CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

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(STAINED: A SEMINAR PAPER ON CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE)

I. INTRODUCTION
“We all want to believe that our children are safe and that we can protect them
from harm, but child sexual abuse is real, and recovery begins with the truth”.
Child sexual abuse is defined as sexual activity with a child (18 years old
and below) by an adult, adolescent or older child. If any adult engages in sexual
activity with a child, that is sexual abuse. If another child or adolescent engages in
sexual activity with a child, a grey area enters where some sexual behavior is
innocent exploration rather than abuse. A child cannot consent to any form of
sexual activity. When a perpetrator engages with a child this way, they are
committing a crime that can have lasting effects on the victim for years. Child
sexual abuse does not need to include physical contact between a perpetrator and a
child.
CSA is considered a serious health and social problem in every country in
the world. It can be defined as the activity in which an adult, taking advantage of
his or her superiority, uses a minor to provide sexual, pleasure, stimulation, or
sexual gratification (Sanchez-Meca et.al.,2011). CSA may occur through physical
contact (e.g., touching, vaginal, oral, or anal sex, both perpetrated and suggest), or
by viewing pornography, adult exhibition, or requests for sexual favors (Finkelhor,
1979).
In the present times Child Sexual abuse remains a sensitive topic to be
discussed as this present a stigma to the victims especially that most victims’
perpetrator is either a relative or are closely related to the victims. Societal views
on the survivors of this kind of abuse poses a great threat to the victims as they are
left in darkness and fear of being labeled as something. On this matter, many cases
are left unsolved and unreported and so the abuse continues to happen amongst
victims despite the high prevalence of such abuse in the society.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Child Sexual Abuse experience (ACE). Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a refers to the involvement of a child
significant public health problem and (person less than 18 years old) in
an adverse childhood

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sexual activity that violates the laws subject, a child, is exposed to it in a

or social taboos of society. state of passivity and unpreparedness
Child Incest
A child one who is below 18 is marriage or sexual
years of age or one who is over 18 intercourse with a relative within
years of age but who cannot take care the prohibited degree of
of himself fully because of a physical consanguinity. Incest is sexual
or mental disability or condition. contact between close blood relatives,
Perpetrator including brothers and sisters, parents
a person who perpetrates, or and children, grandparents and
commits, an illegal, criminal, or evil grandchildren, or aunts or uncles with
act: The perpetrators of this heinous nephews or nieces.
crime must be found and punished to Grooming
the fullest extent of the law is defined as methods used by
Sexual violence perpetrators to earn trust and keep
Sexual violence is defined as a children involved in sexual acts.
violent act of a sexual nature, Common strategies for such
carried out without consent or the manipulation include giving the
capacity to consent. Such acts are not victim gifts or special privileges,
limited to physical violence, and may which is often a confusing experience
not involve any physical contact. It is for the child victim (Lanktree &
the deliberate exertion of power over Briere, 2008). Grooming may
another person, not an act of lust include special treatment or presents,
Sexual harassment which is frequently confusing for
It is defined as unwelcome the victim. Abusers gain access to
sexual advances, requests for sexual their child victims and attain their
favors, and other verbal or physical trust through the giving of special
conduct of a sexual nature that creates attention and time as well as the
a hostile or offensive work granting of certain privileges.
environment. (Civil Rights Act of Many perpetrators invest a great deal
1964) of time and energy into those
methods designed to deceive the child
Sexual trauma
and ensure that the abuse is kept
refers to a sexual situation that
secret.
causes intense fear because the

II. CLIENT

According to the Republic Act No. 7610 “Children” or a “Child” refers to

person below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are unable to fully take
care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation

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 CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition. In the

society the children are/should be in the presence of a parent or parental
supervision as children are typically considered to be in a phase of development
where they are learning and growing physically, cognitively, emotionally, and
socially. Given these factors, this makes the Child sector amongst the topmost
sector which is prone to exploitation and discrimination given the nature of a child
which lacks the capacity distinguish between what is an appropriate and
inappropriate conduct.

The occurrence of such abuse goes to every child in the population

regardless of their gender, ethnicity, race, socio-economic status and etc. Every
child is considered to be at risk considering that perpetrators are can be just around
the corners or can someone be even closely related to the victim himself/herself.
Studies have presented that most perpetrators are on a lookout of specific
characteristics in children they victimize. A lot of victims share the same attitude
such as being quiet, isolated, reserved and often times come from a broken family
or single parent household.

In the Philippine context child sexual abuse is a serious issue that often goes
unreported due to cultural taboos and fear of stigma. According to a study by the
Council for the Welfare of Children, one in five Filipino children have experienced
sexual abuse. Children who are victims of sexual abuse often suffer from physical
and psychological trauma, which can have long-lasting effects on their well-being.
It is important for parents, caregivers, and communities to be aware of the signs of
child sexual abuse and to take action to protect children from harm.

About 7,000,000 children are sexually abused every year in the

Philippines. More than 70% of sexually abused children are between 10 and 18
years old. Among those victims, 20% are under 6 years old. Cases of child sexual
abuse are one of the most common issues that the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) has to handle after abandonment and neglect. Despite
the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, rape remains the most frequent type of sexual abuse,
followed by incest and fondling. 98% of rape victims are women. The incest
percentage is another alarming data: 33%. Most children who are sexually
exploited for commercial purposes are victims of prostitution or pornography.

