Significant decrease seen in city cases of child, women abuse

By Florence F. Hibionada

Iloilo City's drive and tight watch against child and women abuse recorded a significant decrease this year.  With validated cases on a continuing down-trend, the figures may just well be good news to the Women and Children's Desk (WCD) of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) 

In a report obtained by The News Today (TNT), considerable decline was evident on child abuse and exploitation incidents here.  Further still, youth offenders or children in conflict with the law dwindled to about a half as compared to consolidated reports of last year 

The scenario was similar in the monthly monitoring made by authorities where since January to present, 2005 proves to be a whole lot better than 2004. 

For instance, January of last year recorded 30 child abuse and exploitation cases with only one case pursued and filed before the Iloilo City Prosecutor's Office.  This year the number was down to 10 and complaints filed totaling to three.  Even complaints of said nature acted by the barangay saw substantial decrease from last year's 29 cases to this year's six on record. 

Ensuing months of February to June all saw marked difference as well with most of the recorded and validated cases down beyond the 50% mark.  Such, as the statistics also showed that it was in March of this year where for some reason, child abuse and exploitation acted upon by the police was most high. 

The youth offenders on the other hand were not as much if compared to the previous year.  With most of the reported youth offenders in conflict with the law in the months of January and May of this year, the recorded 27 for both months was still “good news.”  This, as statistics again would show that youth offenders on record last year reached a record high of 51 in one month alone March of 2004.  On the average, some 24 children were in conflict with the law. 

And similar optimism as well on the cases of violence against women.  Like the dwindling child abuse cases, incidents on abused women saw a decrease this year albeit not as substantial. 

The city saw the most number of complaints affecting women in the months of February and April where 90 cases were on record.  All told, violence against women and other forms of domestic abuse average about 65 each month yet it was worse in 2004 with 78 incidents as its lowest on record and a high of 103 which was noted in March of last year. 

The WCD is manned by a known women and children's rights staunch advocate, Senior Insp. Erna Foerster, WCD chief.