Another case of apparent child abuse has garnered media attention as a viral video of a woman beating her daughter recently went viral.
The video, which was taken somewhere in Cavite, was uploaded by a Facebook user. It clearly showed a woman hitting a young girl over the head and violently kicking her multiple times.
The alarming video prompted barangay officials in Kawit, Cavite to track down the woman in the video for further investigation.
Barangay captain Anthony del Rosario told GMA News that upon questioning her, the woman said it was her child's "extreme stubbornness" that caused her to lose her temper. According to the mom, her daughter refuses to listen to her, even going so far as leaving their home without permission.
She admits in an interview with GMA News that she did go too far and what she did was not right.
The young girl, who looked to be about 9 or 10 years old, confided that she wasn't often spanked or hurt by her mom and that this was a rare occurrence. She recalls that what set her mom off was her refusal to take a bath when she was told to.
When she came face-to-face with the netizen who posted the video, the mom was calm and non-confrontational. Words of concern poured out from netizens, with many saying the one who took the video should have intervened. The Facebook user said she took the video for future evidence.
While many agreed that it is right to discipline a child, a lot of others thought that what the mom in the video did was not right. There are ways of disciplining without hitting.
What should you do if you see ongoing child abuse?
8 in 10 Filipino children suffer any form of abuse of violence, with most cases happening in the home. According to the DSWD, we should all be vigilant, working together to uphold the rights of every child.
"We want to promote a society where the rights of Filipino children are respected and protected. We cannot do this alone without the help of citizens who are concerned for our children’s welfare," said DSWD secretary Judy Taguiwalo in a statement in 2016, prompted by the alarming rise of child abuse cases in the country. She went on to reassure the public that, by law, those who report cases of child abuse would be granted confidentiality and be free from any form of liability.
Here's where you can report abuse or seek help, according to the Department of Justice.
- Department of Social Welfare & Development or Child Health and Intervention and Protective Service (CHIPS)
Contact number: 734-4216
- Anti-Child Abuse, Discrimination, Exploitation Division (ACADED) National Bureau of Investigation
Contact nos.: 525-6028/525-8231 loc. 403 & 444
- Commission on Human Rights Child Rights Center
Contact no: 927-4033 (Monday-Friday, office hours)
- Philippine National Police Operation Center
Contact nos: 712-8613/722-0540 and 724 8749 or nearest police station
- DOJ Task Force on Child Protection
Contact nos. 523-8481 to 89 or contact the nearest Provincial, City or Regional Prosecutor
For more information on the DOJ's Child Protection Program, visit this page.
READ: Proven by research: Yelling at your kids just doesn’t work and here’s why
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