One in 20 Pinoy kids has been abused, most involving incest rape
ONE in 20 Filipino children has experienced sexual abuse, with most cases involving incest rape or forced sexual activity within the family that is often kept hidden to
avoid public shame.
This was revealed by Bernadette Madrid of the Child Protection Network Foundation during a meeting with officials from the Department of Justice, Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local Government, and other stakeholders.
The figure was based on a survey conducted by Madrid’s group among children and young adults aged 13 to 24 years old.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, an estimated two million Filipino children experienced online child sexual abuse and exploitation, Madrid said.
She added that the numbers may have increased during the pandemic, with the national center for missing and exploited children in the United States reporting a 265% rise in online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines.
“You know this is based on the child sexual abuse images that they monitor on the web. Buong mundo, tayo ang pinakamataas na nag increase by 265%,” Madrid said.
She expressed concern that the reported cases of sexual abuse may only represent the tip of the iceberg, with many cases going unreported.
“That’s still just the very peak of the iceberg because we’re talking millions. Reports are very low, and the same national baseline study showed that less than 1% report to authorities,”
Madrid said.
