The struggle for justice for victims of
child sexual abuse
RECENTLY, the Supreme Court of the Philippines instructed all judges to reopen all cases of child sexual abuse that have been archived and to ask the complainants if they want to continue their cases. If not, these will be provisionally dismissed.
Court records across the nation reveal that hundreds, if not thousands, of child sex abuse cases are archived. This means trials for these cases cannot proceed because the suspects are yet to be arrested. The court issues an arrest warrant for the suspect that is usually unserved. Some cases are provisionally dismissed when the child victims are prevented from attending the court hearings to testify against their alleged abusers. That is because the abuser's relatives conspire to abduct the child or prevent him or her from attending the hearing.
This is why there is a great need for child therapeutic protection homes to be established and supported by the government. Judges in Cebu have asked the Preda Foundation to establish one such home in the province to protect the many child abuse victims who "disappear" or are not allowed to testify by relatives who are protecting the rapist in their families. That reality is a shocking indictment of Philippine society, where moral decay has accelerated since low-cost internet and mobile phones became available and online child sexual abuse proliferated.
This is a challenge to the chief of the Philippine National Police, Gen. Rommel Marbil, known for his efficient command and success in a long and distinguished career. He was appointed general in April, and he is faced with the challenge of getting his police officers to arrest suspected child sex abusers at large with hundreds of warrants still unserved. These criminals are at large and likely raping and abusing children every day. Police inaction can allow these crimes against children to happen. Child sexual abuse and pedophilia are like an addiction to those committing or engaging in them: once they start, they can't stop until they are arrested, convicted and jailed for life, as the law demands.
This incompetence from a previous administration and former police commanders is a huge embarrassment for the Philippines. Is this because some of these commanders are incapable of investigating the relatives, neighbors and contacts of the alleged child abusers and serving the arrest warrants? Prosecutors should also submit motions to the judges to confiscate the mobile phones of close associates of the accused to be examined for information that could lead to the suspects' arrest.
The utter moral failure of the relatives of child rapists to denounce the crime committed against their own children and bring charges is a serious one. Yet, with help, justice can prevail. One abused child is Alma (not her real name), who was only 6 in 2011 when she was raped by her maternal uncle Paulo Alovera. She was left alone in the house of her grandmother. When he arrived and saw her, he brought her inside the grandmother's room, where he raped her. She did not know then that what happened to her was abuse or a crime. Years later, Alma told her mother and other relatives about it, but the mother got angry and accused her child of lying. However, the mother confronted her brother and his family about it. They admitted the crime and paid Alma's family P60,000, which her parents accepted and used for the medical needs of her seriously ill younger brother.
Alma also learned from a younger cousin, Martha, that Alovera also raped her when she was 4 in 2013. He used candy to entice her to come close to him. He then grabbed her and brought her to his room, where he raped her. At that age, she was frightened and unable to tell anyone.
In September 2022, a class discussion about child abuse and rape triggered Alma to recall her own rape, and she broke down in tears. Her teacher brought her to the guidance counselor, who happened to be a highly trained former staff member of the Preda Foundation and immediately supported Alma. She disclosed to the counselor what her uncle had done to her and Martha. The guidance counselor then referred them both to the Preda home for abused children. Together with a local social worker, the counselor rescued both children in Olongapo City and put them under the home's protective custody. They soon began therapy and later became self-confident and empowered.
kNot Today Foundation works to prevent sexual abuse against kids
Posted:
INDIANAPOLIS — In 2022, approximately 32 million children were sexually abused. A program in Central Indiana, kNot Today Foundation, is working to change that with prevention education, grants, electronic storage detection K’9’s, as well as guides for parents, caregivers, and educators.
“Our mission put simply is to protect children from sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking,” said Emma Marsh, Executive Director Knot Today.
While the statistics of sexual abuse against children are dire, Indiana is one of 38 states that has passed a Child Prevention Education Mandate, which requires all K-12 students receive child abuse prevention, according to kNot Today.
With the average age of disclosure of sexual abuse being approximately 52 years old, it remains important to the organization to let children know as soon as possible to get help.
“The fact that children are able to come forward sooner and get access to services is a huge hopeful piece of this puzzle,” said Marsh.
Learn more about the program here.
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