DSWD holds inter-school drive against child abuse
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI recently conducted an inter-school campaign on the prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
The team from DSWD visited the Mandurriao National High School, Fort San Pedro National High School and Jalandoni Memorial National High School. The team was composed of Susan Mogato, head of Social Technology Bureau; Rosario Sanagustin, Social Welfare Officer IV; May Rago-Castillo, Regional Information Officer; and Mary Joy Acana, Social Welfare Officer II.
“We have actually started the campaign way back in year 2008. This year, we are reaching out to these three schools. We plan to reach out to more schools in the future. Advocacy for the protection against child abuse and exploitation is very important to ensure that students will have knowledge about child abuse and be aware that these cases happen so they will not be victimized,” said Joel P. Galicia, OIC-Regional Director of DSWD.
There were a total of 200 students who were able to participate. Most were from First Year since most students at this stage are in the adolescence stafe.
Topics tackled during the activity were:
What is child abuse?
Who are the victims of child abuse?
Who can file a complaint?
Facts about young male sexual abuse
Preventing child abuse
Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuser
Azucena Falales, Principal of Mandurriao National High School, expressed appreciation on the DSWD’s campaign saying that such could really help students.
Fort San Pedro Principal Blesilda Floro, for her part, voiced that the activity was really an answer to the needs of students nowadays. (DSWD-6)
