The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) handled nearly 7,000 cases of violence against women and children (VAWC) in just four months in 2025.
In a statement released Friday, the agency urged the public to immediately report incidents of abuse to authorities, citing data showing that one in four women experiences domestic violence.
The DSWD’s Protective Services Bureau (PSB) said a total of 6,883 cases were recorded from August to November 2025, based on data from the Philippine National Police.
DSWD–PSB Social Welfare Officer 3 Carol Nuyda described violence as a systemic issue deeply rooted in culture, including the use of corporal punishment on children, which she said conditions them to accept violence as a form of discipline.
She added that children are also victims in abusive households, suffering psychological harm from witnessing violence and, in some cases, sexual abuse.
The DSWD emphasized that the VAWC law covers domestic violence in lesbian relationships, while other laws apply to male victims. Because VAWC is considered a public crime, anyone with personal knowledge of the incident may file a complaint on behalf of the victim.
Nuyda also warned that VAWC cases must be filed before Regional Trial Courts and should not be settled at the barangay level, especially in cases involving sexual abuse.
Under the law, offenders may face imprisonment ranging from one month to 20 years and fines between P100,000 and P300,000.
