IBA, Zambales — The Department of Health on Sunday disclosed that it has recorded a total of 6,020 cases of violation against women and children in Central Luzon as of 2022 and revealed that there are now 10 established Women and Children Protection Unit in the region that will assist battered women and children.

The Health department, however, clarified that there is now a downtrend in the number of reported cases of violence against women and children reported by the DoH-Central Luzon Center for Health and Development.

To recall, DoH recorded a total of 1,583 reported cases of VAWC in 2018 followed by 1,489 in 2019; 1,160 in 2020; 1,159 in 2021; and 629 in 2022.

DoH-CLCHD Family Health Cluster Health program officer II Jesan Kate C. Nava stressed that the figures only represent reported cases and there are still a lot of unreported cases of VAWC in the country.

She added that one of the reasons why VAWC are not reported is that victims are ashamed or they feel that they will only be blamed.

"For example, women who were cat-called on the streets because they wear shorts or shirts. We know that even if no matter what the woman wears, even if she wears pants or rolls up her sleeves, they are prone to rape," Nava said.

With this, she encouraged victims of VAWC to not be afraid and come out so that perpetrators will be punished accordingly.

"We call on the public to report any domestic violence or any cases of harassment in their community to the nearest barangay or police station. Let's not be afraid and ashamed because we have a lot of laws that protect and promote the welfare of women, and we have many authorities who are trained to handle these cases," Nava said.

She also discussed the four forms of gender-based violence, namely physical violence or act that causes physical or bodily harm as a result of unlawful physical force; sexual violence or sexual act performed on an individual without their consent; psychological violence or the act causing mental or emotional suffering to the victim; and economic violence or acts that make or attempt to make a woman financially dependent.

Meantime, the existing WCPU in the region are located in Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center and Mariveles Mental Wellness and General Hospital in Mariveles, Bataan, Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital in Pampanga, Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial and Medical Center, DoH Mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center and Talavera General Hospital in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan Medical Center, Tarlac Provincial Hospital and James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital in Zambales.