 RISK FACTORS that make a CHILD VULNERABLE

to SEXUAL ABUSE

Children at risk of sexual abuse are vulnerable to being targeted by

individuals who seek to exploit them for sexual purposes. These children may be at
risk due to a variety of factors, such as living in unstable or unsafe environments,

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having a history of trauma or abuse, or being in contact with individuals who may
pose a threat to their safety. (SAPREA 2023).

Stressful Home Environment intra-familial child sexual

abuse is six times greater in a
 Children with low self- family where the mother is a
confidence in their victim of partner aggression.
surroundings, particularly at
home, are vulnerable to an Blended Families
adult who promises stability  In a blended family there may
and security, even if the be disagreements among
stability comes with other parents on how to educate
unwanted behaviors. Children about boundaries, conflict
with a stressful home life may resolution, privacy, and
also feel that they cannot healthy sexuality. Tension
confide in a parent because among family members and
the parent is already burdened stepfamily members may lead
with so many problems and to more conflict in the home,
may not respond well. which may lead to children
having lower confidence in
Domestic Abuse their environment. Blended
families also increase a child’s
 In a home where various chances of encountering a
forms of abuse, neglect, and perpetrator, be it an adult (a
maltreatment are occurring, stepparent, a live-in partner)
sexual abuse is likely a high or a peer (a stepsibling).
risk as well. This is
particularly the case in homes Disabilities
with physical abuse. Domestic  Children with a disability are
violence fosters a home at least three times more
environment of instability, likely to be sexually abused.
insecurity, poor There are multiple reasons
communication, and behind this statistic, including
mishandled aggression. It may the child’s need for personal
also correlate with alcohol or care, a desire for acceptance, a
substance abuse among one or reliance on others, an inability
more family members. Each to escape due to physical
of these factors increase the limitations, an inability to
risk for child sexual abuse. disclose abuse due to
According to researcher limitations in communication,
Danielle A. Black, the risk of and a lack of education on

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healthy sexuality and sexual provides them with

abuse. significantly greater access to
potential targets along with
Children Who Identify as
added anonymity and the
LGBTQ+ ability to keep things secret.
 When a child is afraid to open The phones, tablets, or laptops
up to their parents about their in your home can be gateways
sexuality, a perpetrator can for interaction between a
use that secret against them to perpetrator and your child.
prevent the abuse from being Not only do these devices
disclosed. The fear, anxiety, greatly expand a perpetrator’s
and uncertainty they may reach, but they remove many
experience could lead them to barriers to perpetration (such
view themselves as an as trying to isolate a child or
outsider with no emotional being able to send
support. A perpetrator may inappropriate material).
pick up on this vulnerability
and need for guidance and
Prior Sexual Abuse
might seek to convince the
child that they are the only  Children who have been
one who understands and victims of prior sexual abuse
accepts them. The child may are at a higher risk of being
have heard the many myths abused again. This is known
surrounding sexual abuse and as revictimization. A child
sexual orientation and become survivor who lacks the support
hesitant to disclose. network and tools to cope
with their trauma may become
Unmonitored Access to
more vulnerable to a
Technology recurrence of sexual abuse,
 Technology provides limitless whether in childhood,
ways to nurture your child’s adolescence, or adulthood.
education, creativity, and Also, a child who has been
communication. subjected to sexual abuse that
Unfortunately, technology is has not been dealt with is
also a perpetrator’s likely still in an at-risk
playground. The internet environment that allows the
abuse to continue.

III. PROBLEM

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Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is any sexual activity between adults and
minors or between two minors when one forces it on the other. This includes
sexual touching and non-touching acts like exhibitionism, exposure to
pornography, photography of a child for sexual gratification, solicitation of a child
for prostitution, voyeurism and communication in a sexual way by phone, Internet
or face-to-face. It is a crime punishable by law that must be reported.

Example are sexual touching or fondling of private areas of the body putting
objects or body parts inside a child’s mouth, anus, vagina for sexual pleasure or
any unnecessary reason exposing oneself to a child, masturbation or having sex in
front of a child, forcing a child to masturbate, photographing a child in a sexual
way, exposing a child to pornography, watching a child undress or use the
bathroom without the child’s knowledge, using a computer, cell phone, or other
social media to make sexual overtures to a child. Child sexual abuse has
devastating consequences for the lives of those who suffer it, as it involves the
destructuring of the child’s behavior and emotions and, sometimes, serious
interference in his or her development (Clayton et al., 2018).

CSA is considered to be a social issue that is tough to deal with when it

comes to investigation due to some factors that halts the disclosure of the
victims of the crime. The real prevalence of child sexual abuse is not known
because so many victims do not disclose or report their abuse. The primary reason
that the public is not sufficiently aware of child sexual abuse as a problem is that
73% of child victims do not tell anyone about the abuse for at least a year. 45% of
victims do not tell anyone for at least 5 years. Some never disclose (Smith et al.,
2000; Broman-Fulks et al., 2007). Perpetrators frequently seek out children who
are particularly trusting (Conte et al., 1987) and work proactively to establish a
trusting relationship before abusing them (Budin & Johnson, 1989; Conte, Wolfe,
& Smith, 1989; Elliott et al., 1995; Warner-Kearney, 1987). Not infrequently, this
extends to establishing a trusting relationship with the victim’s family as well
(Elliott et al., 1995).

In many cases perpetrators are in fact is a member of the family’ or someone

who is closely related to the family which the guardian/parent trusts. This makes
the crime more difficult to notice and for the victim to debunk the case to their
guardian. However physical and behavioral signs can be observed from the victim.

Physical Signs includes: Bleeding, bruises, or swelling in genital area,

Bloody, torn, or stained underclothes, Difficulty walking or sitting, Frequent
urinary or yeast infections, Pain, itching, or burning in genital area.

