Behind Closed Doors: Domestic Violence Against Women and

Children on the Rise during the Pandemic

Submitted by: Almaiz, De la Peña, and Natan

INTRODUCTION

Domestic violence against women and children goes a long way back in the history of
the Philippines. Although violence is a threat to everyone, women and children are
particularly susceptible to become victims of such, due to a variety of factors, one of which
may include lack of appropriate means of protection, thereby contributing more to the risk of
domestic violence. Up to this day, domestic violence against women and children is still very
much present in our society and it continues to be a serious public concern. The fact that
many are still suffering from it cannot be denied.

The pandemic that we are currently facing further heightens women's and children’s
vulnerability to violence in a domestic setting. Movement since the start of the quarantine in
the Philippines has been restricted and victims have spent more time enclosed in their homes
with their abusers. Data from the PCW obtained by Rappler shows that 804 incidents of
gender-based violence and violence against women and children were reported from March
15 to April 30 – the period when Luzon and other parts of the country were on lockdown.
The number was taken by PCW from the Philippine National Police's Women Children
Protection Center (PNP-WCPC). This decreased number of cases as compared to the
previous months could mean many different things. This could mean that the cases of
violence against women and children have indeed declined or it could mean that the chances
these victims could seek help were stretched thin.

Republic Act 9262 which was signed on May 8, 2004, by then-President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo is an act defining violence against women and their children, providing
for protective measures for victims, prescribing penalties therefore, and for other purposes. It
is the objective of this study to discuss the effectiveness of this act which is also known as the
Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, especially amidst the
pandemic that we are all now experiencing.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Generally, the study intends to tackle on how effective the program of the law
regarding the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children especially amidst the
pandemic that we are all now experiencing. Specifically and more importantly, the
researchers aim to achieve the following objectives:
1. To determine the age where violence often occurs in a lifetime of the person.
2. To know whether social class is a factor for these violence that are frequently
experienced by both women and children. 
3. To identify the root causes of most, if not all, violence that happens inside the
household of the affected population. 
4. To analyze the existing program implemented to prevent or lessen the cases
involving these unfortunate incidents that women and their children repeatedly
go though. 
5. To determine whether the pandemic played a big role in the rise of the cases
regarding the aforementioned topic being discussed. 
METHODOLOGY

Gender violence is the most widespread violation of human rights, taking multiple
forms: domestic violence, sexual abuse of girls, harassment at work, human trafficking,
and rape by husbands or by strangers, in refugee camps, or as a tactic in war, and others
(Alvarez and Lally, 2014). Several studies around the world have shown an increase in
violence between partners inside their household.
With this pandemic that we are now experiencing, it is not surprising that the rate
drastically rise. Reasons regarding these have been suggested. First, disasters and
pandemic may reinforce aggressive behaviors to manage relationship between the people
inside their homes. Second, post-pandemic stressors are present and people tend to have
difficulty going back to normal after having been quarantined for a long time. Lastly,
women and children have a more limited access to seek support that might aid them when
these unfortunate instances happen. To know more about these, the researchers have
piloted a study in a wayr that could be understood in a simple manner.
In this paper, the researchers aimed to determine several factors that affect the rise of
violence against women and children in this pandemic. After coming up with the research
topic, the researchers have drafted an abstract in order for the study to have an overview
on how to handle the paper substantially to avoid lapses. With the title on hand, the
researchers then made studied several similar cases found in the internet. With the
prevalence of these violence, it has been concluded that these cases exist not only
domestically but also globally. Subsequently, the researchers have made a questionnaire
that has been distributed online to 50 participants who were identified to take part in the
legal research study being conducted.

Successively conducting the survey, the researchers then collected the data and started
to analyze them. With the data that the researchers have gathered, they have come up to a
conclusion stated herein this study regarding the issue that has been decided to be tackled
in this research paper.

Generally, the researchers have used some research materials significant for this
study. The questionnaire attached is the one that researchers have used. There were also
research studies found in the internet that have been used as a guide and to serve as
reading materials in order to complete this legal research study. Finally, the researchers
compiled the materials, data, and instruments that have been made and gathered for the
completion of this paper.
 16
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14 13
12
14 SEX
12
10
12 9 9
10 8
108 MALE
8 6 FEMALE
86 5
6
64 50% 50%
4
42
20
2
T ER
00 ED ED ED O
EN
Y
15-20 Y
21-25 26-30 Y 31-35 IPIN36-40 41-45 K
46-50
O
Only 2 3O Members LO4 Members IL 5 MembersUD 6 Members A
M 7 Members
PLMembers PL P F S T E
EM -EM EM AGE A
S
O
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F N SE H
L U
SE ER
HOUSEHOLD SIZE
V
O
50
OCCUPATION
Total Number of Respondents

MAIN DISCUSSION
 1. To determine the age where violence often occurs in a lifetime of the person.
From the data the
Have you personally experienced researchers have
violence at home? received, there were 8
individuals out of the

Yes; 8 total 50 respondents

who stated that they
have experienced
No; 42 violence at home.

