Tackling domestic violence in the Philippines

Find out how our partner Sabakan is providing healing, counselling and therapy for women and children victims of domestic violence.

It was the story of Perla that sowed the seed for Sabakan, a church-related organisation for women and children affected by gender-based violence in the Philippines.

Sr Breda, the Director of Sabakan describes the first time she met Perla. “She was struggling to survive, her home was a single-room shack tilted in a way that put the fear of god in me. A few nights earlier Perla had been raped and it was because of this that we met”.

Perla, a slight woman in her twenties, unlike many women had been brave enough to report her case to the police but like so many in her situation that did not help her. Her statement was wrongly translated into the Cebuano language and she was warned that she had a very slim chance of winning the case. Still Perla was not put off.

As Sr. Breda says, “Perla’s courage was inspiring, it was the seed that sowed Sabakan.”

According to Sr Breda, “This was no isolated incident. Perla’s story was echoed in the lives of so many women, particularly those living in vulnerable situations. Hers was the first of many similar stories I would listen to”.

Sabakan, meaning “womb” in the Cebuano language, is the only Diocesan Ministry to Women, not only in Mindanao, but in the Philippines.

The sharing of the pain and the accompanying rage, despair and darkness can become the dying of a seed and the birth of new life and light.

Sr Breda

It has been a church-related

organisation for 10 years and serves as a centre for healing, couselling and therapeutic support for women and children-victims of domestic violence.

The scale of gender-based violence, especially domestic violence in the Philippines is hard to gauge as there are no national statistics. Figures gleaned from cases reported to police are unreliable as these only represent a tiny proportion. One 2001 study estimated that at least 1 in 10 women had been affected by abuse at some point in her life.

Sabakan’s work with women led them to realise that abuse in adulthood often had its roots in childhood. Sister Breda believes that “to experience violence and brutality in childhood perhaps sows the seed of a violent passivity or violent revenge later in life.”

Sr. Breda says, “Sexual abuse against children is growing, but little is known about boy children reported for this type of abuse. This is very disturbing because studies show the same impact of the abuse is experienced among males.”

Creativity and counselling

Sabakan’s work with children provides safe spaces for them to discuss what has happened to them in a way that is both fun and creative.

Sabakan’s niche is its creativity, alongside counselling, the women and children are encouraged to express their feelings through less threatening and non-intrusive methods such as drawings, paintings, dance sessions and rituals. Masses dedicated to the women and children’s healing process are an important part of Sabakan’s work.

Sr. Breda explains, “The sharing of the pain and the accompanying rage, despair and darkness can become the dying of a seed and the birth of new life and light. Each story can be linked to the story of Jesus. His journeying, His great suffering and His celebrations in Resurrections. Each Story can become the Cross and Resurrection today.”

Sabakan works with the church to integrate issues on women’s and men’s equality and dignity into church and government programmes. Community awareness training is one of the key activities. For Sr Breda this is an important part of Sabakan’s work as “it makes the community more supportive of the victim-survivors, thus minimizing the victim blame syndrome”.

Sabakan believes that men have a role in helping to stop the cycle of violence, thereby empowering women. After seeing the effectiveness of Sabakan’s work with women, men came forward to request Sabakan assist them to set up their own support group. This very new group is a rare place where men can share their stories and ideas and feel they are being heard. The success of this group can be heard in the words of the men themselves, one participant said “Before I was a dictator, I would get furious if what I had demanded was not done. Since being with this group I have learned to consult and to accept that not everything I say has to be followed.”

It also offers legal support and serves as a training and resource centre for the advocacy and promotion of the human rights of women and children. Sabakan actively work with government agencies, education officials and other ministries to respond to the needs of women and children affected by gender-based violence.

A recent assessment of Sabakan’s work concluded, “For an innovative ministry on such a small scale Sabakan has managed to have a positive impact beyond what was expected on the lives of specific women and children, on their families and on their communities”.