Tumutugon na ngayon ang 911 emergency hotline sa mga emergency na may kaugnayan sa gender-based violence (GBV) at violence against women and children (VAWC).

Nilagdaan ng Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, at Department of the Interior and Local Government nitong Martes, Dis. 7, ang joint memorandum circular para opisyal na ilunsad ang pagsasama ng GBV at VAWC emergencies sa national emergency hotline.

“The inclusion of VAWC and GBV emergencies was born out of the alarming prevalence of crimes involving women and children victims and the need to set up more effective and accessible reporting mechanisms,” ani Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Chairperson Sandra Montano.

“Any woman, victim-survivor, or informant can now call the 911 hotline whenever they find themselves or other people, in situations involving violence against women or gender-based violence at home, in school, work, anytime, anywhere,” aniya pa.

Isang dekada, kailangan para maisaayos educ crisis sa bansa—EDCOM2

Sinabi ni Montano na isinagawa ang pagsasanay ng mga emergency telecommunicators anim na buwan ang nakalipas sa pangunguna ng PCW, Asia Foundation, at University of the Philippines Center for Women and Gender.

Samantala, sinabi ni UP Center for Women and Gender Studies Director Dr. Nathalie Africa-Verceles na ito ay “most egregious manifestation of women’s subordinate position in the society.”

“Violence against women is gender-based and systemic. It happens to women because they are women. It happens to women because they are women and all women and girls are vulnerable to VAWC. It’s about male power and control over women and takes many forms,” aniya.

“GBV is a broader term that covers not only against women but also violence on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics. Lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) do not conform to norms on sexuality which makes them vulnerable to gender-based violence,”

“Examples of GBV experienced by LGBTQI individuals are bullying, hate crime, sexual violence, physical assault, threats, and abusive speech. These must be considered as equally critical as VAWC,” dagdag pa ni Verceles.

Bago ito, ang mga tawag na natatangap ng 911 hotline ay ang mga ulat lamang tungkol sa sunog, police cases, medical emergencies, search and rescue assistance, at pambobomba.