The Increasing Cases of Child Abuse During COVID-19 Pandemic at Barangay Gaya-Gaya San Jose Del Monte Bulacan
Vol. 3, No. 1A
Abstract
The researchers conducted this study because they were concerned about the increasing number of child abuse cases based on Barangay Gaya-Gaya, San Jose Del Monte Bulacan records. Moreover, they aimed to raise awareness among barangay officials, whose tasks are not only to supervise and organize their barangay but also to help children in conflict with the law with assistance rather than punishment. The emergence of COVID-19 as a global pandemic has impacted the lives of children and families worldwide, with immediate and likely long-lasting effects. Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, the international community recognized violence against children as universal and widespread, affecting children in every country, regardless of wealth or social status. Child abuse or maltreatment includes any act or failure to act by a parent or caregiver that results in actual or potential harm to a child and can occur in a child's home, organisation, school, or community.
The researchers used a descriptive method mixed with a phenomenological approach. They surveyed the VAWC and barangay officials in Barangay Gaya-Gaya, using a questionnaire as the main instrument to gather information to answer the specific problem raised.
The study concluded that the VAWC and barangay officials of Barangay Gaya-Gaya both agreed on relationship and economic factors and strongly agreed that vices contributed to increasing child abuse cases. The measures proposed to aid the victims of child abuse were rated as "highly recommended."
The study's findings show that the factors contributing to the increasing cases of child abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic are "Agree." However, the researchers recommend that the VAWC and Barangay officials of Barangay Gaya-Gaya provide a program like a family day to build a good relationship with every family and promote prevention programs like daycare service, pre-marriage and marriage counselling, and parents' effectiveness services (PES).