Among the eight individuals, the most affected were those in the age bracket of 36
to 40 wherein there were three persons and two individuals coming from the age bracket of
41 to 45.
The data shows no concentration from the interviewed respondents with regard to
their age during which they have experienced violence.

AGE BASIS:
15- 20 years old – 1
21-25 years old – 1
26-30 years old – 0
31-35 years old – 1
36-40 years old – 3
41-45 years old – 2
46.50years old – 0
 2. To know whether social class is a factor for these violence that are frequently
experienced by both women and children. 

As it appears in the data collected, from the occupation of those who have experienced
violence at home, out of the eight, four are employed, one is self-employed, two are
unemployed, and only one who is an Overseas Filipino Worker.
OCCUPATIONAL BASIS:
Employed – 4 Overseas Filipino Worker – 1
Self- employed – 1 Student – 0
Unemployed – 2 Homemaker – 0

3. To identify the root causes of most, if not all, violence that happens inside the
household of the affected population. 

Generally, the individuals who claimed to have experienced violence at home mentioned
that financial matters greatly affect their condition. These monetary dependence have caused to
be a huge factor among their household especially from four respondents who experienced
violence during the pandemic.
From the point of view of the four aforementioned respondents, they have encountered
heightened violence during the pandemic since the implemented lockdowns affected their
livelihoods and jobs as their source of income. From thereon, they had a problem how to get
going which is primarily the problem since the limited physical activities have burdened most, if
not all, people since the break out of the pandemic. The distress brought about by the COVID-19
pandemic has affected not only financially but also mentally, physically, emotionally, and all the
other aspects that were drastically taken away from the normal lives of people.
Meanwhile, from the end of the four other respondents who experienced violence way
before the pandemic happened, have also stated that the violence in their household intensified as
pandemic worsen over time. The factors from the first four individuals were not any different
from their experience rather it doubled their anxiety for the unknown that is coming whenever
they face such difficulty.
 4. To analyze the existing program implemented to prevent or lessen the cases
involving these unfortunate incidents that women and their children repeatedly go
through. 

Republic Act No. 9626 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of
2004 is an implemented program that is implemented in order to avoid and prevent the
occurrence of violence in and out of the household of every Filipino citizens.
Leaning towards the improvement of every Filipino wives and Children have per se its
loopholes in its employment. From the collected data of the researchers, eight of which who
were affected of violence have mentioned that the Government program have not reached to their
assistance. It may be because they were not able to afford to come to the authorities or there were
instances that they may have sought help but the implementation were not stringent enough to
consider their situation as important as it is, have they been given attention and importance.

5. To determine whether the pandemic played a big role in the rise of the cases
regarding the aforementioned topic being discussed.

Despite the limited number of respondents, it is clearly shown that the pandemic did not
negate the cases of violence at home. Violence is not limited only to physical experience, it could
also be in the form of mental, emotional or psychological – which many educational research
studies proved and supported to have been common among individuals as the generation opens
up and being exposed to a lot of factors contributing to these aspects.
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 virus, there were only four respondents who have
experienced violence at home. It is of no secret that there is a rise of a hundred percent from the
data that the researchers have collected.
Recommendations

While quarantine is an effective infection control measure, it can lead to significant