Behavioral signs include: Changes in hygiene, such as refusing to bathe or

bathing excessively, develops phobias, has trouble in school, such as absences or

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drops in grades, nightmares or bed-wetting, regressive behaviors, such as thumb

sucking, self-harm, threatened by physical contact.

Statistics from the Child Protective Services agencies substantiated, or found

strong evidence to indicate that, 57,329 children were victims of sexual abuse
and 93 percent of the victim aged below 18 years old know the perpetrator or
is closely related to the perpetrator. One in 9 girls and 1 in 20 boys under the age
of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault. The effects of child sexual abuse can be
long-lasting and affect the victim's mental health. The victim may experience
depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), develop symptoms of
drug abuse and worst is suicidal attempts.

TYPES OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

There are two main types of child sexual abuse: touching and non-touching.

Touching includes touching a child’s genitals, making a child touch

someone else’s genitals, playing sexual games, and/or putting objects or body parts
inside the vulva or vagina, in the mouth, or in the anus of a child for sexual
pleasure.

Non-touching abuse includes showing pornography to a child, exposing a

person’s genitals to a child, prostituting/trafficking a child, photographing a child
in sexual poses, encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts either in person or
on a video, and/or watching a child undress or use the bathroom.

THE PERPETRATOR
This refers to a person who perpetrates, or commits an illegal, criminal or
evil act The perpetrators of this heinous crime must be found and punished to the
fullest extent of the law. Most child sexual abusers are men, and may be respected
members of the community drawn to settings where they gain easy access to
children like schools, clubs and churches. They come from all age groups, races,
religions and socioeconomic classes. Most victims know and trust their abusers.
The abusers groom their victim and families which entails an adult frequently
initiates or creates opportunities to be alone with a child (or multiple children),
befriending a family and shows more interest in building a relationship with the
child than with the adults, finding opportunities to buy a child gifts, walking in on
a child changing, tickling and “accidentally” touching genitalia, playing games that
include touching genitalia (playing doctor), teasing a child about breast and genital
development, discussing sexually explicit information under the guise of
education, showing the child sexually explicit images (Pollack D.Maclver A.,
2015).

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THE PERPETRATOR

Many perpetrators “groom” victims and their families.

 Perpetrators employ successively inappropriate comments and increasingly
inappropriate touches and behaviors so insidious that the abuse is often well
under way before the child recognizes the situation as sexual or
inappropriate (Berliner & Conte, 1990; Conte et al., 1989).
 Strategies employed to gain the compliance of victims include the addition
and withdrawal of inducements (attention, material goods, and privileges),
misrepresentation of society’s morals and standards and/or the abusive acts
themselves, and externalization of responsibility for the abuse onto the
victim (Berliner & Conte, 1990; Conte et al., 1989).
 35% of convicted child molesters use threats of violence to keep children
from disclosing the abuse. General threats and physical force are also used to
prevent detection (Ohio Department of Corrections, 1992).

Child victims often know the

perpetrators. Out of the sexual abuse
cases reported to CPS in 2013,
47,000 men and 5,000 women were
the alleged perpetrators.

ETIOLOGY OF
SEX OFFENDING

BIOLOGICAL THEORY

 Biological theories of sexual offending have centered on abnormalities in the

structure of the brain, hormone levels, genetic and chromosomal makeup
and deficits in intellectual functioning. A number of studies have found
abnormalities in the brains of some sexual offenders; however, the evidence
is clear that such abnormalities do not exist in the majority of cases (Aigner

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et al., 2000; Corley et al., 1994; Galski, Thornton & Shumsky, 1990; Hucker
et al., 1986; Langevin et al., 1988, 1989; Wright et al., 1990).

EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

 Evolutionary theory views human behavior as the result of millions of years

of adaptive changes designed to meet ongoing challenges within the
environment. In this theory, sexual coercion is postulated to be merely a type
of reproductive strategy, as it is in nonhuman species (Bailey, 1988;
Malamuth & Heilmann, 1998; Thornhill & Palmer, 2000). However,
Researchers in the field have largely disregarded these hypotheses as the
cause of sexual offending because of their limitations (Travis, 2003).

PERSONALITY THEORY
 Personality theories are among the earliest sources of explanation for sexual
offending behavior. Seidman and colleagues (1994) conducted two studies
aimed at examining intimacy problems and the experience of loneliness
among sex offenders. According to these studies, sex offenders have
deficiencies in social skills that seriously restrict the possibility of
maintaining intimacy. Ward and colleagues (1995) proposed that sex
offenders are likely to have difficulty forming attachments with others and
will engage in distorted thinking, such as "courting" a child and treating him
or her as his lover. Knox (2014) recently found that juveniles who have
committed a sexual offense had lower levels of attachment to fathers or
father figures than juveniles who have committed a non-sexual offense.
Personality theories are successful in demonstrating that sex offenders have
poor social skills and problems with intimacy, and that there is a connection
between poor relationships with others (particularly caregivers) and sexual
offending behavior.

COGNITIVE THEORY
 Cognitive theory demonstrates that sex offenders engage in cognitive
distortions or thinking errors, and that these distorted thinking patterns have
the capacity to drive deviant sexual behavior. Furthermore, cognitive
distortion common among sexual offenders is a sense of entitlement, which
involves the belief that the need to offend is more important than the
negative consequences experienced by the victim (Hanson, Gizzarelli &
Scott, 1994). Hanson, Gizzarelli and Scott (1994) found that this sense of
entitlement in incest offenders led to decreased self-control, while Ward,
Hudson and Keenan (1998) found that thinking errors lead sex offenders to
pay attention to information consistent with their distorted beliefs and to
reject information that is inconsistent with their beliefs.

