Battered husbands told: Report cases to Bantay Familia

By Jason B. Neola

The Naga City Bantay Familia has interventions to offer to husbands who are experiencing maltreatment or abuse from their wives.

This was given emphasis by Vice Mayor Cecilia V. de Asis as she confirmed the existence of cases of threats and harassments being committed by female spouses against their husbands. Some 10 cases of verbal, physical, and psychological abuses against husbands were recorded by Bantay Familia since last year alone.

Bantay Familia is a non-government entity that operates as inter-agency network of LGUs, NGOs, line agencies, and sectoral groups working to uphold the value of family and the dignity and integrity of every member – advocating women and children’s rights, gender equality, peace, and justice.

De Asis, who chairs the Bantay Familia, also made mention about incidents of suicide by men who were experiencing domestic violence and depression.

“The bad situation happens among men who choose to be silent and have decided to keep just within themselves the burden so as not to appear that they are undergoing negative life experiences, yet still they become depressed and may die by suicide,” Jocelyn Aguila, a Bantay Familia social worker said.

Aguila, however, said that most cases of suicides involved young individuals who had family conflicts and difficulties with relationship.

SAFE HOUSE. The Bantay Familia office shares workstation with the office of the Naga City Women’s Center inside the City Hall Compound in J. Miranda Avenue in Brgy. Concepcion Pequeña. JBN/VIC VILLAFLOR/CEPPIO

De Asis regarded the Bantay Familia’s Lalaki Laban sa Karahasan (LLK), a community-based groups of reformed husbands and fathers who were involved in committing domestic violence, as partners in spearheading in their respective areas the campaign against any form of abuse in the family.

“The Bantay Familia has instilled in the minds of every LLK member that aside from their wives, fathers or husbands also play key roles in building a happy and peaceful family,” De Asis said.

Another intervention is the Katatagan Kontra Droga sa Komunidad (KKDK), also a community-based group which, along with the Bantay Familia volunteers, conduct counseling not only to the drug surrenderees but to their family members as well.

De Asis cited a situation wherein the Bantay Familia sent to rehabilitation center a doping mother who was reportedly inflicting physical harm on her husband and children. “It was through the KKDK that the mother’s habitual taking of illegal drugs was thoroughly and expeditiously acted upon,” she said.

“Then we have the Kahobenan Kontra sa Karahasan (KKK), a group of young volunteers who conduct peer counselling to youngsters who fell prey to emotional and sexual abuse or molestations,” she said.

KKK members are joined by psychology and social work students from different colleges and universities in the cities of Naga and Legazpi to help address the issues that confront the youths.