The Regional Haven for Women and Girls provides an alternative form of family care through 24-hour group living on temporary basis, to disadvantaged and abused women and girl victim-survivors and their qualified dependent/s whose needs cannot be adequately met by their own families and relatives over a period of time.
The Regional Heaven was established in 1997 in partnership with the Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc. (CSFI).
Objectives
To enable women and girls in crisis restore their normal psycho-social functioning towards family reunification and community reintegration.
Specifically, it aims:
- To provide a wide range of services for the care, protection and recovery, rehabilitation and development of the disadvantaged women;
- To facilitate social preparation of disadvantaged women for eventual family reunification and community re-integration;
- To collaborate with stakeholders in advocating for the promotion and realization of the rights of women;
- To serve as resource center for training, research program development and policy formulation related to residential care.
Target Clientele
Women, age 13-59 years old, who are:
- Victims of involuntary or forced prostitution
- Women recruited for specific employment, e.g. receptionist, entertainers, and household help but are later forced into prostitution
- Victims of illegal Recruitment
- Women who paid fees for local and international employment but found themselves with no job placement. This also includes those who are able to work but under exploitative or oppressive conditions and / or have lost their jobs.
- Battered or abused women
- Women physically, mentally and emotionally maltreated by their husband, other family members, employers, etc.
- Victims of sexual abuse
- Women who are victims of incest – those who have carnal relation with their father, sibling or blood relatives to the fourth degree of consanguinity, and victims of rape – those who have been victims of genital copulation, usually accompanied by bodily threats.
- Victims of armed conflict
- Women who have been traumatized by death, displacement and or disorganization of family members as a result of armed struggle
- Women in detention
- Women who have been detained in jails for various reasons before a case was filed against them
Services
- Social Services – essential assistance to the victim to restore / develop her coping capacity, overcome traumatic experiences and prepare her for appropriate family care. This includes, but not limited to counseling, casework / group work and other social work interventions.
- Residential Care – includes temporary custody / shelter, food, clothing and personal care items
- Medical Services – provides physical examination, dental check-up, clearance for sexually transmitted diseases and psychiatric evaluation and treatment
- Psychological Testing – provides psychological evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation to victims to overcome traumatic experiences affecting their functioning
- Maternal and Child Care Skills Development
How can these services be availed?
- Walk-in – victims can go directly to the center.
- Referral – victims are referred by DSWD offices, local government units, church groups, other agencies (private or public) or by any concerned individuals