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BEHAVIORAL THEORY
 Behavioral theories explain sexually abusive behaviors as a learned
condition. Behavioral theories are based on the assumption that sexually
deviant arousal plays a pivotal role in the commission of sex crimes and that
people who engage in sex with, or have sexual feelings toward,
inappropriate stimuli are more like likely to commit sexual violence than
those with appropriate sexual desires (Becker, 1998; Hunter & Becker, 1994;
Lalumiere & Quinsey, 1994).

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

 Two primary social learning hypotheses have been suggested as possible
explanations for sexual offending behaviors. The first is that children who
are sexually abused grow into sexually abusive adults, and the second is that
sexually explicit material contributes to sexual offending behavior, social
learning theory introduces the notion of environmental influences on sexual
offending.

FEMINIST THEORY
 According to Cossins (2000), child sexual abuse is the way some men
alleviate a sense of powerlessness and establish their ideal image of
masculinity. Because masculinity is learned, according to [some] feminist
theorists, in order for a man to experience power, he must engage in
accepted social practices (such as sexual violence) that prove his
masculinity. Connell (2000) suggests that there can be different concepts of
masculinity with varying degrees of social acceptance and power. Connell
proposes this as the foundation for why sexual violence occurs.

EFFECTS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE TO VICTIMS

CSA is an Adverse Childhood Experience that may have lasting effects on a
survivor's physical health (e.g., chronic health problems; risky health behaviors),
emotional well-being (e.g., depression; anxiety; fear), relationships (e.g.,
challenges in establishing mutual, healthy, positive relationships), or other aspects
of development (e.g., affect regulation difficulties). Effects may appear during, or
not until after, the abuse has stopped, and/or at various periods in adult
development.
Some child sexual abuse survivors may show symptoms of PTSD, including
agitated behavior, frightening dreams, and repetitive play in which aspects of the
abuse are expressed. They might exhibit other fears and anxieties or lose
developmental skills and begin bed-wetting or thumb-sucking. They may show
inappropriate sexual behavior or seductiveness or have difficulty maintaining

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appropriate boundaries with others. As a result of abuse, children, especially boys,

might "act out" with behavior problems, such as cruelty to others and running
away. Other children "act in" by becoming depressed or by withdrawing from
friends or family. Older children or adolescents might try to injure themselves or
attempt suicide.
Sexual abuse can be very confusing for children. A child who is used or
manipulated by a trusted adult might learn that the only way for them to be
attended to or loved is for them to give something of themselves or give up their
dignity. Some children believe the abuse is their fault or that the perpetrator chose
them because they must have wanted it or because there is something wrong with
them. If the abuser was of the same-sex, children (and parents) might question their
sexual orientation and wonder if they are "gay."
Almost every child sexual abuse victim describes the abuse as negative.
Most children know it is wrong and experience fear, shock, anger, and disgust.
However, a small portion of children might not realize it is wrong, especially if
they are very young or have cognitive delays. In addition, some victims might
enjoy the attention, closeness, and physical contact, especially if these needs are
not met by a primary caregiver. Together, these reactions make the events very
difficult and confusing for children.
If childhood sexual abuse is not effectively treated, long-term symptoms may
persist into adulthood. These may include:

 PTSD and/or anxiety

 Depression and thoughts of suicide
 Sexual anxiety and disorders, including promiscuity
 Difficulty maintaining appropriate boundaries with others,
including enmeshed or avoidant relationships
 Poor body image and low self-esteem
 The use of unhealthy behaviors, such as alcohol abuse, drug abuse,
self-mutilation, or bingeing and purging, to help mask painful
emotions related to the abuse

IV. AGENCY
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Mandate
The Department of Justice (DOJ) derives its mandate
primarily from the Administrative Code of 1987 (Executive
Order No. 292). It carries out this mandate through the

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Department Proper and the Department’s attached agencies under the direct
control and supervision of the Secretary of Justice.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) acts as the principal law agency and legal
counsel of the government. It upholds the rule of law and ensures the effective
and efficient administration of justice.
1. DOJ functions under other laws and other executive issuances:
In addition to performing its mandate under E.O. 292, the Department is
significantly involved in the implementation of the following penal, national
security, and social welfare laws:
 The Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998 (RA 8505), which
mandated the DOJ to participate in inter-agency efforts to establish Rape
Crisis Centers in every city or province for the purpose of rendering
assistance to rape victims;

 The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (R.A. 9208), which mandates

the prosecution of persons accused of human trafficking and for that
purpose, created the Inter-Agency Council on Trafficking (IACAT), of
which the Secretary is Chairman;

 The Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (RA
9262), which designated the Department as a member agency of the Inter-
Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children
(IACVAWC), the monitoring body of government initiatives to counter
violence against women and children;

 Executive Order 53 (2011) amending EO No. 275 pursuant to the Special

Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act
(RA 7610), designating the DOJ Secretary as the Chairperson of the
Committee for the Special Protection of Children;

 Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 (IRR of RA), designating the Secretary

of Justice as member of Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography
that is tasked to coordinate, monitor and oversee the implementation of Anti-
Child Pornography Act;

 Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175), the Office of Cybercrime

within the DOJ designated as the central authority in all matters related to
international mutual assistance and extradition;

