Gender-based violence, which includes all forms of violence against women on account of their socially constructed role, is a major issue that cuts across cultures, religions, classes and regional boundaries. Women all over the world are continuously exposed to violence in their homes, in the streets and in their workplaces. (Women and Men in CAR, 2022)

Perpetrators of Violence

Perpetrators are persons who carry out an illegal, or immoral act that harms others especially women, type-casted as the "weaker sex," who are potential victims of specific kinds of violence. Majority of the total perpetrators are persons other than the relatives of the victims.

Among those people related to the victim, Father/Husband recorded the highest rate executing the heinous crime with 18.0 percent in 2021. This was followed by the Uncle and Cousin of the victim with 5.6 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively.

On the other hand, 32.8 percent that had No Relation to the Victim recorded the highest rate under Others followed by the Live-in Partner and Neighbor with 8.0 percent and 12.0 percent, respectively.

Number of Perpetrators

In 2017, the number of perpetrators of violence against women and girls increased by about 5.1 percent with a total of 1,239 cases in the region.

In 2018 and the following years, it decreased by 23.7 percent, 6.9 percent, and 36.7 percent, respectively up to the year 2020. Then from year 2020, it increased by 2.3 percent with a total of 573 cases in the year 2021.

The year 2017 had the highest recorded perpetrators with 1,239 cases followed by the year 2018 with 945 cases, while the year 2020 had recorded the lowest with 560 total cases.

Status of Cases: Due Process of Law

Most of the cases were Filed in Court reaching 283 or 49.4 percent of the total cases in 2021 followed by cases Referred to the Provincial Prosecution Office, Barangay, or DSWD with 21.3 percent. Only one (1) case was Dropped or Closed, and comprised 0.2 percent of the total cases in 2021.

Status of Cases: Criminal Case

Suspects at large are criminals who are dangerous that are not captured yet. Cases where suspects at large were recorded highest was in the year 2021 with 42.7 percent followed by the suspect arrested with 35.4 percent.

In the year 2020, the highest cases with suspects arrested recorded at 47.4 percent followed by suspect at large criminals with 23.3 percent.

On the other hand, cases where criminals were deceased had the least rate for both years with 0.4 percent.

Turned-over Criminals

Among those criminals that had been turned over, the majority was turned-over to their family with 39 individuals, followed by turned-over to their shelter with 36 individuals, and turned-over to the rehabilitation center with 8 individuals.

Turn-over to school recorded the lowest number with one (1) individual.

VILLAFE P. ALIBUYOG
Regional Director

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TECHNICAL NOTES

Perpetrators were the persons who carried out a harmful, illegal, or immoral act.

Filing in Court is to deposit with the clerk of the court a written complaint or petition which is the opening step in a lawsuit and subsequent documents, including an answer, demurrer, motions, petitions, and orders.

Dropped/Closed were the cases that will not go to court.

Under Police Investigation is an official examination of the facts about a situation or crime.

Settlement is an agreement reached by the parties to a lawsuit, usually in writing and/or read into the record in court, settling all issues.

Amendment is to alter or change by adding, subtracting, or substituting. One can amend a statute, a contract or a written pleading filed in a lawsuit.

Convicted were the persons who were found guilty of a crime after a trial.

Convicted with Plea Bargaining in criminal procedure, a negotiation between the defendant and his attorney on one side and the prosecutor on the other, in which the defendant agrees to plead "guilty" or "no contest" to some crimes, in return for reduction of the severity of the charges, dismissal of some of the charges, the prosecutor's willingness to recommend a particular sentence or some other benefit to the defendant.

Dismissed the ruling by a judge that all or a portion (one or more of the causes of action) of the plaintiff's lawsuit is terminated (thrown out) at that point without further evidence or testimony.

Dismissed upon filing or motion for dismissal is the application by a defendant in a lawsuit or criminal prosecution asking the judge to rule that the plaintiff (the party who filed the lawsuit) or the prosecution has not and cannot prove its case.

For Record to put a document into the official records of a county at the office of the County Recorder or Recorder of Deeds.

Acquitted what an accused criminal defendant receives if he/she is found not guilty.

Suspects at Large ​were criminals who are dangerous that have not been captured yet.

Suspect Arrested the one-person law enforcement officers believe most probably committed a crime.

Deceased is the criminal who has died, as used in the handling of his/her estate, probate of will and other proceedings after death.

Detained to keep somebody in an official place, such as a police station, a prison or a hospital, and prevent them from leaving.

Hospitalized were those criminals who were sent to a hospital for treatment.

Bail money that somebody agrees to pay if a person accused of a crime does not appear at their trial. When bail has been arranged, the accused person is allowed to go free until the trial.

Probation is a chance to remain free (or serve only a short time) given by a judge to a person convicted of a crime instead of being sent to jail or prison, provided the person can be good.

Released is to give freedom, as letting out of prison.

Sentence is the punishment given by a court

Surrendered to give oneself up to law enforcement officials.

References:

Oxford Dictionary

ALM’s Law Dictionary