WATCH: Stop the silence

MANILA, Philippines – Not everyone has a happy childhood story to tell. 

A 2016 study of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed that one in 5 children are sexually harassed in the Philippines. Worse, most of these  children experience violence in a place where they should feel most secure –  their own homes.  (READ: Most child abuse cases in PH happen at home – study)

According to the UNICEF study, the most common forms of child abuse are physical abuse (66.3%) and psychological violence (62.8%).

Beyond these figures are real stories of children who grew up struggling with the permanent wounds of abuse and harassment.  In an interview with Rappler in January, clinical psychologist Karina Therese Fernandez, executive director of Ateneo Bulatao Center for Psychology Services, explained that the effects of abuse are more “devastating” when the perpetrator is someone the victim knows and trusts.

“It’s more devastating than some stranger in the dark because to begin with, when you abuse a child, it’s trust that you break,” she said.

Bahay Tuluyan depicted this in its compelling video, “Stop the Silence.”

“You feel the disgust now. Abused children feel it forever,” Bahay Tuluyan said in the video. (READ: When kids don’t know they are victims of sexual abuse) 

Bahay Tuluyan, a non-governmental organization that provides a variety of services to prevent and respond to the exploitation of Filipino children, is focusing on helping children who experienced abuse in whatever form. – Rappler.com

For interested donors, you may contact Bahay Tuluyan at +632 254 0213