III. Focus Group Discussion/Regional Webinar with Service Providers A. Preliminaries The webinar officially started at exactly 10: 00 AM with a video presentation of Philippine National Anthem and Prayer. Atty. Punzalan Sobreviňas acknowledged and introduced the attendees of the WEBINAR. Prior to the FGD, the participants had submitted their responses to the guide questions given to them. B. Discussion Atty. Punzalan-Sobreviňas discussed the background of the study of the current situation regarding Gender-Based Violence (GBV) of the Philippines here in CALABARZON. According to studies around the world, there are 1 out of 3 women and girls who experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner. Only 52% of married women or who has lived - in partner in a union freely make their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use and health care. So, more than half of women are unable to make decisions when it comes to sexual revisions. Throughout the world, almost 750 million women and girls, alive today, were married before their 18th birthday, while 200 million women and girls have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FMG). In 2017, 1 in 2 women were killed by their partners or family, while only 1 out of 20 men were killed under similar circumstances. Seventy-one (71) percent of all human trafficking victims are women and girls, and 3 out of 4 of these were sexually exploited. Violence against women is a serious cause of death and incapacity among women of reproductive age as cancer, and a greater cause of ill health than traffic accidents and malaria combined. “In every 3 women is likely to be BEATEN, COERCED INTO SEX or otherwise ABUSED in her lifetime” -UN Secretary -General Ban Kim-Moon, 2008. According to National Demographic Health Survey/DSWD Cases 2013/2014, 1 in every 5 Filipino women has experienced physical violence since age 15, 6% have experienced sexual violence, 3,168 girls experience abuse, and 1,157 were sexually abused. 448 cases involved incest. Also, in 2017, 1 in 4 (26%) every married woman aged 15-49 has experienced physical, sexual or emotional CHR: Dignity of all Address: 2F Mary Grace Building Colago Avenue cor. M.L. Quezon St., Barangay I-A San Pablo City, Laguna 4000 Contact numbers: (049)562-5415/ 09156920530/ 09396384786 E-mail: chr4_sanpablo@yahoo.com Page 39 of 54