCPC, which, apart from helping the victims, also conducts an information drive to stop violence and abuse on women, children, and LGBT.
Belmonte, said that from January to March this year, QCPC assisted 48 victims (19 women, two LGBT, seven male children and 20 female children).
Belmonte also the chairman of the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council, however, viewed this in positive terms, saying “this only shows that more and more victims are coming forward to seek help with the knowledge that there is an institution ready to provide them with free legal, medical and psychological assistance.”
“We have given them a venue, a place to run to whenever they need help. We are quite proud that through our crisis center, we have encouraged victims of gender-based violence to come out and fight back,” Belmonte said.
She added that more than providing them with medical and legal help, QCPC also makes sure victims are fully recovered from their traumatic ordeals and reintegrated back to society.
