The 911 national emergency hotline can now respond to calls on gender-based violence, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Thursday, following an agreement with other state agencies.
Interior Sec. Eduardo Año said the 911 hotline can receive calls from the public on violence against women and children, and gender-based violence and connect them to the proper government agencies for action and investigation.
“Violence against women and children mostly happens within the confines of the households with 1 out of 3 women experiencing physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence even before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Año said in a written statement.
READ: The Pandemic 'Jeopardized' Gender Equality in Philippines, Says World Bank
Operators of the 911 emergency hotline would be trained to adopt the guidebook for handling violence against women calls, he added.
Based on DILG data, the top concerns of 911 calls are medical assistance, police assistance, and fire assistance.
“The DILG remains committed to strengthening the capacities of the LGUs, especially the Barangay VAW Desks and the Anti-Sexual Harassment or ASH Desks, to effectively respond to reported violence or harassment of women, men, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” he added.
At present, there are 72 call center agents for the 911 hotline which operates 24/7.
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