health, social, economic and psychological consequences. COVID-19 and violence against
women are inter- related pandemics, and health care system should learn from the actual tragic
scenario in order to identify creative solutions to provide clinical care and forensic services for
victims of violence, and to be able to face other future calamities, in which the hospitals might
become inaccessible (Viero et. al., 2020). The prevalence of violence inside the domestic
household that many Filipino experience should send a signal to the lawmakers that there is a
need for a more stricter and effective implementation of laws protecting the rights of those who
are affected.
There are a number of studies that provided warnings about the rise of the risk of
domestic violence rates, it could have been an incident or as a direct consequence of the
restrictions established by most areas all over the country to manage the pandemic. Most studies
showed that there were factors that heightened the aspects that would lead the violence to occur
as often as it was even before the pandemic broke out. In line with this on-going considerations,
the researchers recommend for a better program raising awareness on the problem of violence
against women and children during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The said program could
start in a simple infographics containing information where those who experience violence could
seek help. These infographics can be publicized in the internet since the online platform is where
everyone else rely to get news from ever since the pandemic happened. It cannot be denied that
the internet played a big role in disseminate information and data for people’s consumption.
For many women and children that are confined at home with a violent member, the
struggle is whether these women and children are dependent upon this member that they would
find it hard to depart. This pandemic brought unemployment and increased the number of job
losses. This fact did not help the situation that the victims are now in. This economic dependence
is one of the factor why women and their children cannot depart from their partner. With this, the
researchers recommend that there should be microcosm of implementations that support the right
and liberty of these determined affected people. The Government, more particularly the Local
Government Units, should take part in making orders as a part of their program that would
protect their constituents that exhibit or show that they experience violence inside their homes.
There should be an allotted compensation to start up in helping these people.
Programs with regard to these issues should be executed and employed stringently and
that the people in authority should see to it that they are being followed in order to avoid or
lessen these incidents. Provisions of the law would be deem useless if it they are not being
followed. Hence, a more firm engagement in these activities could strengthen the ground of these
women to empower them and their children to move off from these violence. There should be a
trend of denouncing violence against women and children during the current COVID-19
pandemic. A helpline or a support hotline is also one of a mean that would help those who suffer
to seek help and reach authorities in order for them to report incidents of violence. This would
provide assistance for the victims. As well as counselling for those who have been traumatically
damaged.
Lastly, when all other existing protocols and implementations are not operational to help
lessen these occurrences, a proposal of new strategies for the management and control of
violence against women and their children during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Government
Units should conduct study, both for legislative and academic purposes, to implement a much
better working and suitable programs with guidelines that would work to help eradicate these
violence for the protection of these victims. The “stay at home” policies have increased VAW
itself, creating a “shadow pandemic within the pandemic”, as it was called by the United
Nations, involving women who are obliged to tolerate abuse within the home because of
lockdowns decided by Governments all over the word to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19
pandemic (Viero et. al, 2020). Safe shelters should be given importance and be constructed to
home those who cannot afford and those are dependent on their member that often cause
violence towards them.
These recommendations are only a number of many means that would help the victims of
violence. There could be so much more to be implemented in the years to come. For now, with
the data on hand, the researchers have come up with the abovementioned recommendations on
how to mitigate the violence being experienced by the women and children in our society today
amidst the global pandemic that we are experiencing.
Bibliography:

Álvarez, O. F., & Alexis, L. K. (2014). Violence against Women and Children. A Distant and
Domestic Hell. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 161, 7-11.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.002

Viero, A., Barbara, G., Montisci, M., Kustermann, K., & Cattaneo, C. (2021). Violence against
women in the Covid-19 pandemic: A review of the literature and a call for shared strategies to
tackle health and social emergencies. Forensic Science International, 319, 110650.
doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110650
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This paper would not have been possible without the help of so many people in so many
ways. This paper was made through hard work, dedication and passion.  

First of all, we would like to thank God Almighty for His grace, wisdom, knowledge and
guidance as we formulated this paper. We definitely could not have done it on our own strength. 

Immeasurable appreciation and deepest gratitude for the help and support are extended to
the following persons who in one way or another have contributed in making this study possible. 

We would like to thank our mentor, Atty. Jocelle Batapa - Sigue for her supervision and
encouragement throughout the entire study. We are truly grateful to Atty. Sigue who imparted
her wisdom and knowledge in order for us to produce this paper in good form. Our statistician,
who was very particular when it came to details and lapses that we had and for sharing her
knowledge  and helped in the analysis of data and its statistical computations. To friends and
colleagues who validated our research instrument and for their valuable comments and
constructive criticisms to further improve our paper. 

To our respondents, who were very cooperative despite the inconvenience, and the
sensitivity of the data that were required by the survey questionnaires. 

Finally, we would like to thank the support and the love from our families who motivated
us throughout the making of this paper. 
ABSTRACT

“An act defining violence against women and their children, providing for protective
measures for victims, prescribing penalties therefore, and for other purposes” or Republic Act.
No. 9262 is known to be the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004”.
Violence against women and children, though characterized in various ways, refers to any act or
a series of acts committed by any person against a woman or against her child within or without
the family abode, which is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or
economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty.

This study has been made possible with the participation of 50 respondents from Western
Visayas who, in one way or another, experienced the same. Survey questionnaires were used as
the research instrument.

This study aims to examine the effects of the pandemic in a household setting,
particularly on violence against women and children which resulted from the abuses of other
members who dwell under the same roof with them. This study also aims to show how the
pandemic has affected their everyday lives having limited mobility inside the house as a
consequence of abiding protocols of quarantine. This paper is to provide sufficient data in regard
to the correlation between pandemic and violence for academic and research purposes.