Preda Children Succeeds in School: The Story of Joanna

Preda Children Succeeds in School: The Story of Joanna

The Preda Foundation provides holistic care and services, ranging from rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration, to victims of sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking. Every year, at least 50 children are admitted to the Preda Home for Girls where they are healed and empowered through the rehabilitation program. When they graduate, they are reintegrated to supportive family members and Preda continues to monitor their situation and provides monthly school allowance to ensure that they stay in school. For the school year 2020-2021, the Preda Foundation supported the education of 30 aftercare clients (four in elementary, 24 in high school and two in college). All but one of these children successfully finished the school year- the first in the Philippines to be conducted by remote learning- including Joanna. This is her story.

At 13 years old, Joanna was raped by her biological father. At that time, Joanna’s mother left home to work as a household helper in Manila, leaving Joanna and a nine-year old sister to the care and custody of their father. One night, Gilbert her father ordered Joanna to stay and sleep beside him in a nipa hut, not far from their house. There, he told her how sad he was when Joanna’s mother left them without his knowledge and consent. He also told her how worried he is about how he can support his family.

Joanna was roused from her sleep when she felt her father’s hand on her vagina. She tried to remove his hand but he was stronger than her. Then, he stood up, removed his shorts and un-dressed Joanna and raped her. Afterwards, she ran back to their house but he followed her and asked for forgiveness and said he only did it because he misses his wife and told her it will not happen again. However, the following night, he raped Joanna again and this time he threatened him that if ever she tells anyone he will also rape her younger sister. Fear enveloped Joanna and she was unable to tell anyone what he is doing to her. After one month, her mother returned home and she thought that would be the end of her misery but he continued to rape her whenever he had the chance.

As a result, Joanna’s school grades dropped, which her teacher noticed and she counseled Joanna privately. Joanna knew the teacher as a kind and understanding teacher and she trusted her with her story. Joanna found the courage and told her teacher that her father had been raping her for the past months.

As mandated by the Department of Education’s Child Protection Policy CPP, the teacher informed the school principal about Joanna’s disclosure of sexual abuse, hoping that Joanna will be brought to safety and given help and support by the proper authorities. Unbelievably, however, and in violation of the CPP, the school principal called the father to her office and asked that he reconcile with his daughter. Joanna refused to reconcile with her father and together they went home as if nothing happened.

The following day two of her cousins who heard what happened to Joanna asked her to come with them. They went to the office of the local social worker of the nearby town and asked for help for Joanna. Since the incidents happened in another town, the local social worker coordinated with her counterpart and on that same day the police and social worker brought Joanna to safety in the Preda Home for Girls in Subic.

Joanna was so happy to be safe and away from the abuse of her father but she worried constantly for the safety of her younger sister. At Preda, the social workers and other children gave her a warm welcome. She learned from the other children that they, too, were abused and are fighting for their rights by bringing their abusers to justice. This encouraged Joanna all the more to file a legal complaint against her father. This she did on 11 March 2019.
As soon as he learned that Joanna filed a legal complaint against him, Gilbert went into hiding. He did not attend the preliminary investigation by the public prosecutor, which resolved the complaint on 2 May 2019 and indicted Gilbert in court for Qualified Rape and Child Abuse. The police are looking for him by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Maribel Mariano Beltran. He remains in hiding until now.

Joanna easily adjusted to life at Preda. She participated in the many activities and made several friends. She continued her studies and was a diligent student. After more than a year at Preda, the social workers found a caring and supportive maternal aunt that took care of her younger sister. Joanna was reintegrated to her also.

There, she continued her studies with support from the Preda Foundation and she recently graduated from junior high school. She is now in senior high school.