Socio-Cultural Factors Associated with Reporting and Barangay Responses to Violence against Women and Children

Abstract

Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) is shaped not only by legal and institutional responses but also by social norms, family expectations, gender roles, and barriers to help-seeking. This study addressed the local evidence gap on how these socio-cultural conditions are perceived in relation to VAWC reporting and barangay response in Naga City, Philippines. A descriptive-comparative survey was conducted among 81 barangay officials from the city’s 27 barangays, with three officials represented per barangay. Frequency and percentage summarized reported case profiles, weighted means described the measured socio-cultural and response dimensions, and independent-samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance examined differences across the demographic groupings specified in the study. The reported case profiles were predominantly female, most frequently aged 26–35 years, living with a partner, and identified as housewives. Physical abuse was the largest reported category (45.7%), followed by economic abuse (34.6%). Victim-survivors were the most frequently identified reporters (74.1%), while the VAWC Desk Office was the most commonly identified barangay intervention mechanism (53.1%). Social norms (M = 2.94), family expectations (M = 3.19), gender roles (M = 3.00), and reporting barriers (M = 2.99) were rated High, whereas barangay response was rated Very High (M = 3.26). No statistically significant differences were detected according to age (p = .507), gender (p = .640), civil status (p = .714), or occupation (p = .458). The findings indicate that the identified socio-cultural concerns are broadly shared across the demographic groupings examined and support community-wide, culturally responsive, and victim-centered interventions that combine norm transformation with accessible reporting, referral, and barangay support mechanisms.