Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the Study
Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) refers to any act or a series of acts
committed by any person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman
with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common
child, or against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode,
which result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or
economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty.1 According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, VAWC usually results
to children having problems with behavior, negative peer involvement, depression, anxiety,
violence to others, developmental delays, irregular school attendance and inappropriate sexual
behavior. As to women, VAWC usually causes mental disorder, financial instability,
malnutrition and often times death. VAWC then becomes an environmental epidemic that has to
be properly dealt with by the society.
Evidently, for women aged 15 to 49, violence is a major cause of death and disability
which is commonly committed by an intimate partner. In a 10-year study conducted by the
World Health Organization (WHO), 15% to 75% of women worldwide experienced physical
and/or sexual violence by a husband or intimate partner.2 About 40% to 70% of women were
killed by their partners in countries such as Australia, Canada, Israel, South Africa and the
1
2

Section 3, Republic Act 9262

Battered Womens Support Services (2013) Violence against women facts. Vancouver, BC Canada. Retrieved from
http://www.theviolencestopshere.ca/vaw-facts.php

United States. In Asia, about 41% to 61% of women experienced physical and/or sexual
violence.3
In the Philippines, more women are abused by their partners with one in five women aged
15 to 49 found to have experienced physical violence while one in ten women experienced
sexual violence as revealed by the National Statistics Offices National Demographic and Health
Survey (NDHS) in 2008. As provided by the Philippine National Police Women and Protection
Center, the most number of VAW cases fall under the category of Republic 9262 as shown in
Figure 1. The number of such cases increased from 218 in 2004 to 11, 531 in 2012 as shown in
Table 1.

Figure 1. Percent distribution of average reported VAW cases, Philippines: 2004-2012

United Nations Secretary-Generals Campaign. UNiTE to end violence against women. UN Department of Public
Information, November 2009. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/events/endviolenceday/pdf/UNiTE_TheSituation_EN.pdf

Table 1. Annual Comparative Statistics on Violence Against Women, 2004-2012

In the year 2012, it has been determined by the Philippine Commission on Women
(PCW) that the Central Visayas Region ranks third in the highest reported VAW cases with 2,
035 or 12.7% of the total VAW cases nationwide.
In order to address the violence committed against women and children, the Philippines
joined international human rights agreements and among which are the Convention on the
Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Convention on the Rights of the
Child and others. These actions of the Philippine government are in accordance with the
provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which embodies the principles of the state in
protecting women and children. Furthermore, enabling legislations were crafted to strengthen the
policy of the state and one of which is the Republic Act 9262.

Republic Act 9262 otherwise known as the Anti-Violence Against Women and their
Children Act of 2004 is an act created by the Philippine Congress in response to the existing
domestic violence in the country. It is an act providing protective measures for victims,
prescribing penalties therefore and for other purposes.
THE PROBLEM
Statement of the Problem
To analyze the local government of San Francisco, Poro, Tudela and Pilars compliance
to the provisions of Republic Act 9262 otherwise known as the Anti-Violence Against Women
and Their Children Act of 2004 for the past 5 years.
Specific Objectives
The study seeks to analyze the four municipalities of Camotes Islands through the
following objectives:
1) To determine the programs and services that each LGU implemented in response to
VAWC;
2) To determine the LGUs capacity in enforcing their programs and services through the
following:
2.1 Number of personnel handling VAWC
2.2 Budget allocated for VAWC cases
2.3 Availability of facilities
3) To determine the problems that each LGU encountered in handling VAWC; and
4) To provide recommendations

Statement of Assumptions
1. The LGU is capacitated to generate programs and interventions in response to VAWC
cases.
2. The LGU can provide necessary programs and services as mandated by the provisions of
Republic Act 9262.
Statement of Hypothesis
1. The LGU does not have enough budget allocated in response to VAWC which hinders
the victim survivors to resolve their case immediately.
2. The LGU fails to provide all the necessary programs and services to eliminate VAWC.
3. The LGU lacks support from the national government in response to VAWC.
4. There is not enough number of personnel handling VAWC cases in the LGU.
Significance of the Study
The purpose of the study is to provide appropriate information on the implementation of
Republic Act 9262 and to raise awareness to the beneficiaries in the outside community. The
beneficiaries of the study would include:
Judiciaries
Inter-Agency Council
Academe (USC, Political Science)
This is an important study that has to be recognized by the academe.
Education about VAWC among students and teachers should be conducted, of
where they could seek help and what kind of help they could get.
Researcher

The researcher would gain sufficient information about VAWC, realize

certain gaps and lapses of VAWC law, conduct analysis and then at least
contribute to the society.
Women, children, and the general public
The study will provide sufficient information to women, children, and the
general public. They would know what programs and services that the DSWD
could provide in case they would encounter violence classified under Republic
Act 9262.
Scope and Limitation
The coverage of the study is limited to Republic Act 9262 dealing with violence against
women and their children. The primary agency focused the Local Government Unit specifically
in the four municipalities of Camotes Islands San Francisco, Poro, Pilar and Tudela.
The data will be gathered through qualitative method which would include documents
review and in-depth interview to focal persons of DSWD handling VAWC cases.
The possible time frame of which the study will be conducted falls within 3 to 4 months
as an estimate upon the issuance of the school calendar by the University of San Carlos. The
hindrances that might be encountered along the whole research process will most likely involve
health issues, natural or man-made calamities, inaccessibility of the chosen place for the study
due to possible tragic incident and the unavailability of the in-depth interviewees.
Definition of Terms
Addressing means dealing with or focus on violence against women and their children.

Child refers to those below eighteen (18) years of age or older but are incapable of taking care
of themselves as defined under Republic Act 7610; it includes the biological children of the
victim and other children under her care.
Dating Relationship living together as husband and wife without the benefit of marriage, or
romantic involvement with each other over time and on a continuing basis.
LGU refers to the four municipalities of Camotes Islands namely, San Francisco, Poro, Pilar
and Tudela.
Engagement refers to the obligations of and actions done by the LGUs.
Sexual Relation a single sexual act whether or not resulting in a common child.
Woman wife of the offender, former wife, one with whom the offender has a common child,
or one with whom the offender has or had a sexual or dating relationship.
ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This paper would contain three Chapters only. Chapter 1 begins with the rationale of the
study, statement of the problem and the like. Followed with Chapter 2 which includes the
theoretical background; review of related literature, theoretical framework and conceptual
framework. Chapter 3 will contain the research methodology.