Patterns and Trends of Rape Cases in Ifugao Provinces

: Ifugao province experienced a concerning rise in reported rape incidents, particularly in residential areas. This study investigates rape patterns from 2016 to 2020, utilizing a descriptive research approach with documentary analysis and surveys. The data spanned from 2016 to 2020. Age-related Patterns: Victims aged 1 to 12 were the most common targets, comprising 117 cases from 2016-2020. Age of Perpetrators: Perpetrators, predominantly aged 18 to 64, accounted for 199 cases from 2016-2020.Victim-Suspect Relationship: Most victims reported no relation to the perpetrator. Boyfriends, acquaintances, and neighbors were the least reported perpetrators. Rape incidents primarily occurred from 5:00 am to 11:00 am in 2016 and 2020, while from 2017-2019, incidents were more common from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. 3.5 Place of Occurrence: Residential areas were the predominant locations for rape incidents. Rape Prevention Programs: According to the overall mean, Police Community Relation's rape prevention programs were deemed highly implemented by barangay officials. Police personnel also expressed a high level of implementation certainty. The study also highlights a perceived disparity in the evaluation of rape prevention program implementation between police personnel and barangay officials. The findings suggest a need for targeted prevention strategies, especially during vulnerable hours for potential victims. This study sheds light on the patterns and trends of rape cases in Ifugao provinces, offering insights for developing a more effective action plan to curb the occurrence of such incidents.


Introduction
Rape is a global issue, one-third to two-thirds of rape victims are children aged 15 or younger.Women aged 16-19 are four times more likely to be raped, and female college students aged 18-24 are three times more likely to experience sexual assault (Sexual Violence, n.d.).
Studies show teenagers experience rape from strangers (33%) and friends (25%) (Lima da Costa et al., 2022).. Schools often become primary sites for rape, as seen in Kenya and the U.S. Around 55% of rapes in the U.S. occur at/near the victim's home.Various prevention programs exist, like Kuala Lumpur Hospital's 'One-Stop Crisis Centre' and New York's Sexual Violence Prevention Program World Health Organization (2012).
In the Philippines, a woman or child is raped every hour (Ordinario, 2020) Women and Children Protection Units are in place (Cervantes, 2022).
In Ifugao, rape remains a significant concern, with 16 cases reported in 2020.The 'Ammuna' operation and 'Implan Pani-O' focus on community awareness and prevention (Implan-02, 2019).. Understanding patterns and trends is crucial, prompting the study's objectives: to identify rape patterns, assess prevention programs, and recommend solutions.This research aims to provide insights for the Ifugao Provincial Police to formulate effective action plans and reduce rape incidents.

Statement of the Problem
This study aims to describe the patterns and trends of rape in the Ifugao Province.Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

Materials and Methods
This study utilizes descriptive research to analyze trends and patterns of rape cases in Ifugao province from 2015 to 2020.Descriptive research is chosen for its suitability in identifying characteristics, frequencies, trends, and categories, aligning with the study's focus on understanding rape occurrences.The population comprises 11 municipalities in Ifugao, with specific attention to Kiangan and Lamut.
Data collection involves document analysis of records from the Ifugao Provincial Police Office and questionnaire distribution.The questionnaires, utilizing a four-point Likert scale, target 119 barangay officials and 30 police officers from Lamut and Kiangan.These questionnaires aim to assess the extent of rape prevention program implementation.
The treatment of data involves frequency and percentage computation to determine patterns and trends in rape cases.Mean scores, standard deviations, and qualitative descriptions are used to evaluate the extent of implementation of rape prevention programs.The study employs ANOVA analysis to identify any significant differences in perceptions between Police Officers and Barangay Officials regarding program implementation.

1.
The patterns and trends of rape cases in Ifugao province from 2016 to 2020 according to a.
Age of the victims: The data discloses that in the five inclusive years, victims aged 1 to 12 were the most common victims of rape with 117 cases recorded from 2016-2020.

b.
Age of the perpetrators: About the age of the perpetrators at the time of the incident, majority of the perpetrators are aged 18 to 64 with 199 cases recorded from 2016-2020.c.
Victim-suspect relationship: Most of the victims reports that they are not related to the perpetrator.The least reported perpetrators are the boyfriends, acquaintances, and neighbors of the victims.
Place of Occurrence: Rape mostly happens in residential areas.

2.
Based on the overall mean obtained, rape prevention programs by the Police Community Relation are much implemented according to barangay officials.On one hand, police personnel deemed these programs as very much implemented.

Discussion
Based on the data gathered by the researcher, The patterns and trends of rape cases in Ifugao Provinces would be presented as follows:

Age of the Victim
The majority of reported cases involved children aged 1 to 12, peaking in 2016.Following closely were victims aged 13 to 17, except for 2019, where a higher number fell within the 18 to 64 age range.This data underscores the heightened vulnerability of children and adolescents to rape in Ifugao.Similar findings are reported globally, with studies in Nigeria and the Philippines revealing that individuals aged 1 to 20, especially those between 12 and 17, are more susceptible to sexual abuse.

Age of Perpetrator
Notably, the highest frequency involved perpetrators aged 18 to 64, the age group legally accountable for crimes like rape.Adolescents, aged 13 to 17, followed closely.Fewer cases were recorded for ages 7 to 12 and 65 to 87, with explanations rooted in the onset of juvenile sexual offending and the persistence of sexual urges in older age.
Global data aligns with these findings, as indicated by RAINN, stating that 84% of sexual violence perpetrators are adults.In the Philippines, perpetrators are typically men aged 30 to 40, often family members (Cameleon Association, n.d.).A parallel study by PRO-1 in 2020 also identified offenders aged 18 to 25 as jobless and mostly known to victims (Cabanayan, 2022).
The study underscores the media's impact on children, revealing that exposure to sexual content influences behavior.However, the complexity of factors contributing to sexual offenses, such as substance use among teenagers, suggests that the interplay between pornography and rape cases requires nuanced exploration.

