Davao City addresses issue of abused husbands

Sunday 22nd of April 2012

DAVAO CITY, April 22 (PIA) -- The local government of Davao is the first local government to address the issue of abused husbands.

Says Rene Estorpe, barangay captain of Agdao Centro and president of the Mr. GAD (Gender and Development) Federation, a group of 15 barangays in the city where GAD for men are being piloted.

Estorpe said that aside from Violence Against Women and Children, Mr. GAD seeks to look into the plight of cuckolded husbands who are also victims of abuses committed by their spouses. “Pareho rin ang mga kaso, may physical violence and verbal abuse.” (It has the same cases there is physical violence and verbal abuse). The barangay chief say that in these cases, the roles are reversed as the husbands themselves are the victims.

Estorpe said that in his barangay they are handling two cases of abuses, where the husbands are asking for barangay protection against their wives. Estorpe added.

He said that most of the abused husbands are decent, educated, and working professionals. Estorpe said that there are other abuses committed which are unreported because society frowns upon abused husbands commonly derided as “Under- the-Saya.” And also that domestic violence is normally hidden from the public. “We are used to hiding our family troubles,” Estorpe added.

He said that the current laws protecting women and children also gives an added burden to these abused husbands. He cites one victim of physical abuse who was also charged under the provisions of Violence Against Women and Children Act (VAWC).

Barangay Agdao Centro along with densely populated barangays of Toril Poblacion, Lizada, Sasa, Panacan, Buhangin, Tibungco, and San Antonio are part of Mr. GAD federation which seeks to mainstream gender advocacy of husbands particularly promoting equal rights in the household.

He said that the effort of the city is the first in the country which seeks to promote gender equality among the sexes.

The federation conducts trainings, fora, symposia, advocacy activities among the constituents of the pilot barangays. Estorpe said that the men are taught to preserve the rights of their spouses while they are protecting their own.

Estorpe said that the composition of Mr. GAD also includes women who are sensitive of the rights of men and women within the marriage. In fact some of the officers of Mr. GAD are women, Estorpe adds.

Davao City has been one of the first local government units to enact landmark laws that protect the welfare of women and children. It was among the first LGUs to legislate a Women’s Development Code and a Children’s Welfare Code. Its Mr. GAD program started in 2007 makes it the first LGU to mainstream gender and development or GAD which seeks to promote men’s rights and responsibilities. (RGA-PIA 11)