Amnesty Philippines

Amnesty International says victims of domestic violence denied access to justice, despite RA 9262

Press Release

08 March 2010

Victims of rape, sexual and domestic violence worldwide are deniedaccess to justice due to gender discrimination and assumptions about the sexualbehavior of victims of rape said Amnesty International today.

“Domesticviolence in our country remains pervasive despite an anti- violence againstwomen and children law (Anti-VAWVC Act or RA 9262) passed in 2004. Stories ofwomen who courageously broke their silence about domestic violence show thatprotection by government from violence of husbands or other intimate partnershave not completely eradicated traumatic experiences in the family”, lamentedDr. Aurora Corazon A. Parong, SectionDirector of Amnesty International Philippines.

To markInternational Women’s Day, members of Amnesty International Philippines joinedthe march from España to Mendiolacalling for the stop of violence against women in all its forms. Theparticipants, mostly women, “Marching Together against Violence”, called on thePhilippines government agencies and institutions to exercise due diligence toprevent, investigate, punish acts of intimate partner violence against womenand their children and provide services and reparations for thevictim-survivors.

Earlier in the year,Amnesty International Philippines together with the Women Working Together toStop Violence Against Women (WWTSVAW) network launched a report entitled “BREAKING the SILENCE, SEEKING JUSTICE inINTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE in the PHILIPPINES”.

“The report is a review of the implementation ofRepublic Act 9262 or the Anti Violence Against Women and their Children Act of2004. The law is considered as asignificant victory for women because many of its provisions are based on theinalienable right of women not to suffer discrimination and violence most especiallywithin an intimate relationship,” explained Dr. Aurora Parong.

Parongfurther explained, “Protection of women’s rights does not end with theenactment of a law. It needs a follow through in implementation. Six yearslater after the birth of RA 9262, we see many loopholes in the implementation.AI Philippines supports the victims of domestic violence in their continuedstruggle to seek justice and reclaim their dignity.”

The WWTSVAWreport outlines six recommendations for the six years of failure inimplementation of RA 9262. Thelegislative body is called upon to amend RA 9262 to allow for the renewal ofthe Barangay Protection Order (BPO) which is the most accessible protection forwomen victim and children victims of violence. It also included recommendations for the local government units (LGU),the courts and the Commission on Human Rights to diligently do their share forthe full implementation of RA 9262. It calls on government, individuals andcommunities to take part in realizing women’s rights.

“We call on the Inter-Agency Council onViolence against Women and Children (IAC-VAWC) to comprehensively assess theeffectiveness of all programs towards providing services to women and childrenvictim-survivors. They must also ensure allocation of funds and establishmechanisms for effective and sustained monitoring of their programs for women,”added Parong.

AmnestyInternational also said that a government which champions the rights of women isurgently needed in the Philippines. Achampion of women’s rights must work towards the eradication of violenceagainst women and towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goalsto enhance the promotion of gender equality and women’s rights.

“Domestic violence, as defined by the law, isnot anymore a private matter only for the family to handle. It is a publicscandal and a grave abuse to women’s rights. The law provides that all units ofsociety must act to prevent domestic violence. While this is true, the lack of politicalwill to implement the law has made it only a piece of paper that the presidentsigned in 2004, “ concluded Parong.

For the copyof the Breaking the Silence, SeekingJustice in Intimate Partner Violence in the Philippines Report, go to www.amnesty.org.ph/publications.php

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> News and Updates > Good News Amnesty International says victims of domestic violence denied access to justice, despite RA 9262 Press Release 08 March 2010 Victims of rape, sexual and domestic violence worldwide are deniedaccess to justice due to gender discrimination and assumptions about the sexualbehavior of victims of rape said Amnesty International today. “Domesticviolence in our country remains pervasive despite an anti- violence againstwomen and children law (Anti-VAWVC Act or RA 9262) passed in 2004. Stories ofwomen who courageously broke their silence about domestic violence show thatprotection by government from violence of husbands or other intimate partnershave not completely eradicated traumatic experiences in the family”, lamentedDr. Aurora Corazon A. Parong, SectionDirector of Amnesty International Philippines. To markInternational Women’s Day, members of Amnesty International Philippines joinedthe march from España to Mendiolacalling for the stop of violence against women in all its forms. Theparticipants, mostly women, “Marching Together against Violence”, called on thePhilippines government agencies and institutions to exercise due diligence toprevent, investigate, punish acts of intimate partner violence against womenand their children and provide services and reparations for thevictim-survivors. Earlier in the year,Amnesty International Philippines together with the Women Working Together toStop Violence Against Women (WWTSVAW) network launched a report entitled “BREAKING the SILENCE, SEEKING JUSTICE inINTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE in the PHILIPPINES”. “The report is a review of the implementation ofRepublic Act 9262 or the Anti Violence Against Women and their Children Act of2004. The law is considered as asignificant victory for women because many of its provisions are based on theinalienable right of women not to suffer discrimination and violence most especiallywithin an intimate relationship,” explained Dr. Aurora Parong. Parongfurther explained, “Protection of women’s rights does not end with theenactment of a law. It needs a follow through in implementation. Six yearslater after the birth of RA 9262, we see many loopholes in the implementation.AI Philippines supports the victims of domestic violence in their continuedstruggle to seek justice and reclaim their dignity.” The WWTSVAWreport outlines six recommendations for the six years of failure inimplementation of RA 9262. Thelegislative body is called upon to amend RA 9262 to allow for the renewal ofthe Barangay Protection Order (BPO) which is the most accessible protection forwomen victim and children victims of violence. It also included recommendations for the local government units (LGU),the courts and the Commission on Human Rights to diligently do their share forthe full implementation of RA 9262. It calls on government, individuals andcommunities to take part in realizing women’s rights. “We call on the Inter-Agency Council onViolence against Women and Children (IAC-VAWC) to comprehensively assess theeffectiveness of all programs towards providing services to women and childrenvictim-survivors. They must also ensure allocation of funds and establishmechanisms for effective and sustained monitoring of their programs for women,”added Parong. AmnestyInternational also said that a government which champions the rights of women isurgently needed in the Philippines. Achampion of women’s rights must work towards the eradication of violenceagainst women and towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goalsto enhance the promotion of gender equality and women’s rights. “Domestic violence, as defined by the law, isnot anymore a private matter only for the family to handle. It is a publicscandal and a grave abuse to women’s rights. The law provides that all units ofsociety must act to prevent domestic violence. While this is true, the lack of politicalwill to implement the law has made it only a piece of paper that the presidentsigned in 2004, “ concluded Parong. For the copyof the Breaking the Silence, SeekingJustice in Intimate Partner Violence in the Philippines Report, go to www.amnesty.org.ph/publications.php
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