Amid the Luzon-wide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), the Commission on Human Rights on Sunday called on the government to adopt interventions to ensure that victims of domestic violence have still access to legal aid.
In a statement, lawyer-spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said the government must ensure a safe shelter and financial aid for those who would want to leave their home and must provide medical and psychological care even through helpline services, such as online chats and texting services.
She said phone calls might not be the most safe way of reporting.
She lamented that women and children who experience abuse are trapped inside their homes with their abusers, and have nowhere to go.
“Most of these women are not able to seek help because they fear being overheard by their abusive partners or are stopped from leaving home,” she said.
“Domestic abuse is an abhorrent crime,” she added.
