ILOILO City – Declaring that domestic violence cannot be addressed by law enforcement alone, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) is pushing for a whole-of-community response involving barangays, schools, churches, government agencies and civic organizations.
The call comes as the 2025 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) showed that 18.3 percent of women aged 15 to 49 with intimate partners have experienced physical, emotional or sexual violence.
Captain Merry Chris dela Cruz, chief of the PRO-6’s Regional Women and Children Protection Desk (RWCPD), said the statistics underscore the need for broader community involvement in preventing abuse and protecting victims.
The survey ranked Western Visayas third nationwide in sexual violence, fourth in physical violence and seventh in emotional violence. It further revealed that physical violence cases increased from 6.7 percent in 2022 to 8.1 percent in 2025, while sexual violence cases rose from 2.5 percent to 3.1 percent. Emotional violence declined from 18 percent to 15.9 percent during the same period.
“While we have observed a modest decline in emotional violence cases, there remains a grave concern regarding the uptick in physical and sexual violence. The incidence of physical violence has unfortunately risen from 6.7 percent to 8.1 percent, while sexual violence has escalated from 2.5 percent to 3.1 percent,” dela Cruz said.
She stressed that the figures should not be viewed merely as numbers but as evidence of real lives affected by trauma, fear and abuse.
To confront the problem, the RWCPD is advocating a multi-pronged strategy that includes strengthening public education and awareness campaigns, improving access to survivor-centered services, enhancing police response effectiveness, promoting data-driven policymaking, expanding economic empowerment opportunities for survivors, and strengthening partnerships among government agencies, non-government organizations and community groups.
“Education is our first line of defense,” dela Cruz asserted, emphasizing the importance of involving schools, local organizations, and faith-based institutions in efforts to raise awareness about domestic violence and its consequences.
Dela Cruz also called for easier access to healthcare, legal assistance and psychological support for survivors, while stressing the need for police officers to handle domestic violence cases with professionalism, confidentiality and compassion.
Recognizing the crucial role of local communities, she identified barangays as frontline partners in implementing anti-violence measures and proposed comprehensive training programs to equip barangay officials with the skills needed to respond effectively and sensitively to abuse cases.
She also highlighted the importance of strengthening reporting systems to ensure incidents are properly documented and analyzed, while promoting economic empowerment programs that can help survivors escape abusive situations caused or prolonged by financial dependence.
“The data from the 2025 NDHS unmistakably identifies Western Visayas as a high-risk region for emotional and sexual violence. This knowledge will shape our operational priorities, guide our training efforts, and tailor our community engagement strategies as we move forward,” dela Cruz said.
She said the findings will serve as a guide for future police operations and community-based interventions aimed at protecting women and other vulnerable sectors and fostering safer communities across Western Visayas./PN
