ILOILO – Report any cases of child abuse to the appropriate authorities to prevent further suffering and ensure proper care and management for the victims’ reintegration into the community, the Special Envoy of the President to UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) urged Ilonggos.
Monica Prieto-Teodoro’s appeal came during a press conference on Monday morning, May 13, following a courtesy visit to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. She emphasized the role of community vigilance in addressing child abuse and violence against children.
“Child abuse might seem minor to some, but for the victims, it is a profound trauma, particularly when they have been suffering for a long time,” Teodoro explained.
She added, “So please do your part and try to prevent anything from getting worse by helping the government, social workers, and non-government organizations (NGOs) that are active in this field, and report immediately to the right authorities because child trafficking and abuse are very lucrative crimes.”
Teodoro highlighted statistics showing a 300 percent increase in online sexual abuse cases in the country, a rise from 257 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She further explained that the ease of earning money from such heinous acts and the involvement of family members often make it easy for perpetrators to coerce victims into inappropriate actions, contributing to the rapid increase in child abuse cases.
Teodoro stressed the emotional and psychological impact on the victims once they are rescued by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“They were hurt, we have to reintegrate them back into society so that they are productive. What happens if they don’t receive the right care and you bring them back to society? They might hurt other children just to justify what happened to them,” she said.
In her discussions with Governor Defensor, Teodoro explored additional support the provincial government could provide in terms of proper care and management for child abuse victims.
She advocated for greater involvement from nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and local officials in protecting and giving a voice to abused children, which she believes can make a massive difference.
Teodoro’s visit to Iloilo also included a trip to the Cameleon Association Incorporated in Passi City, an NGO caring for over 100 children who are victims of severe abuses, including incest and sexual assault.
During her visit with the governor, she appealed to relocate the Passi City District Jail, which is only 50 meters away from the Cameleon building. This proximity has led to instances where children could see their perpetrators, causing recurrent pain and trauma.
In response, Defensor committed to discussing potential relocations with Mayor Stephen Palmares.
“For the meantime, the faster solution we see is implementing an engineering intervention by installing a barrier between the Cameleon building and the district jail,” Defensor said./PN
