By Jeanne Ching
It is quite alarming that rape cases are fast becoming part of the daily news. In 2013, the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) recorded a total of 5,493 rape incidents involving women and child victims. That’s approximately one reported rape incident every 96 minutes. Remember, this figure only refers to the reported cases, when in fact, many other cases go unreported.
What is Rape?
As defined by Republic Act No. 8353, the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, rape is committed by (1) having sex with a woman by using force or intimidation; (2) when the woman is out of her mind or unconscious; and (3) when the girl is under 12 years of age.
How can you tell if your child was raped?
The signs and symptoms of a person who has been raped vary from one person to another. In many cases, a victim will not tell what happened to them because the perpetrator is a family member, or someone close to the family. In other cases, the victim is being threatened or is afraid of rejection or blame from their family.
Mothers have the best interest of their children in mind. So, if several of these tell-tale signs should occur, they should consider asking questions and seeking help.
Behavioral Signs:
- Depression, anxiety, guilt or anger
- Inadequate personal hygiene
- Fear of intimacy or closeness
- Eating or sleeping problems
- Substance abuse
- Self-harm
Physical Signs:
- Unexplained soreness or bruises around genitals or mouth
- Persistent or recurring pain during urination or bowel movements
- Having Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)
How can we help a rape victim?
Rape victims need understanding and acceptance, not blame. Convince the victim to see a doctor or psychiatrist to help her cope with the situation. The PNP and DSWD maintain help desks to assist victims of violence and encourage the reporting of crimes. With the assistance of NGOs, officers are equipped with gender sensitivity training to deal with victims of sexual crimes and domestic violence. In fact, the PNP has a Women and Children’s Unit to deal with these issues. But for emergencies, call or text 117 and you will be referred to the proper action unit.
Additionally, several organizations like: GABRIELA provides counseling to victims of violence against women. You may contact them thru gabrielaservies@yahoo.com or (02)374-3452; Bathaluman Crisis Center Foundation, Inc. provides a support system, including a service and referral centre to help survivors deal with their physical trauma. Call them at tel. 63 82 303 8582 or email: bathalumancrisiscenter@yahoo.com; Women’s Crisis Centre (WCC), provides temporary shelter, medical and legal assistance as well as counseling and support group to rape victims’. Their number is 922-5235.
