Children with diverse SOGIESC are more vulnerable to violence – Save the Children

MANILA, Philippines — It is high time for the government to enact laws protecting children with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characters (SOGIESC) from violence, some of which even take place at home, a children's rights advocacy group said in a statement commemorating this year’s Pride Month.

"These children suffer different forms of discrimination on a daily basis even in their homes, where they should feel most protected and loved. Many are abused only because they chose to be who they really are," said Save the Children Philippines SOGIESC project officer Ammiel Alano.

Save the Children Philippines pointed out that four out of five children with diverse SOGIESC are especially vulnerable to physical, psychological and sexual violence, according to data from a 2016 study on violence against children by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) Philippines.

A similar study conducted in 2022 by CWC found that 75% of 174 children who identified as LGBT said they have been physically maltreated compared to 65.9% and 61.8% of heterosexual males and females.

More than 78% of children who identified to belong to LGBT said they were psychologically abused and more than a third (33%) said they have been sexually violated, according to the same study.

The group threw its support behind the passage of the Positive Parenting Bill or Senate Bill 2036, which protects children from humiliating and/or corporal punishment and promotes “positive parenting” to curb violent approaches toward discipline.

The measure, authored by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, is still pending at the committee level.

“The bill says there are methods based on respect for children’s [rights] and protection that are aligned with healthy child development and effective parenting. These methods eventually reared positive adults and well-adjusted members of the society,” the group said.

The Philippines remains among the 134 countries that do not have laws protecting children from all forms of violence, the group said in an earlier statement.