COMMITTEE FOR THE SPECIAL PROTECTION

OF CHILDREN

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Reporting to an Investigation by Law Enforcement Agency

Victims and witnesses may report directly to the nearest law enforcement
agency (LEA). They may either seek the assistance of any women and children
protection desk of the PNP or of the NBI. For purposes of this protocol, the term
“LEA” will be used to refer to any law enforcement agency that must do the
following upon receipt of a child abuse complaint:
1. Enter into the police blotter the complaint made by any of the following:
• Offended party;
• Parent or legal guardian;
• Ascendant or collateral relative of the child within the third degree of
consanguinity;
• Duly authorized officer or social worker of the DSWD or LSWDO;
• Officer, social worker or representative of a licensed child-caring institution;
• Punong barangay;
• At least three (3) concerned responsible citizens of the community where the
abuse took place who have personal knowledge of the offense committed.
In some cases, e.g., death of a child under suspicious and abuse-related
circumstances, the police must file the case and act as complainant in the case
before the Prosecutors’ Office, on the basis of the police investigation. Reports
received from people other than any of the above must also be entered in the
separate and confidential women and children protection desk (WCPD) logbook
which will be the basis for further validation and investigation. Proceed with an
investigation
2. Joint interview of the child victim shall be conducted by the LSWDO and
the LEA as much as possible. In case the social worker is not available, a
trained law enforcement officer (LEO) shall conduct the interview when the
child has rested and is prepared to give a statement. For joint interview, see
page 27.
If the child appears to have special needs, suspend the interview and secure the
presence of an appropriate and trained professional (e.g., special education teacher,
sign language expert, social worker, psychologist, or developmental pediatrician,)
who can assist in interviewing the child. If the child does not speak the local
dialect, secure the assistance of an individual who understands and speaks the
dialect of the child.
If the child appears to be exhibiting trauma, shows extreme emotions, or becomes
violent, pre-terminate the interview and immediately refer the child to a

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psychologist or a counselor for proper intervention.

3. The police blotter, the child’s sworn statement, police investigation report,
and the endorsement letter to the Prosecutors’ Office shall indicate the alias
used to protect the identity of the child (e.g.,Minor AAA versus Juan de la
Cruz).The necessity of using an alias shall be explained to the child to avoid
his/her confusion.
4. Before finalizing the sworn statement, the statement must first be shown to,
explained, and reviewed by the victim. If the child victim is blind or has
hearing disability, the statement shall be taken using a videotape camera. The
assistance of a sign language expert shall be secured for any interview of a
child victim who is hearing impaired.
5. If there is a women and child protection unit (WCPU) with a trained social
worker, a forensic interview of the child victim shall be conducted by the
trained social worker.
6. If the alleged perpetrator is in the police station, the interview of the child
victim must be conducted in a safe and separate room. No contact between the
two should be allowed at any time.
7. Take the sworn statements of other witnesses and gather other relevant
evidence.
8. If report is made within 72 hours after the commission of the act
complained of, immediately refer the child victim to the nearest WCPU or
public hospital for medico-legal examination as well as other medical
interventions.
9. In case of suspicious death of a child, submit a written request for conduct
of mandatory autopsy
to the crime laboratory consonant with Section 95 of the Sanitation Code of the
Philippines (PD 856). In the alternative, request any of the following to issue an
order for the conduct of an autopsy:
• Competent court
• Mayor
• Provincial or city prosecutor
Attached is the pertinent provision of PD 856. Pursuant to Department of Justice
Circular No. 55, the Prosecutors’ Office has the authority toorder the conduct of
autopsy on the body of a child who died under suspicious or abuse-related
circumstances. Annexed are copies of DOJ Circular No. 55 and DOJ Memo No.
87.

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10. Prepare a police’s affidavit and include therein the demeanor and behavior
of the child victim during the investigation and interview. If a social worker
assisted the child victim, the police investigation report shall also indicate the
name of the assisting social worker.
11. Prepare the investigation report and endorse to the Prosecutors’ Office for
conduct of inquest or preliminary investigation. No law enforcement agency
shall conduct any proceedings similar to preliminary investigation to avoid
multiple interviews of the child.
12. Immediately contact LSWDO for further assessment and management
and provision of other interventions such as temporary shelter and other
services, as may be needed and appropriate.
13. Do not release any information to the media. Do not allow the media to
interview the child and the child’s family.
14. Respect the privacy of the child victim and the family and keep the police
blotter and other information and evidence confidential.

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND

DEVELOPMENT
The Standards Bureau is responsible for
fulfilling the regulatory and quality assurance roles of
the DSWD along the development of quality
measures in the management of Social Welfare and
Development Agencies (SWDAs) and in the
implementation of programs and services for the
poor, vulnerable, and marginalized sectors of society.
It shall set standards to regulate the practice of the
organizations within the purview of social welfare
and development through Registration, Licensing and
Accreditation. It shall advocate, capacitate, monitor
its compliance to set standards and enforce the provisions of the law and regulatory
guidelines of the Department

COMMISION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is an
independent National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)
created under the 1987 Philippine Constitution,
established on 05 May 1987 by virtue of Executive
Order No. 163. The Commission commits to deliver

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prompt, responsive, accessible, and excellent public service for the protection and
promotion of human rights in accordance with universal human rights principles
and standards.

Establishment of Child Rights Network (CRN) the largest alliance of

organizations and agencies pushing for children’s rights legislation in the
Philippines, calls on the national government, local government executives, and the
private sector to step up concerted efforts in protecting children from online sexual
exploitation

COUNCIL FOR THE

WELFARE OF

CHILDREN
Mandate The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) formulates and
evaluates policies, and coordinates and monitors the implementation and enforcement of
all laws and programs for children. It also acts as the National Early Childhood Care and
Development Coordinating Council and, as such, promulgates policies and guidelines for
ECCD.

