The Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse (CPTCSA), a non-governmental organization (NGO), on Thursday, Feb. 15 took the lead in organizing a forum titled "Forum on Kinship Care: Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Survivors of Online Sexual Abuse.

On the sidelines of the event, Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) Undersecretary Angelo M. Tapales explained to the Manila Bulletin the concept of kinship care, which the CPTCSA advocated.

"Kinship care, also known as foster care by relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity and affinity," Tapales said in a mix of English and Filipino.

This suggests that instead of placing the victim of sexual abuse under foster care with strangers, the proposal prioritizes the child's relatives for care and support.

"If it's possible for foster care with strangers, you can also provide foster care to relatives," he said.

"Instead of strangers, why not choose relatives?" he added.

The event took place at Sequoia Hotel in Quezon City, where leaders and members from both government organizations (GO) and NGOs had the opportunity to listen to an international expert on kinship care.

Alternative care

The child welfare advocates said kinship care serves as an alternative for children who cannot reside with their parents.

This arrangement allows children to stay within their family, thereby averting the need for family separation.

"Suppose the offender is the parents. Of course, the first trauma is being hurt because you (victim) were sexually abused," Tapales said.

"The second trauma is when you are removed from your family. Naturally, what they (CPTCSA) want is for the child's life to remain as normal as possible. Instead of being removed from the family, relatives can take custody through a foster care arrangement," he added.

However, the undersecretary emphasized that despite being relatives of the victims, the National Authority for Child Care (NACC), responsible for the foster process, will conduct comprehensive background checks.

"There is the National Authority for Child Care; they are in charge of adoption and foster care," Tapales said

"There is a process that one undergoes, including a thorough background check, and they will license you as a foster parent if you are indeed qualified to take on the role of fostering a child," he added.

Meanwhile, in cases where separation has already taken place, kinship care can serve as a means of reintegrating children back into the family.

Maintaining a connection with the extended family in this manner enables children to preserve a sense of their cultural identity and belonging, crucial factors for their personal development and mental well-being.

Additionally, they will assess RA11642, "An Act Strengthening Alternative Child Care," considering new research findings and best practices in the field.

Sexual assaults in PH

According to the CPTCSA, Child sexual assault is a critical concern, with about one-third of Filipino children having already experienced or being at risk of encountering some form of sexual violence before they turn 18.

In 2020, 40 percent, or four out of ten children, engaged with strangers on social media, and 30 percent, or three out of ten, received explicit materials through these platforms.

Alarmingly, half of those who might have encountered sexual violence and exploitation chose not to report the incidents.

Online sexual abuse hotspot

Meanwhile, Tapales emphasized that the Philippines is a hotspot of Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC).

"That means that the incidence of OSAEC in the Philippines is very high," he said.

On Jan. 26, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) said that the Philippines is number one in the whole world when it comes to OSAEC.

"The Philippines has a high number of OSAEC cases, and we are number one in the world," CICC Deputy Executive Director Mary Rose E. Magsaysay said.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/26/we-are-number-one-in-the-world-cicc-expresses-concern-on-escalating-online-sexual-abuse-in-ph