FEMALE survivors of rape topped the number of clients served in the Home for the Girls and Women, the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development reported.
During the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday, Nov. 3, Nelrizza B. Santamaria, Home for Girls and Women social welfare officer, said they already served 106 clients, but the residents remaining at the center are 63 (seven women, 51 girls, and five males).
Of the 106 the center served, 41 are victim-survivors of rape, followed by incest (12); CICL (10); dependent (9), illegal recruitment (9); prostitution (8); children at risk (4), and OSAEC (Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children) with three.
The youngest clients were three infants under 1 year old, and the oldest was a senior citizen. Meanwhile, the age group 13-17 reported the highest count with 43.
According to records, the clients are from Davao de Oro (27); Davao City (20); Davao del Norte (13); Davao Occidental (10); others (9); Davao del Sur (5), and Davao Oriental (5).
The center also caters to clients from outside Davao Region, such as Sarangani, South Cotabato, Negros Occidental, Marikina City, Rizal, Parañaque City, and Bulacan.
“I hope the advocacy will continue so that the members of the community will have social awareness on the existing cases of rape and incest,” Santamaria said.
“For them to be empowered to speak in case they experience abuse in the household and in the community,” she added.
For other cases, two are under AOL (Absconded on Leave), and two under VAWC (Women and Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances), while one each for neglected, run-away, abandoned, stranded, physical abuse, and transient.
Managed by the DSWD XI, the Home for Girls and Women is a residential care facility that provides temporary shelter, protective custody, and psychosocial intervention to girls and women, ages 7-17 years old, who are victims-survivors of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and other gender-based violence.
Santamaria said the center facilitates recovery, healing, and reintegration into family and community life.
The Home for Girls and Women continues to provide services to the clients, including homelife services such as temporary parental care, considering the children have no parents inside to provide guidance; educational services in partnership with a local school; and vocational training for women for their future reintegration.