Relationship of Victim and Perpetrator
Notably, a majority of cases (50%) involve perpetrators with no relationship to the victims, contrasting with prior studies suggesting interpersonal connections in rape incidents (Candaliza & Zarco, 1995).This finding illustrating that 53.78% of victims reported no relationship with the suspects, challenging the notion that perpetrators are typically known to their victims.
The data further reveals that family members, comprising grandfathers, fathers, brothers, uncles, nephews, and cousins, are the second most common perpetrators, accounting for 36.56% of cases.Insights from Police Officer A highlight instances where victims and suspects live in the same or nearby barangays, often engaging in activities that lead to intoxication before the crime.Alcohol, a significant factor in sex offenses (Johnson, 2021), raises concerns about impaired judgment and vulnerability.
Concerning age, the youngest victims (ages 1-12) were not under the influence of liquor during incidents.The vulnerability of this age group is attributed to physical factors and innocence rather than intoxication.Family members as perpetrators challenge common myths, as their motives extend beyond sexual needs, encompassing power, anger, dominance, and control (Medleg, n.d.).Cases of incest, like the one involving a father raping his three daughters, underscore the distressing power dynamics within families and the enduring silence of victims.
Boyfriends represent only 1.68% of reported suspects, emphasizing that non-consensual acts, even within romantic relationships, constitute rape.Manipulation tactics, such as sweet-talking, verbal insistence, blackmail, deception, bribery, drugging, and threats, expose the complex dynamics involved (National Baseline Study on Violence against Children: Philippines, 2016).

Time of Occurrence
The primary temporal pattern indicates peaks between 5 am and 11 am in 2016 and 2020, and between 12 pm and 5 pm in 2017, 2018, and 2019.The most significant number of cases occurred in 2016 and 2018.The data suggests that perpetrators in Ifugao are more active during work hours and daytime than at other times.This aligns with findings in other studies, such as Ezechi et al. ( 2016), which reported most sexual assaults occurring during the daytime in a Nigerian setting.Research has noted specific periods, like 8 am, noon, and 6 pm (traditional mealtimes), as times when sexual assaults tend to rise significantly (Snyder and Sickmund, 1999).
Analysis of IPPO data reveals the highest peak in rape cases occurring between 1 pm and 3 pm over five years.The study speculates that the province's colder climate might influence the increased prevalence of rape-related crimes.However, this assumption is contradicted by other research, such as Reichhoff (2017) and Cohn (1993), which found no strong evidence linking weather conditions to rape levels.
These findings suggest a non-random temporal factor, indicating that sex offenders deliberately choose times when victims are most vulnerable and without visible guardians.Case decisions like G.R. 182230 and G.R. 214466, involving juvenile rape during daytime naps, reinforce the significance of temporal considerations in sexual assault cases.

Place of Occurrence
Notably, the majority of rape cases during this period transpired in residential areas, with around 10 cases per year occurring in open areas, rice fields, and commercial establishments.
Research on the environmental characteristics of rape indicates that it transpires in various locations.Notably, indoor residential areas are frequently reported settings.A Queensland, Australia study by Moram (1993) found that 61% of rape cases occurred in residential settings, with 42% involving individuals known to the victim.Lovett and Kelly's (2009) investigation across 11 European countries revealed that 61% of single-perpetrator rape cases occurred in private locations, predominantly in the victim's or suspect's home.Rosay and Langworthy (2003) reached similar conclusions in their examination of 541 cases.

The Extent of Implementation of Rape Prevention Program according to Perception of Barangay Officials and Police Officers
The Rape Prevention Program, rated "much implemented" with an overall mean of 3.24, focuses on key indicators like symposiums and tarpaulin campaigns, highly regarded by barangay officials.Police efforts, including the "Oplan Ammuna," prioritize awareness and safety amid challenges like the pandemic affecting house visits and self-defense training.
Police participants actively engage in prevention efforts, scoring an overall mean of 3.78, showcasing comprehensive measures such as symposiums, distribution, and dialogues.ANOVA results highlight a significant difference in perception between Police Officers and Barangay Officials, emphasizing factors distinguishing the groups.A barangay official calls for consistent program reinforcement, noting a perceived lack of decrease in rape cases despite ongoing efforts.

Conclusion
Based on the findings, the following are the derived conclusions: 1.
Victims of rape are commonly marked by innocence, vulnerability, and inability to protect oneself.
Meanwhile, perpetrators are usually those who are physically stronger and more mentally mature than the victim, thus facilitating the consummation of the crime.
In addition to that, the perpetrators tend to victimize non-relative or those who are in a way not in proximity with the victims.
Perpetrators usually strike during work hours, when parents or guardians are usually out for work, e.g.offices, fields, etc.At these times, children or teens are left at home, unsupervised and not being attended to.For this reason, rape incidence occurs often in residential areas therefore.

2.
Although police personnel asserted a high certainty with regards to their implementation of the rape prevention programs, the barangay officials seemed to express a slightly different view, seemingly because they urge a more consistent and reinforced implementation of these programs as they may not have felt and seen the decrease in the recorded rape cases over the years while the programs are underway.

1 .
What are the patterns and trends of rape in Ifugao province from 2015 to 2020 according to: