Official urges Davao City residents to report VAWC cases

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/4 October)—A city official here is calling on residents to continue reporting cases of violence against women and children even as she notes a slight drop in the number of reported cases for 2024.

Lorna Mandin, head of city hall’s Integrated Gender and Development Division (IGDD), said the stigma associated with these cases continues to prevent some women from reporting instances of domestic violence.

Davao City Hall. June 2017 photo from the City Government of Davao FB page

”Remember ha naa tay VAW desk in every barangay, pero dili ko matingala nga naay ubang babae nga dili muadto sa VAWC Desk maskin nga duol na kaayo sa ilaha (Remember we have VAWC desks in every barangay but I will not be surprised if there are women who would not access these)” Mandin said.

Mandin said there are also cases of abused women who are fully aware of their rights and where to report VAWC cases but would keep silent instead of reporting the violence and abuse for the fear of retaliation.

Mandin said this culture of silence goes against the framework that the IGDD follows called the 4 Rs of abuse: recognizing, recording, reporting, and referring.

Mandin emphasized the importance of recognizing the violence or abuse done against women as this is a crucial first step in the gathering of evidence such as videos, photos, and medical records of victims.

”If a victim is still not ready, part of building awareness is urging them to document the abuse so that when the time comes, they will have some evidence to report,” Mandin said.

Mandin also highlighted that there is a VAWC desk in every barangay to assist in the reporting and documention of cases. The barangay VAWC desk can also help determine if an immediate Barangay Protection Order is needed.

But Mandin clarified that institutions like schools, hospitals, and religious organizations can refer VAWC cases to the police authorities. Possible victims can also go directly to the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of every police station in the city.

“Victims can turn to whoever is accessible or to people they trust; they can then be referred to the authorities,” she said.

In 2024 the PNP’s Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS) recorded a total of 2,386 VAWC cases in Davao City, slightly lower than the 2707 cases in 2023.

The 2023 Davao City tally was 20 percent of the total 13, 210 VAWC cases recorded nationwide.

Mandin said the high tally of recorded cases may be a reflection of the level of awareness of Davao City residents with regard to VAWC.

She said the city has built a systematic referral system and a comprehensive response process to address cases of domestic violence and other forms of abuse.

The referral and response system includes medical assistance through hospitals and the city’s district health centers as well as legal assistance through the City Prosecutor’s Office and the City Legal Office. (Daniel Jamito/MindaNews)