Rape cases on the rise in Pangasinan
MORE WOMEN, CHILDREN VICTIMS
LINGAYEN – Parents beware. More women and children are being raped these days.
This was gleaned from the report of the provincial police to the provincial board last week that the number of rape cases and incidents of violence against women and children in the province continue to rise.
Reacting to the alarm expressed by the board members, P/Senior Supt. Reynaldo Biay, officer-in-charge at the Pangasinan Police, affirmed that violence against women and children continues to be a major problem citing data collated by the police to date.
Records of the police showed there were 36 rape cases that were registered from January to September this year as compared to only nine for the same period last year.
The number of attempted rape of women also increased from one to five; acts of lasciviousness, from one to 10; physical injuries, from 10 to 18; violation of Republic Act 9262 (an act penalizing violence against women and children), from 17 to 81; concubinage, zero to 1; abduction/kidnapping, from zero to one; and unjust vexation, from two to two.
No rape victim died this year.
Most of the women victims 18-25 years old and a considerable number of the cases were perpetrated by boyfirends and neighbors. Offenders were 25-45 years old, and mostly unemployed.
CHILDREN RAPE VICTIMS
A more shocking part of the report was the number of rape cases involving children as victims.
There were 111 rapes cases registered from January to September 2014 as compared to 104 cases for the same period last year. Rape cases involving children are those whose victims are from zero to 17 years old.
Following up on the report, The PUNCH interviewed P/ Chief Inspector Genevieve Poblete, head of Women’s and Children’s Desk at the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, and revealed the following data culled from the investigations of child rape cases:
: About 19 of the child rape victims were six years old and below; 20 victims were 13-14 years old while 30 victims were 15-16 years old.
: Most of the incidents happened from 5:00 to 2:00 a.m.
: Child rapes cases are highest in the cities of Urdaneta (13), Dagupan (15). Cases were also reported in, Calasiao town had 11, Bayambang had 9, Malasiqui had eight and Alaminos City 7.
: While most of the suspects are not related to the victims, 35 were perpetrated by their own fathers, 10 by stepfathers, 49 by relatives, 4 by their grandfather.
: Other cases involved 20 boyfriends, 49 relatives and 17 neighbors.
: Reported rapists of children are mostly aged 36 to 45.
According to Poblete, there were also three cases of children’s kidnapping and three cases of violation of RA 9208 of the Child Trafficking Law.
HIGHER AWARENESS
When asked by Sixth District Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr. for the factors that gave rise to increase in violence against women and children, Biay surmised that there have been an increase, but more victims and their families now find it easier to report the crime to the police.
“In our assessment, this (reported increase in number of cases) can be attributed to the successful dissemination campaign as well as the awareness of the victim and their families on the need to seek police assistance and file charges,” he said.
Biay pointed out that the presence of women’s desk in the police stations have encouraged victims to seek help on how they can get justice.
Board Member Shiela Perez, the only woman member of the provincial board, expressed concern about the need for a collective action to deter the commission of more rape cases.
Biay said an agreement with the National Police Commission, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (Pangasinan chapter), Department of Social Welfare and Development and Prosecutor’s Office is being worked out to give legal aid to rape victims. (Tita Roces)
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