ANTI-RAPE LAW 180 OF 1997 - RA 8353 237 ANTI-VIOLENCE 17 AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN ACT OF 2004 - RA 9262 11 128 15 1820 123 63 74 73 (-65%) (-68.77%) (-42.9%) 3 3 9 (-82%) (-72.72%) (40%) 712 60.87% 42 65.85% The Commission’s own data reflected this decrease in the reporting of case of GBV. Comparing requests for assistance in cases of rape of women, data from 15 March to 30 September 2019 is at 71; while 15 March to 30 September 2020 data is at 30, showing a 57.74 % decrease in requests for assistance. Specific to the ECQ period of 15 March to 31 May, the percentage decrease is even lower, with 2019 data at 30 and 2020 data at 5, showing 88.33% percentage decrease. Comparing data on rape of girl children for 2019 and that of 2020, the data from the Commission’s regional offices would show there were 63 requests for protection services from 15 March to 31 September of 2019, however, for the same period in 2020, there were only 25 cases. This is a percentage decrease of 60.31%. Comparing data during the ECQ period of 15 March to 31 May, the percentage decrease is even higher at 85.18%, with 2019 data at 27 and 2020 request for protection services at 4. Interpreting this drop, the Commission sees the low reporting of cases, not as an indicator of lower incidents of GBV but as a reflection of the many barriers to reporting during the ECQ/MECQ period. The decreased number of reports could indicate an overwhelmed system, with breakdown of referral mechanisms resulting in lack of action or delayed response to cases of gender-based violence. These are substantiated in the reports received by the Commission in its E-reporting portal for GBV, an online platform developed by the Commission to receive report of GBV during the quarantine period. Among the barriers documented are the following: breakdown of referral mechanisms in some instances, limited mobility, insensitivity of some duty bearers, and the fear of contacting the virus should the survivor venture out of the house. Documented Breakdown of referral mechanisms. One of the recurring complaints documented through the Commission’s “E-Report mo sa Gender Ombud” reporting portal are complaints regarding breakdown of referral mechanisms during the ECQ/MECQ period. Of the 42 reports filed within the ECQ/MECQ period, (March to May 30) there were 9 (21.4%) reports of women, girls who were denied of service, treated with insensitivity, or advised to file the report only after lockdown ends. This included the case of two minors who were survivors of 2 separate cases of rape and who were initially advised to file their cases only after the lockdown. Response to these cases only became positive after intervention by the Commission 79. It also included a daughter who assisted her mother in securing a BPO, and was initially refused and advised to proceed with a dialogue. In this case, after intervention by the CHR and calls to the Barangay, the BPO was eventually issued. 80 It also includes two other cases where the survivors proceeded to file a complaint with the police station but were instead 79 Rape case of a girl with disability in NCR ; Rape case of a minor in CHR-IVA as referred by Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Kabaihan sa Kanayunan; 80 VAWC case in CHR-IVA 20