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE

The Philippine National Police (PNP) enforces all
laws and ordinances relative to the protection of lives

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and properties. It maintains peace and order and takes all necessary steps to ensure
public safety, investigates and prevents crime, effects the arrest of criminal
offenders, brings offenders to justice, and assists in their prosecution. The PNP also
exercises general powers to make arrest, search and seizure in accordance with the
Constitution and pertinent laws, and to detain an arrested person for a period not
beyond what is prescribed by law.

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND LOCAL

GOVERNMENT
The Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG) promotes peace and order,
ensures public safety, and strengthens local
government capability to effectively deliver basic
services to the citizenry.
MC. 2021-39 Comprehensive Guidelines for the
Establishment, Strengthening, and Monitoring of
the Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) at all Levels and for
other Purposes

V. HELPING PROCESS

Case Management
Case management is a procedure to plan, seek, and monitor services from
different social agencies and Staff on behalf of a client. Usually, one agency takes
primary responsibility for the client and assigns a case manager who coordinates
services, advocates for the client, sometimes controls resources and purchases
services for the client (Barker 2003).
The following approaches are hereby adopted in the management of cases of
child abuse, neglect,and exploitation:

• Holistic care social, emotional, cognitive, and

spiritual development;
- to ensure full or optimum
development of the child: physical, •Rights-based and life-cycle
approach –

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to ensure that the rights of the child position and gender roles. The
are upheld throughout the different provision of gender-sensitive services
stages of the child’s growth and to abused children necessarily
development. Ensure the participation includes rights-based approach, i.e.
of the child in all processes; responding to victims’ peculiar needs
at all times and in all stages, affording
• Family and community them respect, and promoting dignity
-based approaches - recognize that as their inherent right; and
families and communities are the first
• Multi-disciplinary approach –
line of response in dealing with
recognizes that children, particularly
problems of children thus
those in need of special protection,
interventions should strengthen the
need access to an array of services
capabilities of families and
due to the multi-faceted nature of
communities to care for them;
their needs. Many agencies and
•Gender-sensitive approach – professionals need to work together
the ability to recognize that girls and with mutual responsibilities and joint
women’s perceptions, experiences and accountability for managing different
interests may be different from those aspects of helping a child within the
of boys and men, arising from an context of the family, community, and
understanding of their different social society.

The management of child abuse cases is

Multi-sectoral
 national and local government agencies, non-government and faith-based
organizations, civic and private sectors)

Multi-disciplinary
 police, prosecutor, judge, lawyer, social worker, medical doctor,
psychiatrist, psychologist, barangay officials, among others working
together as a team to provide appropriate protection, legal and social
services to the child victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
Due to devolution of social services and accessibility to the community, the local
government unit’s social worker (referred to as local social welfare and
development office or LSWDO social worker) is often the case manager. As case
manager, the social worker coordinates the provision of needed services in
cooperation with partner agencies.

CASE REPORTING
Who May Report & To Whom May One Report a Case of Child Abuse?
1. Any person may report, either child abuse, neglect, or
orally or in writing, a case of

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exploitation. The report may be • Corrections officers, and

made to any of the following: • Other government officials
• Department of Social and employees whose work
Welfare and Development involves dealing with
(DSWD), children.
• Commission on Human
Rights, 3. Any person who, acting in good
• Local Social Welfare and faith, reports a child abuse
Development Office case shall be free from
(LSWDO) of the any civil or administrative
municipality, city, or liability. As much as possible,
province, the persons who report should
• Philippine National Police, give their names and contact
• National Bureau of details for further contacts, if
Investigation, necessary. Their protection and
• Other law enforcement anonymity shall be assured.
agencies,
• Punong barangay or tribal 4. Any person who reports must
leader, provide basic information on
• Barangay kagawad, the child victim (name,
• Any member of the age, address or whereabouts of
Barangay Council for the child, the reasons that child
Protection of Children may be at risk or in an abusive
(BCPC), or or exploitative situation) and
• Barangay help desk person the alleged perpetrator.
or violence against women However, any relevant
(VAW) help desk officer. information to suspect that a
child is being abused or
2. The following government exploited shall suffice to
workers have the duty to report initiate any action and
all incidents of possible child investigation.
abuse:
• Teachers and 5. The person who reports need
administrators in public not be the complainant but has
schools, knowledge of the incident.
• Probation officers,
6. The child victim may or may
• Government lawyers,
not be with the person reporting
• Law enforcement officers,
the incident
• Barangay officials,

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THE MANDATORY REPORTERS

1. The following are mandated to make a report, either orally or in writing, to

DSWD/LSWDO within forty-eight (48) hours, the examination and/or treatment
of a child who appears to have suffered from abuse:
• Head of any public or private hospital, medical clinic and similar institutions,
and
• Attending physician and nurse.
2. Failure to report a child abuse case shall be punishable with a fine of not more
than two thousand pesos (P2,000.00) or as may be determined in the future by a
court with jurisdiction.

