Day 18: Breaking the Silence

UP-Cebu Campus; Where the BTS
Training was conducted

Break the Silence (BTS) is a program and campaign for the deaf child sexual abuse prevention of the Gualandi Service Programme (GVSP) Inc. in partnership with Australian Aid. GVSP was trained and capacitated by the Stairway foundation which is also an NGO that also works for the sexually abused children in the Philippines.

Why are the Deaf Children more vulnerable to Sexual Abuse?

a. Most Deaf Cannot Speak
b. Deaf people are kinesthetic, they enjoy the pleasure of being touched that sometimes they cannot distinguish the difference between a safe and unsafe touch.
c. Deaf children and teenagers are easily lured by strangers especially if you give them money and food; or if someone knows how to sign even if it's just A-Z.
d. Most parents and family members don't know Sign Language; Acts of abuse are repeated because disclosure/communication is difficult.
e. Some deaf children are gullible due to low level of intelligence.
f. Personal safety classes are not conducted in schools.
g. Public Schools have a weak counseling program for the deaf who are mainstreamed.  The ratio is 1 counselor to 500-1000 students
h SPED don't have counselors  and it is usually the teachers who handle the cases of sexual abuse.
i. There are cases of deaf women and children will come from a poor family who resorts to selling their children.
j. Ignorance about sexual abuse.
k. Situation are aggravated because of lack of interpreters and awareness of social workers, lawyers , fiscals, and judges regarding the rights , nature, and , dynamics of deaf clients.

Source: GVSP- BTS Training/Orientation

Deaf Child Sexual Abuse Statistics in the Philippines

It's very saddening to know of how Deaf children are being abused. There should be a change in the Educational System. Even a simple A-Z can help us understand a deaf's world.

At present, it remains to be a stigma in the society when a family has a deaf child. They would prefer to hide them in their houses which is barely equal to imprisoning someone. Those who do this is similar to taking out someone else right to live and enjoy life. "DEAF people CAN DO ANYTHING - except hear." Share this if you truly believe they can! Break the Stigma! Break the abuse! Break the Silence!