UPON RECEPTION OF REPORT LSWDO MUST:

Case management shall be the primary responsibility of the LSWDO social

worker. As such, the LSWDO social worker shall conduct the:
 intake interview
 safety and risk assessments
 home visits
 collateral interviews
 prepare social case study
 convene case conferences
 plan the comprehensive healing and reintegration program
 and regularly monitor the safety and condition of the child victim
- As may be necessary and appropriate, the LSWDO social worker shall also
decide the issue of rescue, protective custody, and petitioning the court for
involuntary commitment.
- DSWD, thru its field offices, shall provide technical support; augment resources;
and accredit social workers.
- When a case involves a child victim and a minor perpetrator, the social worker to
whom the child victim was first referred to shall be the case manager. The other
social worker shall be the case manager of the minor perpetrator.

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HELPING PROCESS
1. INTAKE INTERVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF SOCIAL
WORKER
2. RESCUE OF CHILD
3. VICTIM PROTECTIVE CUSTODY AND INVOLUNTARY
COMMITMENT
4. MEDICAL EVALUATION/MEDICO-LEGAL
5. JOINT INTERVIEW
6. MULTI-DISCIPLINARY CASE CONFERNECE
7. INQUEST/ PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION
8. TRIAL
9. HEALING, RECOVERY, AND REINTEGRATION
10.

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VI. SAMPLE CASE

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
PROVINCIAL REHABILITATION FOR YOUTH
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

SOCIAL CASE STUDY REPORT

I. IDENTIFYING DATA

Name: MARIA
Age: 17 years old Sex: Female
Birthday: January 13, 1996 Birthplace: Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte
Civil Status: Single Nationality: Filipino
Address: Brgy. 2 Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte
Religion: Roman Catholic
Educational Attainment: College Level (On- going)

II. FAMILY COMPOSITION

Name of Members Relationship Sex Age Educational Occupation

to Client Attainment
MR. Father Male 55 College Public School
Graduate Teacher
MRS. Mother Female 52 College Public School
Graduate Teacher
Jr. Brother Male 12 13th Grader n/a

III. PRESENTING PROBLEM

The client was recently turned- over to this office for temporary custodial care and rehabilitation
by the immediate family due to a traumatic incident experienced by her. Allegedly while away from her
family and temporarily residing on her boarding house in Bacucang, 16- S, Batac City, she was sexually
attacked and raped by the landlord of the boarding house. The client is 17 years old and currently under
traumatic condition.

IV. HISTORY OF THE CASE

In the morning of February 14, 2012 at around 9:30 AM, Maria was preparing to attend her 10
AM class at the MMSU- CBEA. Accordingly, she just had her bath and currently putting her uniform on
when someone forcibly entered her room then she suddenly felt two strong arms gripping her waist.

At that moment, she instantaneously hesitated and tried to shift her position to wrestle the
person behind her but she was threatened by a kitchen knife and was forced to oblige with the
offender’s orders, otherwise her life will be compromised. Yet, Maria still tried to grapple the offender

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with all her strength and at that moment of struggle it has dawned upon Maria that the person sexually
assaulting her is the landlord of the boarding house which she identified as Clark.

What transpired next was an unfortunate event that has ostensibly stained the unruffled and
serene life of a normal college student. Accordingly, the landlord succeeded in raping Maria.

V. CLIENT’S BACKGROUND

Maria is the first child of MR. Mercedez+. She stands 5’4” of medium built with light complexion.
She is neat at all times and carries herself well. She was enrolled as a tourism student at the MMSU-
CBEA. Having been taught of the value of education by her parents at an early age, Maria prioritized her
schooling, never had a love affair, thus, she was consistently on the list of top ten in her class.

Because of her innate beauty, she has been encouraged to join numerous beauty contests in and
out of the university. However, Maria being raised in a conservative and disciplinarian type of a family,
she had refused such offers in countless times in order to focus rather on her studies.

Had not been for the unfortunate incidence, Maria could have been in Cebu to represent the
university as the official student- representative in the 13 th International Tourism Expo on February 20-
25, 2012- an event attended by tourism scholars from around the world where different academic and
intellectual activities are undertaken by the participants.

VI. FAMILY BACKGROUND

Both parents of Maria are public school teachers. As residents of the community, they have been
actively involved in both social and church activities. Thus, Maria and his brother Gerry Jr. have been
influenced by their parents to become responsible citizens by way of inculcating the value of education,
helping other people, and to fear God at all times. In 2011, the Mercedez family was awarded the Most
Outstanding Family- Professional Category in Region I.

Maria describes her parents as kind and loving persons. According to her, they always talk as a
family about securing their future with his little brother and retiring in a beautiful rest house somewhere
in Cagayan which the couple bought some years ago.

VII. ASSESSMENT

Based on the client’s revelations, it was revealed that she has been renting at the boarding
house of the landlord some two years had past until the ill-timed incident on February 14, 2012.
Accordingly on that same day, she secured the lock of her door before she entered the bathroom. But to
her surprise, the landlord was able to forcibly open the door while Maria was in the act of putting her
uniform on.

Thus, it is obvious that the offender has intentionally committed the act of sexual assault by way
of rape to the victim, and that force and intimidation was employed in order to execute his lewd designs.

Because of the incident, Maria was traumatized and was under state of shock for several days
which prompted her to hide from the public, her parents, and even jeopardized her academic status
since she skipped from attending her classes for seven days.

Although most rape victims do not develop chronic psychiatric disorder, the experience of rape
and serious sexual assault is associated with mental health disturbance in a significant proportion of
victims (Kilpatrick et al, 1985; Mezey & Taylor, 1988). The psychological sequelae of rape include post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, generalized and phobic anxiety and substance misuse. The
profound and long-term consequences reflect the violent, terrifying and traumatic nature of rape and

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parallel the responses to other life-threatening traumas. There is some evidence that rape is more
pathogenic than any other form of violent crime (Kilpatrick et al, 1987).

The term 'rape trauma syndrome' was first used in the 1970s to describe a range of
psychological, cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses to rape (Burgess & Holmstrom, 1974).
Although lacking an empirical basis, it nevertheless represented the first attempt to describe and define
the nature of women's responses to rape.

VIII. TREATMENT PLAN

Many of the principles underpinning the treatment of victims of rape apply equally to victims of
trauma more generally.

Thus, various approaches should be considered depending on the victim's stage of recovery and
the nature and extent of the conditions being treated. In ordinary circumstances, women are assisted
through the recovery process by friends, family and their social network. Acute intervention is generally
provided by voluntary organizations such as the National Association of Victim Support Schemes (NAVSS)
or by general practitioners, without any referral to psychiatric services. In general, psychiatrists get to
treat cases only where there has been a failure of the normal process of recovery, resulting in persisting
psychosocial or functional impairment.

IX. GENERAL EVALUATION

There are several treatments available for the treatment of rape-related Post –related Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD). Prior to treatment, it is essential to conduct a thorough assessment, including a
detailed trauma history, event characteristics, comorbid psychiatric conditions, and factors influencing
post-rape adjustment. The majority of treatments for rape-related PTSD with demonstrated empirical
support are behavioral or cognitive-behavioral. Studies show that Prolonged Exposure and Stress
Inoculation Training are effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD in female rape victims. Moreover,
combination treatments appear to be promising interventions for reducing rape related-PTSD, but await
further empirical scrutiny.

Therefore, to help the client restore her social functioning and regain her self- esteem, a through
treatment plan shall be laid out to meet the demands of handling the traumatic experience of the victim

X. RECOMMENDATION

The experience of rape represents a crisis (Caplan, 1964), which precipitates the individual into a
state of disequilibrium. Crisis intervention has been promoted as a rapid, brief, focused intervention,
designed to stabilize the individual and help them to master the situation. For rape victims, immediate
intervention may be helpful in correcting distorted perceptions of what happened, reducing guilt and
self-blame, mobilising effective coping skills and facilitating the victims' use of their wider social network
and family members for continuing support.

Thus, crisis intervention and debriefing is highly recommended.

PREPARED BY:

DEMETRIA GANDANGREYNA
Social Worker II
Psychological Evaluation Officer

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VII. ROLES AND DUTIES OF

SOCIAL WORKER
The roles of social workers in child sexual abuse cases include providing
support and counseling to the child and their family, conducting assessments
to ensure the child's safety, collaborating with law enforcement and other
agencies to investigate the abuse, and advocating for the child's rights and
well-being.

Here are a more specific Role of the Social Worker in the context of
CSA.

CASE MANAGER
Social workers are in-charge in providing services that are needed by the
client

VIII. PERTINENT LAWS

Republic Act 11648: An Act Providing for Stronger Protection
Against Rape and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Increasing the
Age for Determining the Commission of Statutory Rape,
Amending for the Purpose Act No. 3815 as Amended, Otherwise
Known As “The Revised Penal Code,” Republic Act No. 8353,
Also Known as “The Anti-Rape Law of 1997,” And Republic Act
No. 7610, as Amended, Otherwise Known As the “Special
Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and
Discrimination Act”

IX. REFERENCES
Allison, B. (2023, December 15). 11 factors that increase the risk of child sexual
abuse. Saprea. https://saprea.org/blog/factors-increase-risk-sexual-abuse/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, May 11). Fast Facts:
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse. Www.cdc.gov.
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childsexualabuse/fastfact.html

Child Sexual Abuse Definition & Facts | Prevent Child Abuse NC. (2024). Positive
Childhood Alliance North Carolina. https://preventchildabusenc.org/resource-
hub/about-child-sexual-abuse/#:~:text=WHAT%20IS%20CHILD%20SEXUAL
%20ABUSE

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Context in the Philippines. (2016). Association CAMELEON.

https://www.cameleon-association.org/contexte-aux-philippines/?
lang=en#:~:text=About%207%2C000%2C000%20children%20are%20sexually

oseni, tijane. (2019, November). a case study of sexual abuse to a minor.

Https://Www.researchgate.net/Publication/303732138_A_Case_Study_of_Sexual_
Abuse_of_a_Minor.

Peterson, S. (2018, May 25). Sexual abuse. The National Child Traumatic Stress
Network. https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/sexual-abuse

Pollack, D., & MacIver, A. (2015). Understanding sexual grooming in child abuse
cases. Yu.edu. https://doi.org/2161-0649

Protocol for case management of child victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation
1 protocol for case management of child victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation
committee for the special protection of children. (2014).
https://www.childprotectionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Protocol-on-
Case-Management.pdf

RAINN. (2022). Child sexual abuse | RAINN. Rainn.org.

https://www.rainn.org/articles/child-sexual-abuse

Susan, F., M.S.W., & Roger, P. (2015). Etiology of Adult Sexual Offending. Office
of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and
Tracking. https://smart.ojp.gov/somapi/chapter-2-etiology-adult-sexual-
offending#:~:text=Negative%20or%20adverse%20conditions%20in

The Children's Assessment Center. (2023). Child sexual abuse facts & resources –
children’s assessment center. Cachouston.org.
https://cachouston.org/prevention/child-sexual-abuse-facts/

Whealin, J., & Barnett, E. (2022, October 6). Child sexual abuse - PTSD: National
center for PTSD. Www.ptsd.va.gov.
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/type/sexual_abuse_child.asp

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